Anambra village protests seizure of ancestral lands, seeks

From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha

The people of Umuneri village, Isuaniocha, in Awka North Local Government Area, Anambra State, have appealed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to order Anambra State Housing Development Corporation (ASHDC) to vacate their ancestral land for peace and justice.

The Umuneri people, comprising youths, women and elderly men, made the appeal, on Monday, during a peaceful protest against the ASHDC, accusing the corporation of forceful acquisition of their ancestral land.

The protesters visited the Light House, Awka, carrying placards with different inscriptions, such as: “Soludo stop the seizure of our ancestral land”; “Soludo, we can’t eat concrete, save our farmland”; and “ASHDC, stop land-grabbing, abide by the consent judgement”. They requested Governor Soludo to compel the corporation to pull out of their land outside 54.27 hectares granted it, among others.

Presenting the requests to Prof. Soludo, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, the spokesperson of the village, Engr. Francis Udeh, explained that the land issue between Umuneri and the corporation started over 20 years ago.

“Since then, a series of MDs of the ASHDC have come and gone, but none of them wanted to resolve the issue. So, we came to beg and plead with our governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, whom we believe is a just governor, to, please, come to our aid.

We have a court judgement, asking the ASHDC to stick to a consent judgement. Unfortunately, the ASHDC violated that consent judgement, and went ahead demolishing our buildings.

‎”As we speak now, our people can no longer farm; we can no longer move freely on our land. Right now, there are thugs and military men combat-ready on that land” Engr Udeh said.

‎‎He noted that the village had unanimously agreed to give the ASHDC 54.7 hectares of the land, a kind gesture, he believed, ‘no community in the state has done.’

‎”We did this because we want peace. So, we are begging Soludo for peace; let him come and help us reclaim our ancestral land” Udeh appealed.

‎‎Responding, Prof Chukwulobelu thanked the Umuneri people for protesting peacefully and assured them that their requests and concerns, which he described as a serious issue that cannot be swept under the carpet, would reach the governor.

‎”I am very certain that Mr Governor will come to a resolution that will solve this over 20-year long dispute”, Chukwulobelu assured the Umuneri people, pointing out that the state government would invite all the sides that were involved in the issue.

The people, thereafter, marched to St. Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral, Awka, also to seek the intervention of the Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Awka, Most Rev. Dr Paulinus Chukwuemeka Ezeokafor, in the issue.

‎‎Another stakeholder of the village, Engr Raphael Ezeike, narrated to Bishop Ezeokafor the ordeal of the Umuneri people, and why they deemed it wise to come and seek his fatherly intervention.

‎”We have presented our petition to Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his intervention. Now, we came to beg our Bishop to help us as a father, talk to the governor to hear our cries, and the ASHDC to leave our ancestral land. This is because that land is the only place we live and depend on for our livelihood. We believe they can listen to our bishop. He is our father whom we know very well that the government and, also, the mighty in society listen to.

‎”So, let our father, Bishop, beg them for us. We have given them 54.7 hectares of the land; let them leave the remaining part to us.This is our solemn request” Ezeike told the Chancellor of the Diocese, Rev Fr Dr Charles Ndubuisi, who represented the Bishop.

‎‎Responding, Fr Ndubuisi, who informed the Umuneri people that Bishop Ezeokafor was on Ad Limina visit to Rome, assured them that their requests would reach the Bishop.

‎‎He prayed for them, expressing the readiness of the Bishop to wade into the issue for mutual resolution and peaceful co-existence between them and the Corporation.

‎‎Speaking with the press, the Chairman of the village, Chief Geoffrey Udeh, said the series of attempts to settle the issue even after the consent judgement were unsuccessful.

‎”On several occasions, we wrote letters to the governor, but it seems there is no headway.‎ Last two years, we embarked on a protest to the Anambra State House of Assembly on this issue, and the House intervened, inviting us for settlement, but the ASHDC continues to demolish our houses.

‎”During the Governor Willie Obiano administration, we protested on this issue, but our petitions were toyed with, they did not reach the governor”, Chief Udeh regretted, but expressed hope that Govern‎or Soludo will resolve the issue.

‎