The prestigious umbrella socio-cultural group, the Oron Union’s plans to host her 100 years anniversary may not hold again, following anger over an alleged Two Hundred Million Naira (#200,000,000) fraud committed by the Union against the family of the late Chief Ambe Bassey.
Speaking through his Attorney, Clifford Thomas, Esq., Evangelist Alfred Ambe Bassey, son of the late Oro patriot, explained that the double standards of the Union was responsible for the continued curse and marginalization of the Oro nation.
“For the 100 years of the existence of Oron Union, 30 of those years were used in defrauding, cheating, humiliating, harassing, and shamelessly creating hatred for the family of the self-less patriot who brought fame, glory, and development to Oron as a people, and geographical space. The late Chief Ambe Bassey who led Oron Union for three terms, brought remarkable changes and transformation to Oron” he enthused.
Alfred Ambe Bassey noted that when his father died, the Union was informed, it requested to raise funds for the burial of his father, which the family approved. But after raising about Two Hundred Million Naira (#200,000,000) for the burial, the Union did not bury the father, and refused to return the money to the late Chief Ambe Bassey’s family.
The letter further states that,“Upon the discovery of this fraud, Our Client made several efforts to recover the said fund from the Union. But, several Presidents-General, leadership and authorities of the Union kept promising to pay, and refused to pay.
“Following the series of denials, frustrations and blackmail by the Union, Our Client approached the High Court of Akwa Ibom State, seeking redress and justice for the Ambe Bassey Family in Suit No.:HU/79/96. Judgment was eventually given on the 31st of March, 2004.”
The son went to court to seek redress in Suit No.: HU/79/96 in 1996, and Judgment was given in 2004, which was eight years after it was commenced in the High Court of Akwa Ibom State. And the Defendants did not have any defence whatsoever.
The High Court in its decision in the Judgment, stated inter alia, “The 6 declaratory reliefs claimed are hereby granted. The defendants are hereby ordered to account to the plaintiff all sums of money received in trust for the burial ceremonies of late Chief Ambe Bassey, and pay same over to the plaintiff”.
Further to this, “In respect of relief No. 8, the defendants, their agents, servants and/privies are hereby restrained from holding and/conducting memorial/remembrance service for late Chief Ambe Bassey or any other similar activity.”
In a letter dated 7th April, 2025 and addressed to the President-General, Oron Union and attentioned, Sir Essang Nsa Bassey.
The title of the letter is, ”FINAL ADVICE AND WARNING FOR THE ORON UNION TO REMIT THE MONIES RAISED BY THE UNION FOR THE BURIAL OF THE LATE CHIEF AMBE BASSEY, WHICH WAS FRAUDULENTLY FRITTED AWAY BY THE UNION WITHOUT CONDUCTING THE BURIAL, A CALL FOR THE UNION TO HONOUR THE JUDGMENT DELIVERED BY THE HON. JUSTICE W. J. AFIAH ON THE 31ST DAY OF MARCH, 2004: A DEMAND NOTICE FOR THE UNION TO RETURN AND PAY THE FAMILY TWO HUNDRED MILLION NAIRA (#200,000,000).”
Oron Union’s Centenary Celebrations stand the risk of not holding until the Judgment of the High Court of Justice is obeyed and respected, to give justice to the family of the late Chief Ambe Bassey who was a three-time President of the Oron Development Union (now known as ORON UNION), who died on the 27th day of February, 1995, and the Union raised burial funds worth about Two Hundred Million Naira (#200,000,000). The Union did not use that money to bury Our Client’s father, but defrauded the family, carting away the money, and were not part of the burial ceremonies. Our Client’s father, the late Chief Ambe Bassey was finally laid to rest on the 2nd December, 1995.”
Copiously quoting the letter which has been served on the President-General of the organization, “the Union has continuously been in breach of the Judgment of the Honourable Court, and the contempt against the High Court of Justice, Akwa Ibom State is both odious and opprobrious. The Union sent emissaries to request for the withdrawal of the Contempt proceedings, to avoid the shame that the highly revered union will suffer in the eyes oDf right-thinking members of the society. Our Client conceded, without knowing that all those involved were conspirators with the perpetuators of this act.”
As part of the aggrieved son’s Demands, a Seven-Day Ultimatum was given to the Union, within which to pay Four Hundred Million Naira (#400,000,000) to the Evang. Alfred Ambe Bassey, or the matter would reported to the EFCC; file Contempt proceeding against the Union for disobeying Judgment of the Court; Get the Court to stop the Centenary celebrations; An Order for the Union to comply with the Judgment delivered by the Hon. Justice W. J. Afiah on the 31st of March, 2004.
Mr. Ambe Bassey stated that until the memory of his late father is respected, he will not rest, and that the fraud committed by the Union against his late father, must be redressed.
