Afam Aminu Chimezie, Onitsha
Ogidi, community, and home town of the late literary giant, Chinua Achebe, is gradually warming up for an unprecedented crisis as youths of the villages in the area are beating drums of war over a sacred forest allegedly owned by the people of Umueze-Isi-Ogwugwu kindred.
The people of Adazi-Isiogwuguwu are claiming ownership of a vast sacred forest, known as “Ofiammuo Eze-Isi Ogwugwu”, stressing that it was an inheritance left behind by their forefathers centuries ago, but are close to losing it due to sudden trespass on the land by youths of Uruoji village, Ogidi, led by a prominent indigene of the village and Industrialist, Pharmacist Ugochukwu Okwuosa, widely alleged to be a major sponsor of the invasion.
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The Chairman of Umueze-Isiogwugwu family, Adazi-Uru, Ogidi, Mr. Vincent Obi who narrated the unfortunate incident to our correspondent, said that it was in 2018 that the youths of Uruoji village, Ogidi, whom he noted do not even share a common boundary with them, invaded their sacred forest with hundreds of youths accompanied by a bulldozer allegedly brought by one Chief Nonso Okaro, an indigene of Uruoji, pulling down all economic trees on the sacred forest, including spiritual trees and desecrating the forest. He noted that the atrocious act was committed after abducting the Chief Priest of “Ofiammu Eze-Isiowulu”, Mr. Clement Okechukwu, whom they forced to drink some concoction. He explained that since after the said abduction, the said Chief Priest has been mentally unbalanced.
Mr. Obi also claimed that the youths of Uruoji village had started erecting structures on the said land even after the traditional ruler of the town, Igwe Alex Onyido, had promised to look into the matter, regretting that till date the
traditional ruler is yet to take a serious position on the matter. The head of Umueze- Isiogwuguwu kindred also observed that the youths of Uruoji had often resorted to violence each time the police from Ogidi Area Command came for arrests over the land, which prompted Umueze- Isiogwuguwu family to go to court to seek justice. According to Mr. Obi, “since the invasion of our sacred forest, which is forbidden, except with permission by the chief priest, we’ve been living in fear, as our opponents have shown evidence of violence after beating one of our kinsmen, Stephen Obi to coma in the presence of the traditional ruler when he visited the land.”
He also accused one Gen. Emma Okaro (Rtd.), an indigene of Uruoji, of threatening to deal with them if they continue to claim ownership of the now desecrated forest. When contacted, Pharmacist Okaro chose not to speak to the press on the matter, as it was already in court. However, he promised to speak on a later date.
