Ini Edo's Ibom fest that was cancelled last year, 2016. |
The controversial Orange September brand allegedly stollen from Ini Edo's concept. |
The just concluded 30th
anniversary celebration of Akwa Ibom State took a new dimension today in Uyo,
with the arrest of two indigenous tourism consultants to the week-long events.
Ini Edo, accusing the
tourism experts of 'stealing' her idea of Ibom Fest, which was cancelled last
year.
In a petition to the
Police, Edo alleged that Utin and Ekpe sold the idea of Ibom Fest to the State
Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and renamed it "Orange September"
the official brand of the 30th anniversary of the State.
Instead of petitioning
Akwa Ibom State Government or demanding the arrest of the Commissioner for
Culture and Tourism, Rt. Hon. Victor Antai for allegedly stealing her
initiative, the Governor's Aide however resorted to sending the Police after
the tourism consultants. These are same consultants who have been promoting the
cultural heritage of the State both at the national and international scene.
Ini Edo is said to have
met with Non governmental organizations, corporate organizations, groups and
individuals, who had agreed to sponsor the botched Ibom Fest and collected
millions of Naira from the sponsors and disappeared without paying her
consultants, Joseph Utin and Ubong Ekpe or accounting for the said money.
Angry over the success of
the anniversary celebration, which she was not part of, Ini Edo went to the
Police and ordered the arrest of her former consultants on a flimsy excuse that
they sold her initiative of Ibom Fest to the State Government.
Ini Edo, a native of ONNA,
the same local government with Governor Udom Emmanuel, who she is currently
serving as Special Assistant, reported the matter to the Police Force Headquarters
in Abuja, which in turn, ordered its officers in Akwa Ibom to arrest the two
consultants in Uyo today.
The tourism experts will
be flown to Abuja tomorrow for prosecution.
At the State Police
Command's Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, this evening, the consultants debunked
the claims by Ini Edo and described the petition as baseless.
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