FROM = EVEREST EZIHE, Owerri
Fresh facts have emerged that the age-long frosty relationship existing between the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) and her host communities, is yet to be over as the communities have called on the management of the university to obey the directive given to it by the federal government which entails ceding part of the land donated to the institution by Imo State Government back to the owners.
This was disclosed by Barr. Sam Anokam (SAN), the host communities principal attorney while addressing a press briefing on behalf of his clients last Saturday at his Ihiagwa, Owerri West ancestral compound.
It’s important to inform that the host communities are made up of the six constituent communities along the Port Harcourt Road axis of the land, that is Ihiagwa, Dindi Ihiagwa, Umuanunu, Umuoma Nekede, Obinze and Avu.
Anokam who presented various documents justifying his clients claims vowed that they are prepared to challenge FUTO’s stance on the return of the land to any level using every legal tools.
Reacting to the comments recently credited to the University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Francis Eze, that the communities and their attorney were spreading falsehood amongst other accusations, the legal luminary said that the earlier FUTO management acted as directed by the Federal Government, the better for the institution.
According to him, “the university deviated from the clauses of the agreement in the Memorandum Of Understanding, MOU engineered by the nation’s Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, thereby denying the chances of the host communities from getting what was duely approved by the Federal Government to them” he pointed out.
Anokam also said that, “I’m a professional of great repute, a legal icon, a fellow of Nigerian Institute of Surveyors and Valuers and a Knight of St. Christopher in the Anglican Church, a grand father and above all, a community leader, a traditional titles holder . I cannot wake up one morning and begin to spread falsehood. Who will I be impressing by spreading falsehood? And for what ?
“The Vice Chancellor is rather trying to suppress the fact that the federal government has considered a move to excise land out of the FUTO land for the host communities.
“The federal government set up a committee which FUTO and its host communities were represented and produced a Memorandum of Understanding for the parties to sign.
But, FUTO refused to sign the MoU reached since 2019 as part of the efforts by the Federal Government to resolve the perennial impasse that had brought acrimony over the years between the host communities and the academic institution “.
On the allegation by the Vice Chancellor that the Attorney was not backed by anyone from the host communities but driven by pecuniary interest, Anokam said, “I have been pursuing this matter with my associates, traditional rulers and community leaders since 2004. These are the people that have been signing letters regarding this matter, including this letter to the Minister of Works and Housing and the VC is saying that I have no one behind me. If you have traditional rulers, the masses and stakeholders, who else can anyone want to be behind him in a matter like this? Honestly, Prof Francis Eze just wants to be Petty” he insisted.
The social crusader further informed that the matter had already appeared at the floor of the National Assembly, insisting that his driving force was the benefits of his people, who he said, have no place again as farmlands and place of abode.
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