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By Iheanyi Chukwudi
The Amechi Awkunanaw Community in Enugu West Local Government, Enugu State, has been engulf in crisis over alleged quest by former Governor of old Anambra State, Sen. Jim Nwobodo, to annex the community.
Already, the crisis has given birth to a parallel town union and monarch as there exist in the community now two Amechi Development Union (ADU) executive and two traditional rulers.
In a Save-Our-Soul (SOS) signed by a faction of the community opposing Sen. Nwobodo's take over of the 7.5 hectares land in question with alleged fictitious documents, sought intervention of the State government to prevail on Nwobodo from using government machinery to disintegrate the community.
Fear and anxiety have allegedly pervaded the highly divided community and the section of the community who said they are Concerned Citizens and People of the community, have appealed to the Governor of Enugu State not to issue a certificate and Staff of office to an alleged sham puppet Igwe, the group loyal to Sen. Nwobodo floated recently while their current traditional ruler, Igwe Anthony Ogbodo Okorie's suspension is pending in court.
They alleged that Igwe Okorie was suspended over his refusal to endorse a forged land title to Sen Nwobodo three years ago.
It has been accusations and counter accusations as the other section of the community who claims legitimacy of leadership of Amechi Development Union (ADU), led by Chief Paul Agbo, frowns at what they called disrespect and false accusation on the person of Nwobodo.
But the SOS by the concerned citizens signed by 26 prominent members of the community reads in part:
“We the concerned citizens and good people of Amechi Awkunanaw Community do hereby appeal to eminent personalities of Enugu State to come to our rescue as our community has been besieged by Sen. Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo boasting that he will get an approval from the Governor of Enugu State,⁰ H.E. Peter Mbah to remove our Traditional Ruler, Igwe Anthony Ogbodo Okorie in a few months for refusing to sign a forged land instrument for him on a community land dedicated for industrial development and job creation.
“Upon Igwe’s refusal to sign a falsified land instrument against the interest of the community, Sen. Nwobodo became so infuriated that he got the former Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, a very close friend of his to suspend the traditional ruler disregarding any due process.
The Igwe went to Court to challenge his suspension and the matter is still pending in Enugu High Court.
“It will be noted that the vast expanse of land which Sen. Jim Nwobodo wanted our Igwe to sign off to him is a communal land owned by the generality of Amechi Awkunanaw Community (Umu Ngene Ike people).
The land was a disputed land between Amagu Ibite (present Amagu Akegbe Ugwu) and Umu Ngene Ike (present Amechi Awkunanaw Community) which was won by Amechi in the Supreme Court in 1972.
“The land matter is presently in Enugu High Court between Amechi Awkunanaw Community vs Sen. Jim Nwobodo.
Document filed in court revealed that Sen. Nwobodo in desperation had presented a Gift of Land document bearing names of dead and alleged signatories of dead community leaders alleging ownership of the land.
"We also discovered that he had also filed another document, an Irrevocable Power of Attorney with the Ministry of Lands, Enugu State alleging he got the same land from his late father.”
But the section of the community loyal to Nwobodo, said the accusations against the former Governor we're all lies.
Their spokesperson, Dave Agbo said
the land in question was given to Nwobodo by the community in appreciation of his financial assistance when the land was an object of litigation in court, which they won in Supreme Court in 1972 and for being the first Wawa man to achieve the feat of being a Governor.
He also absolved Nwobodo of having any hand in the woes of Igwe Okorie whom he described as their former monarch, adding that Nwobodo had rather been defending the monarch urging the people to forgive the Igwe, until the people got tired of his alleged high handedness and fraudulent activities including selling of community lands.
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