96-Year-Old Man Leads Protest Over Land Dispute in Anambra State

Elder Stephen Okoye: A Century of Fights Against

Land Grabbing In the scorching sun, hundreds of residents from Umuenu Quarters in Umuawulu, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, took to the streets to protest against what they called the 'unlawful' intervention of the state's Deputy Governor, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim.

The leader of the protest, a 96-year-old man named Elder Stephen Okoye, stood firmly on the podium, his voice ringing clear amidst the crowd. He recounted the story of how the land dispute started during the colonial era and how the community had won several court cases, including one at the Supreme Court in 1963, affirming their ownership of the land.

Okoye accused Enugwu Quarters of attempting to ignite crisis in Umuawulu by petitioning the Deputy Governor to intervene in the matter. He expressed concern that the actions of Enugwu Quarters could lead to the manipulation of the court process and a potential crisis in the community.

'Enugwu people are only trying to ignite crisis in Umuawulu. They are not original people of Umuawulu and we wonder how they want to claim land that was there before they came and we gave them where they live.'

The protest was marked by the display of placards bearing inscriptions like 'Leave Our Land Alone' and 'Umuenu Quarters Owns Agu Umuenu Forest'. The protesters sang songs and chanted slogans, demanding that the Deputy Governor hands off the land dispute.

Okoye's words were echoed by the President of Umuenu Quarters Assembly, Mr. Bernard Mbolu, who stated that the community had done everything necessary to defend their land, including testifying in their own favor during court proceedings.

### A Rich History of Disputes The land dispute between Umuenu and Enugwu Quarters dates back to the colonial era. Umuenu Quarters had been the rightful owners of the land, but Enugwu Quarters, which had been witnesses for the people of Awgbu during earlier litigation, made a volte-face and began claiming ownership of the land.

### A Question of Identity and Belonging At the heart of the dispute is the question of identity and belonging. Elder Stephen Okoye has been at the center of the fight, leading the community in their struggle to protect their ancestral land.

As the protest came to a close, the residents of Umuenu Quarters vowed to continue their fight until the Deputy Governor hands off the land dispute and respects the decisions of the courts.

The future of the land dispute remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: Elder Stephen Okoye will not rest until his people's rights are protected.