with additional reports by Lawrence Awah

“The quality of our lives depends not on whether or not we have conflicts, but on how we respond to them.” ~Thomas Crum

Owo, an agrarian town in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu, Nigeria, has hither to been a quiet town with all her villages living communally in peace with one another until recently when a smoldering disquiet resulting from an alleged invasion of the land that belongs to Ndiagu Owo, by some people from Ashishi Owo said to be engineered by Igwe Okeke Arum of Mbulu Owo autonomous community.

Following this development, GMTNews exclusively reported that the people of Ndiagu Owo in a quest for peace, had reached out to various opinion leaders and stakeholders both within Owo and beyond to prevail on Igwe Arum and his cronies to desist from the invasion of their land lest they would employ any self help approach to force them to stop the trespass which might result in violence.

As a follow-up to this development, GMTNews have been investigating the matter and can authoritatively report that although various engagements are in place including a peace committee, all aimed at peace restoration, Ndiagu Owo still alleges that a gate house is erected on the said land within two days by Igwe Okeke Arum and his supporters from Ashishi.

A reliable source told our correspondent that when the people of Ndiagu Owo contacted the Senator representing Enugu East Senatorial District to intervene in the matter of trespass in order to avert degeneration of the matter, the Distinguished Senator requested the CEO of Pinnacle Oil, Barr. Peter Mbah, former Chief of Staff to former Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, a Lagos based businesman said to be nursing Enugu State governorship ambition in 2023, and who hails from Owo, to look into the matter. Mr. Mbah constituted a “Peace Committee”.

The peace committee made up of Chairmen and two members each from the rest of the 4 villages excluding Ashishi and Ndiagu Owo, among others, include Surveyor Julius Nshiodo from Ashishi Owo. The following are the village heads:
1. Innocent Arum – Ohani Owo
2. George Nwaugbo – Ogere Owo
3. Michael Njom – Emene Owo
4. Vincent Ogbu – Ishegu Owo.
The Committee is coordinated by Mr. Mba’s Personal Assistant (PA), Mr. Anthony Nwankwo.

The committee members who have made two visits to the land in question on the 5th and 9th of July, 2021 respectively, went with the surveyor with his surveying equipment.

Ndiagu Owo who said their concern was that of trespass on their land, wondered why the inclusion of a surveyor from Ashishi, a village where some of the trespassers come from?

It is also confirmed that a gatehouse now sits on the land and alleged to be built by Igwe Arum and his group from Ashishi Owo.

Speaking to our correspondent, an indigen of Ndiagu Owo, Mike Mbah, said that they (Ndiagu Owo) contacted Distinguished Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, representing Enugu East Senatorial District who “promptly referred the matter to one of Owo’s illustrious sons, Barr. Peter Mbah.”

“When we noticed what was happening, that is Igwe Okeke Arum sending some people from Ashishi Owo to enter our land where our people do farming and other economic activities, we quickly sent a message to Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani our Senator who asked Hon Peter Mbah to look into the matter.

“Hon. Peter Mba set up a committee to settle the matter. The committee is supervised by his PA Mr. Anthony Nwankwo with chairman and two members of each of the four villages. We and Ashishi is not among.

“After destroying the farm of our people, we are surprised that within two days, 19th and 20th of June, 2021, a gatehouse is standing in the land. Our youth planned to destroy the house and challenge them but the eldest man in our village, Elder John Egbo, restrained them and asked that we listen to the entire Owo elders who are looking into it. He pleaded with us to avoid violence but that we should not let anyone take over our rightful inheritance.

In an answer to our reporter’s questions, a stakeholder and prominent son of Ashishi Owo who spoke to us on the condition of anonymity said “I also  learnt of the Boundaries Crisis and have called for Intra Communal dialogue, Roundtable discussion and Due Process to be followed in resolving the matter.

“The Land in question has been there for more than 300 years and does not fall within the terrestrial coverage or domain of the Said brutal Land grabber Igwe Arum. 
He is the Igwe / Traditional Ruler of Mbulu Owo  Autonomous Community and he has no reason or any authority to coercively manipulate his own cabal from Ashishi to begin to intimidate or demean Ndiegu Owo people.

“He is the mastermind of the current crisis.
That man is fond of causing trouble and Communal confusion, Crisis, land speculation, Illegal community and jointly owned village land grabbing, Sale and harassment of poor and rural village folks at all times claiming to be “god”  and untouchable.
  
“I have advised both Village representatives to use Peaceful approach, Sincere and Factual discussion to resolve the issue. The Elders and we the  Stakeholders are already calming down the tension  but  I  strongly advocate for  Due Process.

“Ashishi people should not allow Igwe Arum to cause problem between Ashishi Owo  and Ndiegu Owo people at all.

“The power of arryorney he is parading  or dubiously relying on in Ashishi does not exit and both Villages are  Not  within his domain.

“I come for Peace and Peaceful Co existence of all people of Owo.” He finalized.

A gate-house built on the land

A respondent who gave his name simply as Nick started as follows:

“I want to tell a little that I know about the land dispute between Ndiagu Owo and Ashishi Owo.

