Revocation Of Ize-Iyamu’s 18 Hectares Land: Amagba Community Commends Obaseki

By Daniel Dafe

Indigenes of Amagba Community in Oredo Local Government Area (LGA) of Edo State have expressed appreciation to Governor Godwin Obaseki for
revoking the Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) on a land measuring over 18 hectares, which they said was dubiously taken from them by Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

A statement signed by Hon. Joseph Iduoriyekemwen J.P, Odionwere of Amagba, Elder Victor Aigbe, Elder O. Igbinidu, Monday Iduoriyekemwen and Elder John Eware on behalf the community also thanked the governor for listening and hearkening to their pleas expressed in the various protest letters written to him, adding that Iyamu meted injustice and oppression on them.

The statement added: “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.

“The portion of the land within the 18 hectares to which Ize-Iyamu laid claim, hitherto awarded to him by the community, has since been revoked by the people and leaders of Amagba, after several letters by the people and a final letter written to him by the legal representative of the Amagba Community.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 Ize-Iyamu sat, under the guise of setting up an Agricultural Institution to create jobs as well as open up the area for increased economic activities.”

Continuing, Amagba community said that “it turned out that Ize-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.”

They emphasized that “even before the community began to solicit the intervention of the governor, several engagements have been ongoing to draw Ize-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.”

“We have, over the years, endured the pain and agony of the domination of Mr. Ize-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 left 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.

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“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 statement said.

Meanwhile, Amagba also acknowledged “the numerous developmental projects embarked upon by the Governor “ in the community, “including the over 15km Ugbor-Amagba Road, which has since been completed, as well as several other adjoining roads that have been constructed.”

Furthermore, they reaffirmed their unflinching support for the Governor because of his interest in the development of Amagba Community and appealed that these efforts be sustained.