Land speculators: Community raises alarm IZAKAGBO – The Elders and Youths of Izakagbo Community in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State have raised alarm over attempts by some persons in some farm settlements under the community to sell its land without the consent of the community heads. The community spoke with newsmen through their leaders, including the Odionwere Pa. Igbinosun Ughihen, the General Secretary, Joseph Oviaseri, Youth Secretary, Ernest Imalele and they all disclosed that some unscrupulous persons from Ekole, Agava, Iguosagie and Agolotan farm settlements have concluded arrangements to sell lands which belong to the community to unsuspecting buyers. The Odionwere said it was sad that the same people the community leased out land for farming purpose have now turned around trying to sell a large parcel of the land to companies without his notice or any of the community leaders. While giving the history of Izakagbo, which he said has 21 farm settlements, Pa. Igbinosun stated that all the settlements acquired the land for farming through the community. He wondered why the people of the farm settlements who are predominantly non indigenes can think of selling what they do not have. As the custodian of the farm settlements, he said he has repeatedly summoned the heads of the affected farm settlements to his palace but they have all refused to come, arrangement has been concluded to sell the land which does not belong to them. While calling on the local and state governments and the palace of the Oba of Benin to as a matter of urgency call these persons to order, he warned unsuspecting buyers not to deal with any other persons apart from the community head, saying that anyone who does so is at his/her own risk. Also speaking, some of the community leaders who were angry said the four farm settlements that were involved in the illegal arrangement were not even from the community or the state but people who came from the neighbouring states. According to Mr. Joseph Oviaseri, “these people are not from Benin or from Edo State, they came to farm here and our fathers magnanimously gave out the land to them for farming, they invited their brothers and their family and before long, they became a community, but now they want to sell the land that were leased out to them to farm without the knowledge of the owners.” Ernest Imalele, the Youth Secretary who spoke on behalf of the youths in the community, said they were amazed at the turn of event, warning that any person or companies who do business with the four farm settlements would have himself to blame. He said the youths of the community would not fold their hands and allow strangers to sell their inheritance saying that they are ready to fight for what belong to them, adding that they decided to go to press in order to warn intending buyers of the dangers of doing business with such unscrupulous persons. Mr. Imalele used the medium to call on the authorities concerned to intervene to avoid any brake down of law and order as the community has remained peaceful for years.
Posted on: Fri, 06 Sep 2013 10:00:22 +0000
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