Revocation of Ize-Iyamu’s 18 Hectares Land: Amagba Community Commend Obaseki.

By Lucky Isibor.

Members of Amangba community has lauded Governor Godwin Obaseki for the revocation of the Certificate of Occupancy of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu for the 18 Hectares of land he acquired in their community alleging that the said land was decietfully acquired.

In a statement signed by Hon. Joseph Iduoriyekemwen, the Odionwele of Amagba and four others on behalf of Amangba community stated that the 18 Hectares of land does not wholly belong to Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

          Governor Godwin Obaseki.

The other signatories to the statement which stated that the community has been writing protest letters to the Governor on the issue include  Elder Victor Aigbe, Elder O. Igbinidu, Monday Iduoriyekemwen

and Elder John Eware.

It will be recalled that Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State recently revoked Ize-Iyamu's title to 18 Hectares of land lying and situate at Amangba Community in Oredo Local Government Area of the state.

According to the statement, "We, the indigenes of Amagba Community in Oredo Local Government Area (LGA) of Edo State, wish to express our appreciation to Governor Godwin Obaseki 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 Ize-Iyamu.

"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 dubiously 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.

"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of the land within the 18 hectares to which Ize-Iyamu laid claim, hitherto awarded to him by the community, has since been revoked by the people and leaders of Amagba, after several letters by the people and a final letter written to him by the legal representative of the Amagba Community."

While stating that the community had already withrdrawn the land from Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and notified him of same, the statement said, "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.

"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."

Efforts to reach Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu to hear his side of the story whether Amangba Community reached him through their lawyer that the community has divested him of the said land failed as he was said not to be at home when we visited his Ugbor, GRA residence.