I Did Not Apologize To Emmanuel Uduaghan Over My Family Land, Says Okumagba

By Our Reporter

Prominent member of the Okumagba royal family of Warri, Prince Louis Okumagba has dismissed a publication alleged to be from him purporting to apologize to Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan over his family land as the handwork of mischief makers, emphasizing that rather than apologize to Emmanuel Uduaghan, he (Uduaghan) is the one to apologize to him for trespassing into his family land.

In a statement in reaction to the said publication in OASIS Magazine, Prince Okumagba expressed displeasure with the said publication, which he said, was meant to discredit his reputation and that of the family, stressing that the publication was sponsored, arranged and packaged by some allies of Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan with the aim of obtaining money from him.

Hear him: ‘’My attention has ben drawn to a sponsored, misleading and totally false publication trending on social media space with the title: Okumagba apologizes after comments on Uduaghan over Warri land. Ordinarily, I would have ignored the said publication, but doing so would not only give credence to the publication, but also injure my reputation and that of the respected Okumagba dynasty. I am also aware that the said publication was arranged, packaged and sponsored by some allies of Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan with the sole aim of obtaining money from him. Therefore I wish to respond as follows:

‘’I am Prince Louis Okumagba, a principal member of the great Okumagba dynasty in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta state. In 1974/1976, the then Midwestern Government acquired a vast portion of land along Okere/Edjeba road, Warri, from my family for public purpose to build a specialist hospital. However, the project was abandoned halfway and theland remained unused till date.

‘’Between 2016 and 2017, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan came to Olodi, Oki and Ighogbadu family with a document of Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) that the Delta State Government has released the whole portion earlier acquired by Government to his Rising Heights Nig. Ltd and Sereveri Nig Ltd, wherein Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan is a Director in both Companies.

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‘’However, I have been challenging the authenticity and procedure of the said Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) purportedly issued to Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan with respect to the vast portion of land along Okere/Edjeba road, Warri, belonging to the family.

‘’The alleged release of the land by the Delta State Government to Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan during the tenure of his elder brother, Dr Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan and the alleged C of O which in my view, did not follow due process. Therefore the land we have maintained should be returned back to my family.

‘’I have been on this battle to reclaim my family land from Chief Emmanuel Okumagba and the Delta State Government against the interest and conspiracy of some none principal members of my family who are blood Itsekiri relations of Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan for the past 8 years now.

‘’It may interest the public to note that the said release of land to Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan has been the only issue I have with Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan and until I am satisfied with the genuineness and otherwise of the documentations to the said land, I will continue to push for the release of the land back to my family, the original owners. The land was acquired for public interest and when such did not materialized cannot be converted for personal use of any individual without due regards to the original owners. That had been my stand.

‘’Therefore, it could not be true that I, Prince Louis Okumagba apologize to Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan in any circumstance with regards to the above subject matter. It is Emmanuel Uduaghan that should rather apologize to me. It is trite to note that since the land issue between me and Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan began, I have only met him once in 2017 at the Ministry of Lands, Asaba.

‘’However, I must concede that some measures have been put in place to resolve the matter amicably in the interest of justice and fair-play with total regard to the original owners of the land. I hereby urge my very respected family (the Okumagba dynasty) and the general public to disregard the said publication in its entirety because the said publication has no element of my person’’, the statement added.