Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The age-long land dispute between Ibusa community in Oshimili North Local Government Area and Ogwashi-Uku community in Aniocha South Local Government Area, both in Delta State, has continued to create tension within the area.
The about 57 years old tussle over the ownership of a tract of land covering about one thousand hectares has defied all measures to resolve it. The matter has been in and out of court, yet remained unresolved. The said disputed land area presently host Admiralty University, a Nigerian Navy stake-holding institution; and a federal government dam project.
Although the Ibusa community had obtained successive judgments from the lower court up to the Supreme Court spanning over a period 23 years, Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom, insists that the judgments in question did not include the areas referred to as Odonkwu in Aboh-Ogwashi, now hosting the Admiralty University and the federal government dam project.
Prior to the lingering legal debacle, a proper court of jurisdiction had given title of the South East axis of the disputed expanse of land to Ibusa community in a suit number W/35/55 brought against Olodu community of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom in 1955.
Besides, the High Court of the old Midwestern State, Asaba Judicial Division had also ruled in favour of Ibusa community in 1970 in suit number A/28/66 between Obi Nkadi Onwordi and three others versus the Obi Ezenwani Ezediunor, Obi of Ogwashi-Uku and his community.
The crux of the matter was the ownership of a so-called “Ani Umu-Ezemesa”, which comprised parcels of farmlands identified as Ubulu-Ubu, Oloko, Etekwushe, Akwu-Ubili, Adagba, Mgbago, Akwu-Ogili, Akwu-Ugboko, Akwu-Ukwu, Atagbo-Elue and Akwu-Nkata, captured in the litigated survey plan MWC/102/70.
However, the Okwabani of Aboh-Ogwashi and spokesman of Ogwashi-Uku community on the matter, Paul Chiefu Onwuadiamu said their renewed agitation is prompted by alleged subterranean plot by Ibusa community to subvert the subsisting judgments of the courts by seeking to annex lands outside of the defined areas of farmlands disputed and determined at the courts, which were captured in the litigated survey plan MWC/102/70.
On the strength of this discovery, the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, Prof. Chukwuma Okonjo declined invitation by the state government, through the Office of the Chief Judge, who had sought “to foster a harmonious way of complying with the judgment of the apex court on issues concerning land between Ibusa and Ogwashi-Uku communities.
The Okwabani disclosed that Ogwashi-Uku community refrained from overtures for mediation by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, when he sought to intervene on the matter to pave way for the smooth take off of Admiralty University.
In a letter dated June 8, 2016 to Governor Okowa explaining their position on the matter, Ogwashi-Uku community through their counsel, O.W. Chibuogwu said it was observed that the “litigation plan pleaded and used by them (Ibusa community) in that case is not number NWC/102/70. The plan they used is litigation plan MWC/102/70 prepared by Matthias Chukwurah.
“It is strange that instead of producing plan number MWC/102/70, Ibusa people are now parading plan number NWC/102/70.
The age-long land dispute between Ibusa community in Oshimili North Local Government Area and Ogwashi-Uku community in Aniocha South Local Government Area, both in Delta State, has continued to create tension within the area.
The about 57 years old tussle over the ownership of a tract of land covering about one thousand hectares has defied all measures to resolve it. The matter has been in and out of court, yet remained unresolved. The said disputed land area presently host Admiralty University, a Nigerian Navy stake-holding institution; and a federal government dam project.
Although the Ibusa community had obtained successive judgments from the lower court up to the Supreme Court spanning over a period 23 years, Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom, insists that the judgments in question did not include the areas referred to as Odonkwu in Aboh-Ogwashi, now hosting the Admiralty University and the federal government dam project.
Prior to the lingering legal debacle, a proper court of jurisdiction had given title of the South East axis of the disputed expanse of land to Ibusa community in a suit number W/35/55 brought against Olodu community of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom in 1955.
Besides, the High Court of the old Midwestern State, Asaba Judicial Division had also ruled in favour of Ibusa community in 1970 in suit number A/28/66 between Obi Nkadi Onwordi and three others versus the Obi Ezenwani Ezediunor, Obi of Ogwashi-Uku and his community.