A major protest broke out in Etomi Community, Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State on Wednesday, as thousands of smallholder farmers rallied against the state government’s plan to privatise a cocoa estate located on their ancestral land.

The demonstrators, made up of men, women, and youth actively engaged in cocoa farming, flooded the streets with placards demanding an immediate halt to the proposed privatisation.

Placards bore messages such as “Our Cocoa Estate is Not for Sale,” “We Say No to Privatisation,” and “Do Not Deprive Us of Our Rights.” The protesters described the government’s move as a violation of long-standing agreements with their forebears.

Leading the demonstration, community elder Mr. Mbek Agbor-Tangban condemned the state government’s actions, stressing that their grandparents donated the land used for the estate under a clear agreement that prioritised community rights.

“Our forefathers donated this land for the establishment of the cocoa estate under a clear understanding,” Agbor-Tangban said. “Part of that understanding was that if the government ever decided to privatise or lease out the estate, the host community would be the first to be consulted and given the right of first refusal.”

He expressed dismay over a recent public notice published in the state-owned newspaper, The Nigerian Chronicle, dated June 25, 2025, where the Cross River State Privatisation Council invited tenders from prospective buyers without consulting the Etomi people.

“We found out through the newspaper, not from the government. That is unacceptable. This estate is on our land. If anyone should benefit from its operations, it is the Etomi community,” he added.

Also speaking at the protest, the community’s women leader, Ntunkai Mary-Ndum, urged the government to reconsider its decision.

“If the government is no longer interested in supporting the smallholder farming scheme, which has sustained us for generations, then they should come and uproot their cocoa trees and return our land,” she said.

Youth leader Abang Shikina-Oji echoed the sentiment, stating that the proposed privatisation threatens the livelihoods of hundreds of local youths employed on the estate.

“Our grandparents donated this land to the government back in 1957 during the Okpara administration, under the agreement that it would serve the interest of smallholder farmers in the community,” he explained. “Privatisation will likely displace us and render many of our youth jobless. We urge the government to reconsider.”

In response, Cross River State Commissioners for Agriculture, Mr. Johnson Ebokpo, and Information, Dr. Erasmus Ekpang, appealed for calm, assuring residents that Governor Bassey Otu remains committed to the welfare of the people.

“The governor is a leader who listens. He is already reviewing the concerns raised by the Etomi community,” Dr. Ekpang said. “No final decision will be made without careful consideration of the people’s interests.”

Commissioner Ebokpo added, “We understand the concerns, and we are confident that His Excellency will take steps to ensure that no community is left disadvantaged. We urge the community to remain peaceful while the matter is being addressed.”