Lawrence Ndubeze, Awka
Members of the Agwuzani family of Umuaroli Village, Onitsha, in Onitsha North Local Government Area of Anambra State, on Tuesday, trooped in their numbers to their ancestral land—Ogwugwu Agbu land—after over 15 years of being denied access by land grabbers.
The jubilant family members sang solidarity songs in appreciation of Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, for intervening in the matter and rescuing them from their alleged oppressors.
They were escorted to the land by security operatives from the state government due to fears of attacks by land grabbers and some security personnel allegedly working for them, who had previously barred the family from accessing the property.
Addressing newsmen during the visit, the Diokpa (head) of the Agwuzani family, Comrade Sunday Ogoazi, explained that the ancestral land measures over 1,000 hectares, out of which the family had given two-thirds to the government in the past and were duly compensated.
He said the land grabbers later encroached on the portion retained by the family, leading to a prolonged legal battle.
“When we went to court, the court directed that no one should enter the land until judgment was delivered.
“Last year, the court gave its judgment, but each time we came here, security men would chase us away and threaten to kill us,” Ogoazi said.
He disclosed that the family subsequently wrote to Governor Soludo, attaching the court judgment, and appealed for his intervention.
“The governor, in his magnanimity, listened to us and intervened, giving us respite from those who had been oppressing us.
“It’s unfortunate that some security men had been aiding the land grabbers, guarding them while they sold our land as estate plots. How can someone from Ebonyi or Imo State suddenly own land in Onitsha and start selling it as an estate?” he queried.
The family head described Soludo’s intervention as “Godsent” and said it restored their hope in justice.
Elder Azubuike Ejiamike, the family’s treasurer, recalled that before the arrival of Europeans, their forefathers farmed on the land. According to him, when Western education came, they embraced it and leased part of the land to a farmer from Nkpor, whose descendants continued to use it peacefully.
“About 15 years ago, when we wanted to reclaim the land, a misunderstanding arose among us and the matter went to court. After the disagreement was resolved last year, we discovered that some security personnel had already encroached on the land and were selling plots.
“That was when we appealed to the governor, and he proved to be a God-fearing man. His intervention will remain indelible in our hearts,” Ejiamike said.
Another family member, Comrade Peter Ogoazi Olisa, who heads the Medical Records Department at the Guinness Eye Centre, Onitsha, expressed joy that the Soludo administration had ended years of oppression.
“For years, successive governments made empty promises while vigilante operatives connived with land grabbers to sell our land. Imagine a vigilante officer owning an estate on someone’s ancestral land!
“The land was gazetted as far back as 1910 under the colonial administration, and we have all the evidence in the archives.
“When we sent an SOS to Governor Soludo, he investigated and confirmed that the land truly belongs to the Agwuzani family. He even invited the grabbers to present any proof, but they had none. The governor then ensured that we regained access to our land under full security protection,” Olisa recounted.
He praised Governor Soludo for what he described as an exemplary display of good governance and transparency.
“This intervention has restored public confidence in government. The governor also provided us with pipe-borne water, and we see his emergence as a blessing to Anambra State. We pray he continues to lead with justice so that the common man can have a voice in society,” he concluded.
