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By Madu Obi
Awka- Communal dispute is brewing in Umuogem, Ufuma Community in Orumba North local government area of Anambra State over the land donated for the building of the proposed Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, NAUTH, annex in the area.
An indegene of the community and the Chief Medical Director of NAUTH, Nnewi, Professor Joseph Ugboaja, attracted the multi -million naira project to the area and work is expected to begin soon.
However, some elders of the community, who have expressed dissatisfaction over the manner of acquiring the large expanse of land, are demanding what they call 'proper documentation' for future references, a development that is causing disquiet in the community.
They accused the CMD of using intimidation to silence those insisting on proper documentation, alleging that because of their opposition, they are being threatened.
Although they commended Prof Ugbaja for bringing a branch of the teaching hospital to the community, they argued that it should be on record that they provided over 300 plots of land for the project.
They said: "We are happy that an extension of NAUTH, Nnewi will be built in our village through the efforts of our illustrious son. It is a welcome development.
Soon after the promise of the hospital and the land donation, wisdom prevailed on some elders in the community to have the request for the land documented.
This angered the Professor and consequently there were threats, molestation and attacks orchestrated by youths on the payroll of the Professor.
Parents whose children were given jobs at NAUTH, Nnewi, were threatened to support the project without conditions or have their children sacked from the job.
Some of the people who are demanding proper documentation have relocated from Ufuma for fear of possible attack by the rampaging youths".
They also accused the CMD of violating the constitution of the village, adding that he caused an election where the military, police, and Civil Defence Corps were used to impose one Obiora Igwilo as chairman of the village, in the belief that he would work on his side on the land issue.
According to them, when the said Obiora Igwilo, could not dance to his dictates, he promptly caused his impeachment after two months in office and was subsequently arrested by the Zone 13 of the Nigerian Police, Ukpo, adding that Igwilo only secured his freedom after four days in detention and endorsing a resignation letter.
They urged the federal and state governments to intervene in the matter to ensure peaceful coexistence in the community.
But reacting on the allegations, Professor Ugbaja said the land acquired for the hospital project has been properly gazetted and a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed between the hospital authority and the community.
He said: "The governing council decided to establish the teaching hospital annex in a bid to expand healthcare services. The land acquired for the project has been properly gazetted and an MoU has been signed for the land to be used for the hospital.
Overtime, some people in the community were accusing us of wanting to appropriate the land in the guise of building a teaching hospital, but the MoU clearly stated that the land will be used for no other purpose than the building of the hospital."
On the allegation that he was fueling leadership crisis in the community, Ugbaja said he didn't put anybody in power, adding, however, that the community has been under siege.
"What I know is that youths in the community have been having issues with those managing communal land. So during an election this year, a new leadership was installed and the chairman started having issues with the people and they suspended him and later removed him," he said.
Ugbaja said that as a community leader, he joined others to ensure that the right things were done in the area.
"In all the meetings I had with them, I preached peace in the community," he stated.
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