Maduako igbokwe l Friday, July 30, 2021
AWKA, Onitsha, Nigeria – Isaiahu community in Awka South Local Council Area of Anambra State has terminated the 99 year-old lease it had with an agricultural developer, All Paul Agency Limited over shady deal.
The community said that it will take over the possession of land at Ivolo in the community measuring 21.211 hectres for agricultural purpose because of shady activities.
According to the Deed of Lease between the representatives of the land owners, Ezu Family Assembly (lessors) led by Samuel Nwosu , and Elder Paul Ulasi of All Paul Agency (lessees), dated January 10, 1978, permitted the lessees to pay the sum of N10,550 as ground rent for a period of 99 years, in addition to other cultural requirements for effective demise of the said land on the 7th day of January every year.
Part of the said agreement, which permitted the lessee to take possession of the land for farming and agro-allied purposes, mandated the lessees to “peaceably hold an enjoy the property during the said term without any interruption or disturbance by the lessors or any person claiming under or in trust for them.”
Chairman of Ezu Family Assembly, Samuel Nwosu and Secretary, Sunday Odogwu, representing the sub-family groups of Echem and Odogwu/Okafor, said that the trouble started when the agricultural developers (the lessees) defaulted by failing and refusing to pay the necessary ground rent and other customary requirements for about 20 years.
“It will interest you to know that for over 20 years, All Paul Agencies Limited has failed to fulfill the legitimate expectations of our family due to its inability to abide to the terms and conditions stated in the lease agreement reached between him and we, the land owners,” they stated .
Nwosu and Odogwu pointed out that, in the face of such grievous default, the lessees purportedly sold part of the said land to a third party, Golden Safeline Properties Limited, without the knowledge or consent of the lessors.
According to them, the said third party had allegedly mounted its sign board on the land, and took possession of the land owners’ property with impunity and breach of lease agreement, a development he described as forcible entry and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
The land owners spokespersons told newsmen that, they did not want to take the laws into their hand and decided to seek the intervention of the traditional ruler of Isiagu, Igwe Augustine Nwankwo, who, they said has jurisdiction over the communal land.
When contacted, Igwe Nwankwo, confirmed that his subjects sought his intervention, adding that he tried to resolve the matter between both parties, by inviting the lessees for discussion concerning the Ezu land with the lessors through courier message transmission dated November 25, 2019, but lamented that till date, the lessees had shunned the overtures and peace initiatives till date.
Igwe Nwankwo, the Igweagu of Isiagu, faulted the lessees for breach of the agreement, stressing that the land owners should feel free to recover their land since the original purpose has been defeated, stressing that, he would ensure that the said Ivolo land, when recovered, would be put to good communal use to create wealth, generate jobs and alleviate poverty. Efforts made to get reactions of Elder Ulasi failed as calls put to his phone could not go.
