From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
Obeagu Awkunanaw community of Enugu South Local Government Area, Enugu State, has written to the Enugu Housing Development Corporation to stay off controversies at the Enugu Centenary City.
In a letter, dated November 13 and addressed to Gerald Asogwa, general manager of the housing corporation, the people of Obeagu, who claimed to be owners of the land, listed ongoing litigations on the land and advised the corporation not to get embroiled in the raging controversy.
In a letter, signed by Andy Egbo, president general, Mike Nnukwu, traditional ruler and eight other community leaders, the Obeagu community said they are the owners by inheritance of parcels of land known as Agbana, Ugwuorie, Onu Nsusu, Akparata, Isi Oke, Ofia Ogonogo, Ofia Aruga, Ururo, Orji, Ngene Uchoo, Ngene Ogwe, Iduru, and Ihu Odeje, among others.
“We have maintained undisturbed and uninterrupted possession until the owners of Private Estate International (WA) Ltd., (PEIWA), came to dispossess us of the lands.
“That in order to actualise their objective, they procured a ‘survey plan’ purported to have been registered in 1985, which dishonestly increased the size of land initially proposed by the administration of our son, Jim Nwobodo, then governor of old Anambra State for the state university, from 318,560 to 1,097.128 hectares.
“We as a community have suffered and have continued to suffer from the vagaries of modern development and have, willy-nilly, continued to make sacrifices to successive governments of our great state for genuine developmental projects.
“However, our resistance to the Centenary City is that it is a subterfuge designed by persons in pursuit of personal interests, not for any overriding developmental initiative.
“That as law abiding citizens, we must submit to the jurisdictions of the various courts currently presiding over the cases either filed by PEIWA or by Obeagu community and await their decisions, the cases are: Suit Nos.E/1081/2019: Private Estate International Limited v. The Executive Governor of Enugu State, AG, Enugu State, Commissioner for Lands & Urban Development, Enugu State AND H.R.H. Igwe Mike Nnukwu & 5 Ors; E/263/2020: Private Estates International WA Ltd v. Hon. Paul Okechukwu Ogbe & Ors, etc.
“We have taken the pain to provide you with these seemingly lengthy narratives just to alert you to the looming danger associated or likely to be associated with the allure or attraction of acquiring any part of the so-called Centenary City land because it is encumbered and currently under litigation.
“Should you ignore our advice, you do so at your own peril because you acquire any such land subject to the outcome of the ongoing litigations.
“We advise you to resist the temptation to get embroiled in this case, as that is the best and safest thing to do in this circumstance.
“We must also express how appalled we were to observe the presence of staff of your agency who came to our community, and without reference to the leadership, were seen measuring our land.
“We must express our resentment to such provocative invasion by the officials, and we advise you to desist and cease further actions for all the reasons we have adduced above. We hope you will find this letter useful and be guided by all the admonitions herein conveyed.”