Ndikpa Access Road Land Dispute: The True Story

P.M.EXPRESS reports as was disclosed by the Uzoma family, the Eze of the community and few critical stakeholders.

While refuting all the allegations raised in the publication, a member of the Uzoma family, Chief Val Uzoma said, “I’ll start by saying that everything about that publication was built on falsehood, but I must put it on record that the so called Ndikpa access road is on Uzoma family land. Let me then begin to decimate their bundle of lies and misinformation. First, my brother, Engr. Ambrose never worked for and was never a Director at NNPC. That’s the beginning of the concocted lies”.

“Secondly, the access road was created on false premise as the entire process was completely predicated on absolute false narrative. The chronic liars first claimed that the NDDC created the access road but it was punctured. Then again, they changed the narrative and claimed it was done by High Chief Dr. Johnbosco Ozigbu, but we found out that it was also a lie. They then mentioned Chief Paul Ozigbu’s company as having created the access road, which was yet another falsehood. Their next lie was that Nwangele Local Government created the access road and there were documents to that effect but they were all lies.”

“Thirdly, the bloody liars failed to mention that in 2019, Cletus Elendu, through his brother, Christopher Elendu, came to ask Engr. Ambrose for our land at Nwodee but Ambrose refused and that was the genesis of their scheming. Chief Christian Okenyeka, my cousin (Simeon Nwadike) and rogue elements in our village had a meeting with the backing of Late Chief Donatus Okenyeka (Ubakwesiri) to take over the land in whatever guise even going as far as naming it after his father.”

“When it got to that point, my brother,  Engr. Ambrose erected a wall there to protect our land and wade off encroachment. But Cletus Elendu pulled the wall down. I live in the US and at a point, I and my brother – Peter, called Cletus on the phone to ask why he destroyed the wall we built.  I cited the water project on our land and other access roads we had given in the past. But he didn’t stop based on the push he was getting from the instigators.”

“In our bid to take back our land, we approached the Court in 2020 because of our strong belief in the rule of law. In the suit, we had Cletus Elendu, Christopher Elendu, Nwangele Local Government Area and the man they claimed to have signed the documents authorising the access road. Ironically, Nwangele Local Government did not show up in Court, indicating that they were not involved in any way. After years of legal battle, we got judgement in June this year restoring our land to us.”

“On the false claim of intimidating Ndikpa people with money, I discovered that for them you must be poor to be liked. I work hard to earn money and I don’t have apologies if I am able to get huge income from my efforts. I make sure I contribute to the development of Ndikpa and Abba as a whole. On the water project alone, I spent over N7.6M  to make sure that it worked. I even went further to pay for digging up and replacing all the inadequate pipes installed in the system. I have contributed substantial additional  money for the repairs of the pipes and replacing of the pumping machine that was stolen.”

“In collaboration with NDA, we give Christmas bonuses to our people. I’m not talking about my whole family here, I personally formed a Foundation (Stephen and Marcillina Uzoma Memorial Foundation). Through the Foundation, I have awarded full scholarships, trained people on skill acquisition and equally empowered the local business women to carry on with their businesses, funded health care and hospitalization assistance, and much more. Since I’m not in Nigeria, genuine people like Ambrose Onuegbu, Sunny Olumba (Uduakommiri) and Hilary Uzoho, have always ensured the smooth and effective running of the Foundation. With all these, I have not gone to town ringing bells or seeking public applause. Even in our church, St. Theresa, I’ve equally contributed multiple millions of Naira towards making it look better and will continue to do so.”

“When our sister, Maria, died in 2020, the Chairman of NPU attempted to blackmail us. During a conference call, I and my brothers had with the NPU chairman, he insisted that we have to withdraw the case from Court or the village people will not partake in my sister’s funeral. Looking at all these, I should have stopped paying attention to the needs of the people. But I remember the words of Mother Theresa that, ‘it is not about you and them but about you and God’.

“At this point, I wanted to see who in the whole of Ndikpa that will come out to say that I’ve at any point intimidated him or her. I say it again and again that all the allegations in that publication are lies and fabrications and we must not be poor to be liked” Chief Val Uzoma stated.

The Chairman of Abba Council of Chiefs, Chief Sunny Austin Olumba, who is one of the strong stakeholders in Ndikpa and Abba Autonomous Community, while reacting to the recent development in Ndikpa, gave the hint that the members of the Uzoma family are actually the victims in the current situation concerning the disputed access road and not the other way round.

Chief Olumba, popularly known as Uduakommiri 1 of Abba stated, “First and foremost, let it be noted that the portion of land in question belongs to the Uzoma family. And before now, the Uzoma family had given access road to different people in the spirit of brotherhood”.

