Following series of protest that have rocked different parts of the kingdom in recent times, the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku in Delta State, HRM Chukweéeude Anishi Okonjo II, has expressed concern about the development.

The monarch said there was no iota of truth in the defamatory allegations leveled against him concerning land sales in the kingdom, adding that it was laughable to say Otulu which is part of Ward 1 in Ogwashi-Uku was no longer part of his traditional domain.

I think the allegation is preposterous, very ridiculous. If I am involved in the sale of lands (in Otulu) why would I go to the place to look into the matter of illegal sale of land in the community? That would be indicting myself. It doesn’t make sense.

What I’ll tell you is that if anybody has any document whatsoever with my signature for the sale of any land, they should bring it out and today I will abdicate this position. This is how strongly I feel about it.

I have not sold any land. My father did not sell any land; but some of the chiefs under him did sell land.

The truth is that I am doing a sweeping reform. Those of them involved in land racketeering, I have suspended them. And, that is why you see a lot of crisis. Those who want to continue with this activity are really behind the crisis.

So, if anybody tells you that I’m involved, he is telling you a falsehood. It’s just not me! Let them show you documentary evidence to support (because) talk is cheap.

He added:

All sorts of people have come making claims and, when they come to you with such claims, ask them to provide you the documentary evidence to support such claims.

Nevertheless, the royal father maintained that the controversy about the status of Otulu was baseless, saying,

Otulu has been part and parcel of Ogwashi-Uku from time immemorial.

Okonjo also cited several legal and historical documents, including defunct Bendel State Gazette of 1983 based on 1979 and that of the then Western Region Local Government Law of 1952, to butress his insistence that the call for autonomy for Otulu by non-indigenes of Ogwashi-Uku was baseless and unwarranted.

Members of Agidiase kindred of Ogwashi-Uku in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State had on Monday, taken to the streets of the ancient town to protest what they called indiscriminate grabbing and selling of their ancestral lands upon which successive generations of Agiase people carried out agriculture and other activities.

Their decision to embark on a peaceful March through the streets of Ogwashi-Uku followed the recent protest to Government House Asaba by those they called a group of largely tenant-farmers in Otulu-Ogwashi, calling on the government to grant the community monarchical autonomy.

The Otulu community was about 10 days ago also in the news following an attack on the convoy the Ogwashi-Uku monarch, Okonjo II, by suspected thugs after a peace-building visit to the town, leading to the death of one young man and the burning of cars.

A spokesperson for the protesters and Agidiase kindred, Elue Adigwe had said:

This peaceful protest is necessitated by the need to tell the general public that over 80 per cent of the crisis in Ogwashi-Uku comprises land-related matters induced by Obi Chude (Chukwude) Okonjo in his claim to be the ‘Trustee’ as well as the ‘Overlord’ and absolute ‘Owner’ of all lands in Ogwashi-Uku kingdom.

He noted that the Nigerian Constitution does not permit any

forceful takeover of landed property by any individual no matter his or her position in the society.

We are, therefore, calling on the authorities particularly the Delta State Government” to call the monarch and his younger brother to order “to save the Ogwashi-Uku community from disintegration and terror.

The protesters had also warned the traditional ruler of Issele-Azagba and others who recently claimed ownership of Otulu to steer clear of the area as the community remains part and parcel of Agidiase landed property for generation past.

Another representative of the Agidiase kindred of Ogwashi-Uku, Augustine Egbebue, said they were challenging

any people that still make claims on Otulu to polish their documents (including the Supreme Court judgement being claimed by Issele-Azagba) and publish them or wait for us in court.

Inscriptions on some of the placards wielded by the protesters read:

Otulu is Agidiase farmland; Governor, save us from autocracy; Azagba is Agidiase farmlands; Obi cannot be ‘Trustee’ and ‘Owner’ of Ogwashi-Uku lands; Ogbe-Ofu is part of Agidiase; Protect our human rights.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.