The
Oron National Forum (ONAF) The Oron Development Union (ODU) The Oron Youth
Movement (OYOM) The Oron Women's Action Group (OWAG) The Oron Revolutionary
Youth Committee (ORAYCOM) The Oron Public Relations Committee (OPRC) and other
popular, patriotic and democratic organisations
Hereby
declare as follows:
1.
That the manifest Destiny of the Oron Nation is in the hands of the Oron
people, particularly the youth and broad masses.
2.
That the achievement of the manifest destiny must be seen in the total security
of the Oron geopolitical space which includes the people, the land, the culture
and future.
3.
That the processes and actions relevant in the achievement of the manifest
destiny in no way be compromised by any Oron citizen even at the pains of
death.
4.
That the Oron Nation is prepared to exist within the Nigerian system if, and
only if, the security of the land and people is assured by appropriate
affirmative action by the Nigerian Sovereign State by way of a just, equitable
and democratic conduct of the affairs of the federal republic of Nigeria
through its constitutional, political administration and social policies
nationwide and particularly as they affect the micro-minorities.
5.
That the Oron Nation unequivocally reject the 1999 constitution of Nigeria on
the following grounds:
(a)
That it is arbitrary and undemocratic, imposed by a military cabal committed
only to sectionalist interests
(b)
It woefully fails to address the special interest of the micro-nationalities in
the country.
(c)
It does not respect and observe genuine federal principles upon which any
viable pluralistic Nigerian political community must be built.
(d)
It has grave feudalistic elements meant to undermine the small ethnic
nationalities and the management of their resources and development interests.
DEMANDS
Fully
conscious of the above facts and their implications, the People of Oron demand
the following:
(1)
All portions of Oron land and adjoining coast, that is,
(i) the territory
between Oro and the Republic of Cameroun (now called Bakassi) which is part of
Mbo local government in Oro and had since been managed under Okolo/Oron Country
Council or Oron Local Government.
(ii) Esuk Inwang in Okobo Local Government
Area settled in favour of Okobo by a competent court of law;
(iii) The Stubs
and Widenham creek forests with the adjoining coastal waters be immediately
returned to the Oron Nation.
(2)
The Oron Nation must be made a state within the Niger Delta Region.
(3)
That the Federal Republic of Nigeria be restructured in six regions among which
the Niger Delta Region comprising Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa,
Delta and Edo States. Each Region logically will be made up of a group of
states along geo-cultural lines.
(4)
The regions should form the federating units each with the power to manage its
affairs particularly development according to its cultural realities.
(5)
Every region should control its resources 100% from which it will allocate
funds for running the central government.
(6)
The Central Government should only handle a small number of policies such as
Foreign Affairs, Immigration, Currency, Customs etc.
(7)
The control and composition of all security organizations be decentralized, for
instance, the military should be controlled and formed on regional commands basis
and administered as recommended by the Movement for National Reformation, Izon
National Congress, Afenifere, Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People
(MOSOP), the Ohaneze, Uhrobo Union, The Alliance for Democracy, JACON and other
patriotic, popular organizations in the country.
(8)
The convening of a Sovereign National Conference of Ethnic Nationalities is
imperative and should be facilitated by the nationalities to draw up a true
democratic, federal structure for Nigeria.
(9)
Oron people unequivocally and vigorously reject further existence in the
present Akwa Ibom State owing to continuous marginalisation of Oron people by
successive administrations all controlled by the majority Ibibio-Annang
hegemony. This treatment has manifested in public appointments by the military
controlled federal and state appointments as well as the Government of Governor
Victor Attah.
(10)
Oron nation hereby authorizes its National Joint Committee on Plans and
Strategy to take necessary steps towards working with Ibeno and Eastern Obolo
(Andoni) ethnic nationalities for a concrete joint programme of self
determination of the three peoples.
(11)
Oro Nation solicits the cooperation of all peoples and civilised world to come
to her aid in securing and advancing her culture and protecting her heritage as
a small indegeous nationality.
We,
the Representatives of Oron People under the leaderships of the under-listed
patriotic popular organisations hereby declare our total and everlasting
Commitment to the Bill of Rights of the Oron People as an article of faith. So
help us God.
List
of Organisations Represented at the Conference on Oron Bill of Rights
1.
