Monarch dismisses land-grabbing claims in Delta community

The Iyase of Idumuje Kingdom in Aniocha North Local Council of Delta State, Chief Chris Ogwu has debunked allegations of land-grabbing by ‘disgruntled’ persons, who want to frustrate the social and economic progress of the community.

He said sons and daughters of Idumuje Kingdom, who require land for infrastructural developments and projects were guaranteed allocation of lands after fulfilling the requirements and due processes. .

Ogwu, the traditional Prime Minister and veteran sports journalist, issued a statement in his palace at Idumuje Ugboko, where he said that siting of the Star University in Idumuje Kingdom by Prince Ned Nwoko “is a landmark achievement for the people and the allocation of the 93 hectres of land had followed the due process before the Certificate of Occupancy and the Customary Rights of Occupancy were issued to Prince Ned Nwoko in 2015.

The Iyase denounced the ‘mischief’ of some persons who use the platform of Idumuje Ugboko to issue a dubious communiqué of an Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Emergency Meeting of Idumuje Ugboko Development Union (IUDU), where the signatures of persons, who were not aware or attended such meetings, were inserted in the published public notice.

He said: “Some youths in the town want to capitalise on the period of transition accompanying the demise of the former monarch of Idumuje kingdom, to create havoc and disrupt the peace and development of the town. “

According to Ogwu, “The Memorandum of Understanding signed for the purposes of siting the Star University in Idumuje Ugboko states that the land constitutes 40 percent equity contribution of the town to the Star University project and that town will be favoured to that extent in consideration for skills and personnel that are required to develop the University. “In addition, at the time of signing the Memorandum of Understanding,” it was also a condition that the said land would revert to Idumuje-Ugboko if after five years of the land had not been put to use in the manner for which it was allocated.”

He said: “To erase false assumptions from the minds of people, who may think Prince Ned Munir Nwoko is the only person to have applied for such a large piece of land, we add that he is not.

He added: “Over the years, the palace has received and treated applications for large parcels of land from several mechanised farming groups…’

Applications have been received from an Agbor-based company as well as another from Asaba to mention but few.”

According to the Iyase, “Prince Ned Munir Nwoko has pursued his land requests legally. He has paid compensation to community land users and for two years now has continued to pursue his university goal to build a university and a Golf Course in Idumuje-Ugboko. If after five years of land allocation and he has not developed it, the land will revert to Idumuje-Ugboko people. Either way, Ugboko will not suffer any loss.”