By Emeka Nwulu,
Communities in Ohaji, Ohaji/Egbema LGA last weekend in a Meeting has concluded to fight to a finish should the state government refuses to steer clear from Umuapu Land warth over 5 thousand hectares of land located at a boundary between Nkarahia and Umuapu Communities along Rivers Port Harcourt Road Owerri.
The gathering were full of Men, youth, women of the LGA who came out protesting and saying "we no go greeoooo" "we no go gree". "There will not be RUGA in our land". "Nobody will take our land by force".
The Mammoth crowed in one voice had warn the Imo State govt under the administration of Sen. Hope Uzodinma to leave their Farm landed property alone which was left for them by their early fathers for farming and appealing to the state Governor to warn whosever is behind the act of coming to claim their land falsely.
The crowd who are predominantly farmers, regretted voting the government into power whom they said had decided to pay them back with evil by coming to take their land illegally.
In another development, they said they won't relax or rest until Imo State government surrenders it's action against the said land.
"In a surprise Morning, We saw about 7 Hilux written Imo State govt with full of Security agents both army and police, Civil Defense incidentally entering our land with survey Men taking measurement of the land without coming to inform us and we rose against the act".
Therefore, our land is not in dispute with anybody rather it is there for farming since years back which will also be handed over to our future coming generations after ours because our great father's did same to us.
According to them , we are ready and prepared to die in the hand of the state government if the government persist to deny us our only surviving communal gifted Land.
Meanwhile, we are expecting the same government we gave our mandate in 2023 to return the gesture with developmental projects but we are seeing today that the reverse is becoming the case.
The people stated categorically , that Imo State govt had left their roads in a bad condition, hospitals, Markets, and their environment in a very bad shape when they are the LGA that lay the golden eggs for the state to survive.
In other words, ISOPADEC is off from our hands, our polytechnic is off, Adapalm , no appointment to our son's and daughters and so on and so forth.
While the state government is coming to hijack the only little remaining surviving hope in life living us to abject poverty .
They decried that the government plan to scuttle their land for RUGA is a plan that cannot be achieved or else Imo govt should consider the entire Ohaji dead in its hand since it can't protect the people 's future. The community frowned over the use of land mass belonging to them as Imo Robber Estate since ages was that till today nothing was done for them. "RUGA SETTLEMENT" is unachievable in our land they stated. " We cannot afford to lose all our resources to the state government whose interest is absurd to our progress". They maintained.
High Chief Hyacinth Onyema who was described as "Onye is Ala" in Umuapu Community in Ohaji amongst the Communities blamed the state government for planning to take their land but stated further that such is a futile act that wouldn't see the light of the day and warns that except the state is ready to spill the Communities blood into the land before they can take it away from them.
While Hon.Chief Owunchekwa Luke Chukwu former House of Assembly Member, two times Councilor Umuapu Ward, two times Executive Chairman Ohaji-Egbema LGA Council of the state called on the state Gov. Sen. Hope Uzodinma whom he said he had noticed that he is not aware of such recent development or plans by some scrupulous elements behind the government to let the government leave their land alone .
And so many Leaders from Ohaji who spoke in one voice alleging the state government of invading into their land with the intention to grab it for RUGA SETTLEMENT as against the peaceful coexistence of the entire Ohaji Communities and threatening that if care is not taken and proper action is not taken by the Gov. That heads will roll between the government and the people of Ohaji.