Oron National Forum (ONAF) 2. Oron Development Union, (ODU) 3. Oron Youth
Movement (OYM) 4. Mbo Youth Movement (MYM) 5. Oron Environmental Watch 6.
Iguita Progressive Association 7. Oruco Development Association 8. Atak Oro
Solidarity Front 9. Nka Mbek oro 10. Udung Uko Improvement Union 11. Uboro
Youth Association 12. Oyubia community league 13. Utine Youth Association 14.
Oyubia Youth Forum 15. Ebugha Youth Movement 16. Ikpe Oro Youth Forum 17. Oron
Women Action Group (OWAG) 18. Oron Development Union, Women's Wing 19. Unyenge
Progressive Association 20. Oron Liberation Movement (OLM) 21. Oron Youth
Progressives 22. Nka-Ukio Akpakip Oro 23. Udung Uwe Youth Development
Association 24. Ukuko Progressive Youth Club 25. Oron Public Relation Committee
26. National Association of Akpakip-Oro students 27. Uya-Oro Youth Association
28. Akwa Ibom Traders Association 29. Eyo-Abasi Youth Association 30. Idua
Youth Association[53]
International
airport
The
Akwa Ibom Airport is situated in Oron Nation at Okobo, Akwa Ibom serving Uyo,
the capital city of the Akwa Ibom state in Nigeria and other neighbouring towns
in the state, including Eket, Ikot Ekpene and Oron. The administrative office
of the airport is located in the nearby Uruan, Uyo LGA. Uruan is said to have
an ancestral relationship with the Oron group, just like the Efik, Ibeno,
Eastern Obolo, and Andoni groups.
The
city is currently witnessing massive infrastructural development such as the
dualization of Oron-Eket Highway, construction of various intercity roads,
health centers, schools, and housing estate projects to give the ancient city a
facelift.
Main
article: Akwa Ibom Airport
Prominent
people
Abang
Okpo the Oron people Ancestral or putative father.
Prof
Okon Uya Former Nigeria's Ambassador to Argentina, Peru, Paraguay and Chile for
six years. A professor of history at the University of Calabar, Uya was
appointed to conduct a new presidential poll after the annulment of the 12 June
1993 election.
Senator
Akon Eyakenyi a Nigerian politician. She is the current senator
representing Akwa Ibom south senatorial district in Akwa Ibom State.
Sir
(Amba) Etim Jack Okpoyo (First Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Engineer,
businessman and politician).
Edet
Amana (born 1938), Nigerian first civil engineer and former President of the
Nigerian Academy of Engineering
Etim
Inyang (25 December 1931 – 26 September 2016) was a Nigerian Policeman and
former Inspector General of Police.
Nelson
Effiong a Nigerian politician and senator representing Akwa Ibom South in the
Nigerian Senate.[60] He was also an Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly member
1992–2007.
Justice
Okon Abang (lawyer) a judge of the Federal High Court
Sir
Effiong Etienam (Aka Namoba National) (Oron prominent Businessman and
Politician)
Sir
Ambe-Abasi (co-founders of Oron Union in 1925).
Sir
Lawrence Etim (co-founders of Oron Union in 1925).
Honourable
Sir Tony Emenyi (co-founders of Oron Union in 1925).
Elder
Bassey Jack Okpoyo (First Electrical Engineer in Akwa Ibom State and the first
man to own a Petrol or Fueling station in Old Cross River State).
Chief
John Anwana Esin (An influential British Political Agent, An industrialist,
First Oro man to purchase and own a car when he purchased a 1924 Ford Model TT
One, co-founders of Oron Union in 1925).
Offong
Ekpu Edubio Odoro Edubio (A revolutionary and an interpreter for the Colonial
Government in 1913–1925, co-founder of Oron Union)
His
Royal Majesty, Okon Eyokunyi Isong (Kpongotte) (A writer historic books such as
The Origin of Oro Before The First Patrol and The Origin of Afaha Okpo dated In
1930, lay preacher, Methodist Church, 1970–1975, appointed president, Oron
Customary Court and proclaimed first modern Ahta Oro, sitting on the same stool
and adopting the same title, a medieval Oro Patriarch, Ahta Aya Ahrah, was
identified with, more than 500 years earlier).
Dr.
Esin Anwana Esin (first Oro medical doctor, a Senator and Federal Minister in
the 1st Republic)