Umuezena Umudim Nnewi Community has debunked allegations linking the Chairman of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company, Chief Dr. Innocent Chukwuma (OFR), of forcefully taking a land belonging to the community without due process.
Speaking to Anaedoonline.com, the Chairman Committee on Land Umuezena Community, Hon. Sir Akachukwu Nwachukwu (Akachukwu Diya) has described the allegation as baseless, noting that the recent protest against the Auto-Manufacturer was sponsored by mischievous elements in the community for their selfish reason.
Hon. Sir Akachukwu Nwachukwu (Akachukwu Diya) revealed that while some part of the community lands was sold to two (2) prominent sons of Nnewi, Chief Dr. Innocent Chukwuma and Chief Dr. Chika Okafor (Chicason), the sales of the land followed due process.
Giving the historical background of the land in question called Akwuoka, he explained that the land was a compensation to Umuezena Community after the first son of Ezena was killed by Inyaba Ofia Ozubulu, Ebelogo being the brother of Umuezena joined forces together to fight Inyaba Ofia Ozubulu, according to him, the people living in Inyaba Ofia Ozubulu decided to apologize to Umuezena for their action, and donated over 2000 plot of their land as part of compensation.
Speaking further, he said, “After the land was given to Umuezena Community, Ebelogo, the brother to Umuezena, started laying claims over the land, after much legal tussle, the court in 1931, declared that the land called Akwuoka belongs to Umuezena community”
Continuing he said, “Over the years, the land has been lying fallow, and was being encroached into especially by Ozubulu community, some visitors in the community, and also was being sold out secretly”
“In 2018, after the resignation of the Former Chairman Committee on Lands of these community, Chief Sir L. M. Okonkwo, I was elected to replace him. My committee proposed that Akwuoka should be cleared to enable the community to know how our land was encroached and those that were secretly sold. We also proposed that an Indigenous company owned by any of our sons and daughters should clear the land, design the road network, design the plots and also register all the land. Our plan was that the land will be shared among the Five (5) clans in Umuezena. Unfortunately, the efforts were frustrated by some clique in the community”
Speaking on how Chief Innocent Chukwuma (Innoson) and Chief Chike Okafor (Chikason) bought some part of the land, he said, “The local chiefs (Obis) in our community, worried by the encroachment into the land, decided to meet the industrialists in Umudim to buy up some part of the land, especially where the land was being encroached by Ozubulu Community, we met the Chief Executive Officer of Innoson Vehicles Manufacturing Company, Chief Dr. Innocent Chukwuma (OFR), and Chief Executive Officer of Chikason Group, Chief Chika Okafor (OON).
“Some part of the land was sold to them for them to extend/expand their industries in our community, which will bring development, most importantly, this will help in the recovery of parts of the land that has been encroached by individuals and Ozubulu Community. The sale of part of the land was sanctioned by Obi of Umuezena, Chief Martin Obimma, who is the custodian of the land, legally, in consultation with other Obi’s in Umuezena.
“The land has been handed over to them officially after they made their payments, our brother, Innoson, has already started clearing his own part to bring the needed development.
Reacting to the protest that took place on Friday, April 24th, against Chief Innocent Chukwuma, he described the protest as a “sponsored protest” aimed at drawing public sympathy to a few selfish persons in the community that secretly sold the land to some individuals in the past.
He said, “The protest that took place on Friday was sponsored by individuals that sold part of the community the land secretly, the individuals they secretly sold to, are asking for a refund, they want to use the protest to whip up public sympathy, but it is already dead on arrival, if they are serious, they should approach the court.
“Only a part of Akwuoka land was sold, what is remaining is far more than what was sold to our brothers.
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