…Community Leaders Speak Out Against Land Acquisition
The monarch of Amurri Kingdom, HRH Igwe E.O. Ogbonna, along with the Presidents-General (PGs) and Councillor Hon. Obinna Chukwu, have denied allegations of backing the acquisition of Egu-Agbor-Umuigbo land for a Farm Estate. The community leaders claim that they were not involved in any negotiations for the land acquisition and are opposed to the project.
Botched Meeting
A meeting scheduled by the state government team led by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation, Dr. Patrick Ubru, was botched due to the absence of government officials, including the Chairman of Nkanu West Local Government Area, Hon. John Ogbodo. The community members had gathered in their hundreds to honour the meeting, which was aimed at resolving the issue.
Royal Father’s Position
In a statement, Igwe Ogbonna said, “I, His Royal Highness, Igwe Sir E. O Ogbonna, JP, KJW. (Okwe 1 of Eziokwe-Amurri), wish to state categorically, that I was never a party to any negotiation with respect to the acquisition of a parcel of land belonging to Umuigbo-Amurri community, by Nkanu West Local Government.”
He added, “I had to summon a meeting of all the four (4) Igwes in Amurri in my palace at home to broker peace. Interestingly, all of them were in attendance during which we had robust deliberations. For purposes of clarity, all I heard then, was that the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation was negotiating for a donation of a parcel of land from Amurri, for housing estate.”
Community Leaders’ Appeal
The community leaders, including HRH Igwe Fidelis Nwachineke, Chief Ken Ani, John Egbo, PGs Ede Romanus Chidi, Ani Friday Emmanuel, Oko Sandstine Ani, and Arthur Ugwa, appealed to the state governor for quick intervention to stem civil disobedience in the area. They agreed with the stance of their paramount ruler, saying that they are not against the establishment of the farm estate but want the government to consider alternative land options.
Alternative Land Options
The community leaders stated that they had mapped out four other areas where the state government can conveniently use for the farm estate. They reiterated their support for Governor Peter Mbah, extolling his policies and programmes.
Conclusion
The community leaders’ denial of backing the land acquisition and their appeal to the state governor highlight the need for a peaceful resolution to the issue. The state government’s response to the community’s concerns will be crucial in determining the outcome of the dispute.