“The current situation started sometime ago when we came home for a burial ceremony, and the next thing we heard was that a caterpillar has gone to the site to create an access road. As a matter of fact, I have my own plots of land in that axis of Ndikpa. Prior to this, the Uzoma family was not consulted and did not give any approval for such. The move was sponsored by one of our brothers, Cletus Ugochukwu Elendu. Engr. Ambrose Uzoma and his brother – Peter, who equally returned home for the burial, like I did, were not happy and comfortable with the development considering that they had given access road in the past and this is being done without their consent.”

“It must also be noted that the point, where we situated our water project in Ndikpa belongs to the Uzoma family. So, in this instance, the family felt insulted and blocked the road. It will interest you to know that after the family blocked the road with blocks, Cletus Ugochukwu Elendu has brought it down three times. His unwarranted actions prompted the Uzoma family to approach the Court for intervention.”

“Now, what ordinarily should have been handled in a brotherly manner without litigation has eventually been decided by the Law Court with the attendant penalties for damages and unauthorized trespass.”

“On the allegations of intimidation and not wanting anyone to rise in Ndikpa, I want to believe that it is the submission of a failure. I have been known to always say it the way it is and will submit here that the Uzoma family has not stopped anyone from progressing in Ndikpa. I don’t believe that anyone’s progress will stunt yours as long as you keep working hard. So, nobody should nurse such feelings as we all have our unique challenges.”

“The Uzoma family has been doing their bits to enhance the development of Ndikpa and Abba as a whole. But for me, Val Uzoma has been particularly different purely depicting his title as Oputa Obie. People like Cletus Ugochukwu Elendu should have been pleading with the Uzoma family and not harassing or trying to forcefully trespass into their land in whatever guise. We would have joined him as brothers to plead with the Uzoma family and not painting them in negative light like he’s been doing. We want peace, unity progress in Ndikpa and Abba Autonomous Community and not litigations” Chief Olumba concluded.

When issues such as the Ndikpa access road dispute are in view, many would expect to know the reactions and positions of the custodians of culture and tradition. So, the reaction of the Traditional Ruler of Abba Autonomous Community, HRH Eze Maduawuchukwu, the Uburu II, was sought on the matter.

The revered monarch, Eze Ndubueze Maduawuchukwu, gave an insight into the Ndikpa access road dispute. He said, “I was aware of the issue from the onset about 5 years ago. I can trace the background to the then disagreement over Ezeship between myself and my brother (Golden) before I became officially the substantive Traditional Ruler”.

“Then, I inspected the place and gave my opinion on the matter. But our late brother, Chief Donatus Okenyeka (Ubakwesiri), Uzoho, Babadudu and others because of the situation on ground about the Ezeship instigated Cletus Ugochukwu Elendu to go ahead with the access road, insisting he has a right to the access road. It must be noted also that as at then, the person in question hasn’t put up any building structure there.”

“In the normal Igbo setting, when issues like this occur three approaches come to play; the interested party will go with drink and other items to plead with the family involved and equally involve the community. They either exchange it for another piece of land elsewhere, or pay for the affected portion as agreed or the family would cede the portion for free in the name of brotherhood.”

“It must be noted that Cletus Elendu did not do any of the aforementioned because of the instigation from the Ubakwesiri-led group. At that point, I spoke with the Uzoma family and they expressed their grievance. Their annoyance was that Cletus was insisting forcefully on getting the access road and didn’t observe the courtesy of meeting them or the community to do the needful. It was then the Uzoma family said that they will not shift ground on the matter.”

“It is on record that I equally suggested the expansion of a foot-path in order to create an access road but they turned it down as instigated by the group led by Ubakwesiri. The truth is that the encroachment completely destroyed Engr. Ambrose Uzoma’s land. For the Uzoma family, the arrogant approach was the most annoying part of the matter.”

“Eventually, Cletus Elendu went to the Uzoma family with some people. Ironically, it was the same set of people instigating the crisis that he went with, which got the Uzoma family angry and considered it as an unserious move.”

“The Uzoma family approached the Court, got judgment which handed down N20m penalty for unlawful trespass. Having gotten to that point, I suggested that the parties should go back to the drawing board for the matter to be approached from the point of brotherhood. I’ve spoken privately with Engr. Ambrose and he’s not against my peace overtures. He’s purely against forceful approach as employed by Cletus Elendu involving the youths and the community.”

“They should’ve left the fence erected by Uzoma Family as we keep talking and trying to broker peace until it is resolved amicably, instead of pulling it down as they were captured by the CCTV on the site.”

“As a peace and development loving monarch, I’m calling all the parties to a roundtable reconciliatory meeting this December to resolve all outstanding issues concerning the access road dispute” the Uburu II concluded.