Monarch blames land grabbers for community dispute, urges Soludo intervention

The traditional ruler of Umuawulu community in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Joel Egwuonwu, has blamed some people he described as “moneybags” and “land grabbers” for the lingering land dispute between Enugwu and Umuenu quarters of the community.

Egwuonwu, however, absolved himself of any involvement in the lingering land dispute between the two quarters, clarifying that his role was only to ensure peace in the community as the traditional ruler.

The monarch stated this during a press briefing at his palace on Friday, pointing out that reports portraying him as the architect of the land dispute were false and misleading.

He explained that he was compelled to address the controversy following public protests and personal attacks allegedly directed at him and the traditional institution over the matter.

He, however, called on the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to urgently intervene in the lingering land dispute between the Enugwu and Umuenu quarters of the community.

He said, “It is uncharitable for anybody to associate me personally with the needless allegations and painting me as the architect or cause of the land dispute between Enugwu and Umuenu quarters.

“Some moneybags from Enugwu Quarter were sponsoring false narratives and protests aimed at tarnishing my reputation and that of the Umuawulu traditional institution.

“I urged members of the public to disregard the allegations, they are calculated to mislead the public and create division within the community.”

The monarch recalled that before 2019, there was no land dispute between the Enugwu and Umuenu quarters, adding that the earlier litigation over the land involved Umuenu Quarter and Awgbu community.

According to him, the land dispute was decided in a Supreme Court judgment in 1973 in favour of Umuenu Quarter, urging all parties in the dispute to obey the court’s decision.

The monarch further alleged that some leaders of Enugwu Quarter had testified in the earlier litigation in support of Awgbu’s claim to the disputed land and only began asserting ownership of the land decades later.

He said that following reports of rising tension in 2020, he constituted a five-member committee chaired by his Onowu, Prof. Emma Ezenwaji, to investigate the matter and recommend solutions.

Egwuonwu said the committee concluded that the disputed land belonged to Umuenu Quarter, adding that Enugwu Quarter rejected the findings and subsequently approached the High Court in Awka, where the case remains pending.

He also disclosed that the Umuawulu Progress Union later constituted a four-member mediation panel headed by Mr Azubike Anazor to seek an amicable resolution of the dispute.

“The panel visited the site, received oral and written submissions from the parties and, in its report submitted in August 2025, affirmed Umuenu Quarter as the owner of the land.

“Despite hailing from Umuenu Quarter, I have remained neutral throughout the land dispute. My only offence here is that I hail from Umuenu, one of the disputing quarters.

“I have maintained the level of neutrality expected of a father whose children are involved in family disagreements,” he added.

Egwuonwu called on all parties to embrace peace and refrain from actions capable of escalating tensions, expressing hope that the dispute would be resolved through lawful means.

He prayed that primordial interests and divisive tendencies would not rob Umuawulu of the peace it had enjoyed over the years.

The monarch also appealed to Prof. Chukwuma Soludo to intervene in the dispute to ensure justice and lasting peace in the community.

“Our governor is an upright man, a man of justice and one who has the courage to speak the truth no matter who is involved.

“I appeal to the governor to intervene and let justice prevail. Let there be justice and equal rights, because there can be no peace where there is no justice,” Egwuonwu added.