Leaders of the Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State on Thursday, staged a peaceful protest to the Government House, Asaba, and the state House of Assembly, demanding the immediate withdrawal of a new land ownership policy allegedly introduced by the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, Ifechukwudi Okonjo.
The protesters, led by the President General of the community, Patrick Osaamor, carried placards with inscriptions such as “Ogwashi-Uku does not belong to one family,” “Stop the oppression,” “Land belongs to the people, not the palace,” “Ogwashi-Uku does not belong to the Okonjo Family” and “Abolish the farming permit policy.”
They accused the monarch of unilaterally declaring himself the sole owner of all community lands, a move they described as “sacrilegious, unconstitutional, and a recipe for anarchy.”
Addressing journalists during the protest, Osaamor said the policy has caused widespread unrest in the community and has led to harassment, arrests, and intimidation of young people who resisted the directive.
The protesters specifically accused the monarch of using the influence of his elder sister, the President of World Trade Organisation (WTO), Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to unlawfully arrest and detain Indigenes of the community.
“The Obi has declared himself the sole owner of all community lands in Ogwashi-Uku. This claim is not supported by our Constitution, our traditional laws, or even the Land Use Act of 1978,” Osaamor said.
“We have come to appeal to the Delta State government and the governor, to intervene urgently and prevail on the Obi to rescind this order. If access to land is restricted, how will our youths survive?” he queried.
Osaamor alleged that some residents had been unlawfully detained for months for challenging the policy, noting that one community member was held for eight months “simply because he spoke against this injustice.”
He also condemned what he described as “abuse of tradition,” stressing that in Ogwashi-Uku, lands are managed by village chiefs under the supervision of the oldest men in each village, not by the monarch.
“By our custom, no Obi owns the land. For a much younger man to now declare ownership over all community lands is an insult to our elders and a direct threat to peace. We will not allow our heritage to be destroyed,” he stated.
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The president-general outlined the protesters’ key demands, including the withdrawal of the land policy, cessation of police harassment, and the release of the long-awaited white paper on the Ogwashi-Uku crisis.
Similarly, Eluemunor Adigwe, Secretary-General of the Ogwashi-Uku Development Association (ODA), said the protest followed resolutions reached at a general meeting of the community held on October 4, 2025.
He accused the monarch of using his influence and state apparatus to intimidate dissenting voices and forcefully seize lands.
“Our people are frustrated. Our youths can no longer speak up about their inheritance. Whenever they try, they are arrested and taken all the way to Abuja, where their parents cannot afford legal defense,” Adigwe said.
Addressing the protesters at the Government House, the Senior Political Adviser to the governor, Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, urged them to remain peaceful, assuring that their demands would be communicated to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, who is currently away, and would be addressed upon his return.
