By Frank Ulom
CALABAR (CONVERSEER) – Traditional institutions across the northern senatorial district of Cross River State have expressed joy and gratitude after High Chief Higgins Peters fulfilled his financial pledge to paramount rulers and clan heads in the region.
The commitment, first announced on 6th September 2025 during the Bekwarra New Yam Festival and his chieftaincy installation in Bekwarra Local Government Area, involved a monthly augmentation of ₦20,000 for paramount rulers and ₦10,000 for clan heads across the district.
The gesture was promised as a lifelong support to traditional authorities in the five Local Government Areas of Ogoja, Yala, Bekwarra, Obudu and Obanliku.
On 22nd November 2025, High Chief Peters fulfilled the pledge by disbursing three months’ payments in advance, covering November, December, and January. More than 120 clan heads and five paramount rulers benefited from the intervention, which many described as unprecedented.
One paramount ruler said he had served for more than two decades but had never witnessed such generosity or sustained attention to traditional institutions from any public figure. He described High Chief Peters’ action as a rare display of respect for cultural heritage and community leadership.
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Community leaders across the district hailed the fulfilment of the pledge as proof of Peters’ consistency and reliability, describing the gesture as “promise made and promise kept”. Many also noted his growing influence in Cross River’s sociopolitical landscape, calling him a figure whose impact cannot be ignored.
High Chief Higgins Peters, fondly referred to as the Emoma and Akpa Owo of Yala, as well as the Uni Ukpere (destiny helper) of Bekwarra, continues to receive commendations for what traditional leaders say is a landmark boost to the welfare of custodians of culture in the northern district.
