By Nneka Anoliefo
The traditional ruler of Nimo, Igwe Maximus Ike Oliobi, says the sale of Owa Land in his community was the exclusive preserve of the committee set up for the purpose by the decision of the entire town during its national assembly meeting.
Igwe Oliobi in a telephone interview with Journalists to respond to allegations levelled against him by some Nimo Indigenes who protested what they claimed to be the illegal sale of Owa land by the Igwe and some stakeholders in Nimo Community at Government House Awka, stated that he remained the custodian of culture and therefore did not have any business in selling any part of the community land.
Igwe Oliobi who went down memory lane on how the Owa land, now known as Obodo Oma, was acquired by conquest by Nimo people many years ago, made it known that Governor Chukwuma Soludo and the House of Assembly member representing them were already on the land issue.
He maintained that his subjects were free to cultivate on the said land, while also noting that the past committees preserved the land for development which was divided into two phases – A and B.
The royal father further disclosed that during their Nimo Town Development Union, NTDU National Assembly, they reached an agreement on how the Owa land would be used, pointing out that all the money NTDU generated from sale of some portions of the land went into NTDU’s purse.
He stressed that he had no hand in the money, pointing out that the Phase Two of Owa land, which, he said, expanded to Oraukwu, was still meant for Ndi Nimo.
He advised his subjects to exercise patience as the matter was being looked into by the appropriate authorities for a way forward .
Igwe Oliobi added that the commercial site would be developed by non-indigenes and stated categorically that he had never sold any land that belonged to the community.
He said it was purely the duty of Nimo Town Development Union, which, he said, sold some percentage of the land for infrastructural development, with the money generated going to the NTDU purse.
He also debunked the allegation that he was using security personnel to intimidate his subjects.
