At the onset of the rainy season of 1973, Mbrek wet land was cultivated having been left fallow for seven years. That season coincided with the mass return of the community members from exile occasioned by the civil hostilities that rocked the whole kingdom of men as it was known then. Edem Ikon also returned to the village about that time after four decades of his mysterious disappearance. On the day of his return the elders were gathered under the huge cotton tree that spreads its branches over the village square as an umbrella provided by the gods to shield their subjects from the harshness of the weather.

The meeting held that morning was to deliberate on the lingering misunderstanding between Mbente and their neighbours to the east, the Inokon people over the rightful ownership of Mbrek wetland. As was the custom in that community, the wetland although relatively better watered than the other parcels of land, was only cultivated once every seven years. Mbrek was the home of the deity, Ibritam, that superintended over Mbente and therefore, it was believed that to cultivate the land more frequently would amount to invading his privacy, a disrespect the community was not prepared to be charged with by the deity. It was a community land administered by the Chief and elders on behalf of the people. It was the tradition in any year that the land was to be cultivated for the people to first appease the gods that were believed to be the bona fide owners before allotting portions to each family that constitute the community for a token sum.

That same year, Mbente also witnessed the first ever visit of some white preachers who had come to ask for a parcel of land to build their place of worship. The community meeting that morning was also to deliberate and decide on the proposal earlier made by the youths that akai ekpo, the parcel of land that was reserved for the disposal of corpses of community members who had died abominable death, be allocated to them.

Mbrek wetland was located at the boundary between Mbente and Inokon bordering the great ravine. Every seven years the land had been cultivated in that manner until the present day. There had been no case of inter communal disagreement as to its ownership. At least none that anyone living could remember.

About two market weeks earlier, youths from Inokon community had sent an emissary with eyei with a loosely tied knot at one end, along with a well sharpened ndukpat to deliver both items to the Chief of Mbente village. It was not difficult for the elders of the land to decode the message that was implied by the two items, although the reason for such audacious action was not easily discernible. Having conferred with the Elders, Chief Uyai Akpan sent men to Inokon to find out what the problem was. The team was led by Isang Ama who was the Commander and chief trainer of the community warriors. Their delegation to Inokon was not intended to meet with the youths. Rather their mission was to meet the elders of the land. An emissary had earlier been sent to Inokon village to inform the chiefs and elders that Mbente people would desire a dialogue with them on fiongetok market day. Their arrival therefore, in that remote community was not unexpected.

The meeting was held outside the hut of Chief Inwang, the village head of Inokon. It was expected that the meeting would attract only selected elders of the people but to the utter surprise of Isang Ama and his colleagues, Inokon community had invited over twelve young men armed to the teeth to attend the