“Ashishi Owo and Ndiagu Owo have been living communally for over about 300 years because as long as history is, Ndiagu Owo and Ashishi Owo are villages in Owo. Ndiagu Owo owns their land and Ashishi Owo owns their own land.

“Where the land in dispute now which Okeke Arum is the man forcing, because the whole understanding, it is not all Ashishi Owo but a group of people which Okeke Arum have been using in terrorising people in Owo. Persons like Ogbachi Ochiaya, Ani-nwa Ogbachi, Udene Mba, and others, John Mba… These are (members of) his criminal gang he is using to take people’s land, claiming that he is the Igwe.

“By right, Igwe he is, is the Igwe of Autonomous Mbulu Owo which got autonomous… in 2006.

“The (land) area of Mbulu doesn’t exceed to Ndiagu Owo. There is a demarcation, a major river in our area which is called Idodo which cuts across from Nsukka area down to our place go to Ebonyi. So this river is a (natural) boundary. Another major boundary between us and Nike is another river called Akpoko. In this area, our people (Ndiagu Owo) have boundary with Ishiagu Owo (Umujimu).

“Ashishi Owo has never trespassed to Umujimu to do any business or in our own land where Okeke Arum is dragging now which is Mgbeje and Ekwururo and Ebo’uziza.

“Nobody from there from the history of Adam since Owo locate to the land in present, nobody from Ashishi Owo have come to farm or do anything there saying it is his own farm land…

“Mbulu which is Igwe Okeke Arum’s autonomous community is a new community created out of Owo town.

“During those days of Enoka Nwaniowo and Igwe Charles Nnajieze, it was a unanimous decision that every village shall own there land to their boundary (with other villages).

“Ndiagu owns there own land to Idodo (river) and that part of Umujimu which was their original inherited land.

“Nobody from Ashishi or from Mbulu have ever crossed Idodo river to come to Ndiagu for any reason or for any type of farm work because the land is where we (Ndiagu) use for farming, plantation and everything we do.

“It is very unfortunate that today Okeke Arum has the power because of he is Igwe. The truth remains that many indigens from that area have denounced (said) that they can never join hands with Okeke Arum to go and drag Ndiagu Owo land with them, and he is in enmity with those group of people in Ashishi Owo, because it is not the whole Ashishi, but Okeke Arum with with people he is ganging and collaborating with.

“The people of Ndiagu Owo are peace loving. We thank all those who are sacrificing their time and resources to see that we have peace, and that our land is not taken away from us.

GMTNews with chat Prince Nnajieze

Prince Austin Nnajieze is the Chairman of all Owo indigens residing in Rivers State. He is also the son of the foremost Chief that led the entire Owo town during his life time, late Chief Charles Nnajieze from Ashishi Owo.

Prince Nnajieze told our reporter that for the existing peace to prevail, elders of the entire Owo say that parties to the dispute between Ashishi Owo and Ndiagu Owo are barred from entering the land except Ndiagu Owo who may want to harvest their crops on the land.

Furthermore, he affirmed that every village has their own land area known as Ishiegu for farming and other economic activities.

“Elders of the etire Owo are currently on the matter and have decreed that except Ndiagu Owo that should only enter the land to only harvest their crops, no one else  between Ashishi and Ndiagu should enter the land for any purpose whatsoever until they (elders) have concluded.

“Every village has its own farm area but because of the current dispute, the elders of Owo said that Ndiagu and Ashishi should suspend going to the area in dispute.

When asked wheather it is true that Igwe Okeke Arum was instigating people to enter Ndiagu land, He said “that is what I heard” and further confirmed that it was not Igwe Okeke Arum alone, that “he is doing it with some people from Ashishi and Ndiagu Owo.”

“There is no other village in Owo apart from Ashishi that is dragging the land with Ndiagu.

“Ndiagu has every right to enter the land and harvest whatever they have planted.” He said.

When contacted on telephone, HRH Igwe Okeke Arum denied any involvement in the matter, saying the allegations were the handiwork of his detractors.

“What they said is not true, I don’t have any issues with anybody. I am not a village, I am not a community. I am not even from Ashishi, I am from Mbulu. They are just tarnishing my image.

“I am not interfering in their land, I am a Traditional Ruler of Mbulu Owo. I am not a traditional ruler of Owo.”

On the alleged gatehouse built on the said land, Igwe Arum denied knowledge of it, dismissing it as untrue.

He blamed the allegations against him on politics, saying that it is those who did not like his achievements, and that he knew who the sponsor was. “He had petitioned me the House of Assembly they have probe me, he petitioned me to the traditional rulers council. Governor had set conflict resolution to resolve the matter and I was found (not wanting) nothing.”

He claimed that the petitioner he would not mention his name, wasn’t satisfied, “he now continued from another side just to dent my image.”

When asked who the petitoner was, Igwe Arum declined to answer the question, saying that the petitoner was known to him. “The person is known to me, it is not for public consumption.” He concluded.

Barr. Peter Mbah could not be reached on phone and text messages sent to his phone number including WhatsApp were not replied.

The good and peace loving people of Owo wish the peace committee well, as they meet tomorrow, Sunday (18/7/21) at Mr. Peter Mba’s country home, Ashishi Owo, prior to meeting with the people of Ashishi Owo and Ndiagu Owo. (GMTNews)