————–says the 18 hectares of land not wholly belong to Ize- Iyamu
By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin City.
Amagba Community in Oredo ward ll Local Government Area of Edo State ,has expressed appreciation to Governor Godwin Obasekl for listening and hearkening to their cry by Revocating Pastor Osagie Ize-lyamu’s 18 Hectares Land in the community.
A statement released to journalists in Benin City , and signed by the Odlonwere of Amagba Community, Hon. Joseph Iduoriyekemwen J.P. , Elder Victor Aigbe , Elder 0.igbinidu, Monday lduoriyekemwen
and ElderJohn Eware respectively thanked the governor for listening to their cry.
You will recall, that the state government had recently revoke 18 parcels of land belonging to Pastor Osagie Ize-lyamu in Amagba Community. the government said is Revocating the C& O for the interest of the public.
In the statement, the community stated that their pleas was expressed in the various protest letters written to the governor on the Injustice and oppression meted on us by Osagie izelyamu.
The statement read in parts,
“We, the indigenes of Amagba Community in Oredo Local Government Area (LGA) of Edo State, wish to express our appreciation to Governor Godwin Obasekl for listening and hearkening to our pleas expressed in the various protest letters written to him on the Injustice and oppression meted on us by Osagie izelyamu.
“We are indeed grateful for the Governor‘s intervention and move to revoke the Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) on a land measuring over 18 hectares, which was dublously taken from us some time ago by the said individual.
” We hereby state, without equivocation that the said expanse Of land, amounting to over 18 hectares did not wholly belong to ize-iyamu because portions of it were allocated to other individuals.
According to them, “The portion of the land within the 18 hectares to which ize-lyamu laid claim, hitherto awarded to him by the community, has since been revoked’by the people and leaders of Amagba, after several_ letters by the people and a final letter written to him by the legal representative of the Amagba Community.
“As a community, we decided to withdraw the large expanse of land over which lze-lyamu sat, under the guise of setting up an Agricultural institution to create jobs as well as open up the area for increased economic activities.
“We were surprised that lze-iyamu only used the proposed agricultural institution to deceitfully acquire the land from the community, because in fact, there has never been any activity on the said parcel for these many years: Rather, the place, having been left unused, has become a den of criminals, posing severe security and safety threat to women, children and the entire people of Amagba Community.
“Several engagements have been ongoing to draw lze-Iyamu’s attention to the need to vacate the said property, having failed to put it to use for the purpose for which it was allocated, even before the community began to solicit the intervention of the governor,
” We have, over the years, endured the pain and agony of the domination of Mr. lze-iyamu, who has depended on his political clout and connection with successive governments, to deprive us of the purposeful use of our land and also put our lives in danger, having Ieft such a vast land unused in the midst of a thriving community, thereby making the land a cover for armed robbers, rapists, hoodlums, among others.
” We are therefore immensely grateful to his Excellency, Mr. Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki, for his intervention in revoking the land title and opening up opportunities for the land to be used by government to advance the development of Amagba community and its environs.
“The people of Amagba also acknowledge the numerous developmental projects embarked upon by the Governor in our community, including the over 15km Ugbor-Amagba Road, which has since been completed, as well as several other adjoining roads that have been constructed. We, once more. reaffirm our unfiinching support for the Governor for his interest in the development of Amagba Community and appeal that these efforts be sustained”. they concluded.