By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Members of Umuneri village in Isuanionacha, Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State have called for the urgent intervention of the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, over the alleged invasion and takeover of their ancestral lands.
The villagers made the call on Tuesday during a peaceful protest in Awka, the state capital, during which they recounted their grievances and also made their demands known.
The protesters, who first stormed the Headquarters of the Anambra State Housing Development Corporation, were seen carrying and displaying placards with different inscriptions, as well as pictures of some of the demolished buildings.
Speaking in an interview with this reporter, the Chairman of Umuneri village in Isuanionacha, Chief Rapuluchukwu James, said that the protest was necessitated by activities of the agents of the Anambra State Housing Development Corporation in their village (especially at the Omagụ area and its environs) which include invasion and bulldozing of their lands, homes, economic trees, and other property, without any notice, reasons, or compensation. He said the perpetrators have bulldozed many portions of land, buildings and property in the village for no known reason.
The Village Chairman recalled that this invasion started some years ago, and revealed that they have been in court with the Corporation over that; yet, they still come from time to time with heavily-armed to resume their activities unabated. He also lamented that the Corporation, through their activities, have pushed many of the villagers into severe hunger through the destruction of their farmlands and crops.
“The worst part is that we now leave in fear and like strangers or tenants in our own land now. From time to time, we hear heavy sounds of sustained gunshots from the area, being fired by the armed men they stationed there, including the military men. This is too much, and for how long do we continue like this?
“That is why we are here, to tell the government that we’re not comfortable with such things. We’re losing our lands, farms, buildings, and other property from time to time for no reason known to us; and yet we’re also living in fear. We say enough is enough. Let them hands off our land, then come and explain their mission to us,” he stated (in Igbo language).
In their separate remarks, some of the victims and protesters, including 78-year-old Mr. Jonathan Nwankwo, Mmaduabuchi Onwuzuligbo, Theresa Onwuzuligbo, Patricia Obinabo, Catherine Obinabo, and 80-year-old Philomena Eziamaka (whose new houses and lands were bulldozed early this year) recounted their losses, ordeal and ugly experiences in the hands of the Corporation, and appealed to Governor Soludo for urgent intervention, restitution, and restoration of their property to them.
They lamented that they now live in fear in their village, as their lands have been taken over by armed men stationed by the Housing Corporation. They also alleged that their portions of lands that are being grabbed and taken over by the agency are being sold out to unknown people, adding that they, as the original owners of the lands and the economic trees and farmlands in the area can no longer access those things, even as excavations and road construction are also ongoing there to create access road to the land, to attract more buyers.
The protesters were more provoked by the manner of approach exhibited by a self-acclaimed official of ASHDC, who, while addressing them at the Corporation’s Headquarters during the protest, allegedly dismissed the protesters as youths who may not have any say on or knowledge about land matters (including the octogenarians among them). She allegedly further ordered them to leave the place and stop wasting their time if they could not put their grievances in writing.
This comment and approach, which were widely criticized as unprofessional and contemptuous by the protesters, not only tensed up the atmosphere, but also sparked off heated altercations between them and the said staff of ASHDC, who was still boasting that she was a high-ranking officer in the agency and had rights to tell them what she felt about their demonstration. Even while the people insisted that they wanted to see the MD/CEO of the ASHDC and make their grievances and demands known to him directly; the gates of the agency’s premises remained shut against them, with workers peeping from inside.
This reporter, Izunna Okafor, also made several attempts to get the official reactions and response of the self-acclaimed high-ranking staff of the agency who had altercations with the protesters; however, she never gave a listening ear to the reporter, but cantankerously and superciliously shouting at the journalists and ordering them to get out of her side each time he approached her.
The protesters, thereafter, moved to the new Government House (Light House), where they staged the second part of the protest.
There at the gate of the Light House, they were, however, calmed and pacified by Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s Chief Security, who after having an engaging positive interactions with them, told them that the Governor would definitely looking into their concerns and take the necessary actions.
He, however, advised them to also articulate their grievance and officially submit it to the Governor, for him to have a clearer views and detailed understanding of what their concerns are and the best way or approach to address it.
The protesters, who expressed their gladness thereafter for such maturity and professional approach exhibited by the Governor’s CS, appreciated him enormously, while also chanting solidarity songs for the Governor. They acknowledged that the Governor himself may not have been aware of or have hands in what the concerned agency has been doing on their lands and its consequences; they pledged to abide by the advice and suggestion of the CSO by detailing and presenting the details of their grievance, with sufficient evidences.
The protesters further expressed confidence in the Soludo’s Solution Government and leadership style, while also expressing optimism that the he will intervene and bring a permanent solution to their problems.
More photos from the protest:
