A battle of supremacy is brewing among the kinsmen of the Director General of World Trade Organisation, Prof Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala over the kingship of Ogbenti-Obi Quarters, Umudei, Ogwachi-Uku.
Addressing a press conference in Lagos on Sunday, spokesman of the Ogbenti-Obi, Prince John Njokanna, said one Ifechumwude Okonjo and his brother Onyeama Okonjo have been terrorizing their people using the security operates and thugs to ride roughshod over them despite the fact that the case over the kingship is still pending at the Supreme Court.
Prince Njokanna said the duo always boast of having a global citizen in person of madam Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to perpetrate illegality in Ogwachi-Uku.
According to him, the Ogwachi-Uku palace that’s over 300 years was desecrated on Monday February 7, 2022 when they stormed the area with armed men and destroyed the palace with artifacts and several others things.
He said; “On the 7th February, 2022 our brothers from other side went to Asaba judiciary to get an illegal order—writ of possession to reposes our land. They came with heavy security and invaded our land and descended on our family. “Nobody was spared. There’s a market in front of the palace where people do their buying and selling and they scattered everywhere. What they did is not what we can recount because we all know that the palace is the repository of culture and artifacts. They destroyed everything in the palace.”
Going down the memory lane, he said “About 110 years ago, Ogwachi-Uku was embroiled in internecine war with British Colonial Administration. A petition was written by Okonjo Emordi. There was war between the people of Ogwachi-Uku and colonial government. The colonial government suffered great Loses from our headstrong warriors from Ogwachi-Uku such as Nwabuzor Nwaiyogolo and Agbambu Anika together with Ogbe-Ubu warriors.
The war later called off in 1910 and a term of settlement was reached. It was discovered that Okonji Emordi was behind the insurrection and was sentenced to life imprisonment and he died at Calabar prison.
“In 1985, a court case was instituted against us by the Okonjo Emordi children against us. The matter is still pending at the Supreme Court.
“The reason why they want the palace is to legitimize their invasion of our land. We thank the Ogwachi-Uku people for their support and solidarity inspite of threat and the use of military and thugs against us by the Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala brothers”.