Mr Ikedoji Onyedikachukwu is currently the Publicity Secretary, Nzukora Nnewi Town Union. In this interview with Adaora Muogbo, the Secretary cleared the air on how Nzukora Nnewi begged Innoson to take NITEL land. He also spoke on Afia-Olu Nnewi,  first Nnewi Political Summit and other issues.

Excerpts:

There was a media publication alleging that Nzukora Nnewi begged Innoson to take NITEL land; how true is it?

Well, we wish to let the general public know that there is no land in Nnewi designated as NITEL land. The land that is erroneously being referred to as NITEL land is Okwuani land. However, it should be on record that Igwe Nnewi, Igwe K.O.N Orizu, while planning to develop Nnewi welcomed every investor, who can help to develop the land and he gave the land to NITEL on tenancy basis; and did not collect any money or Kola from them.

In fact, it is on record that he was paying bills for that land he gave to NITEL. The Igwe was paying bills from day one NITEL came in till the day they left without notice. So, NITEL has no business whatsoever to take our sacred land and involve it in any transaction. No sacred land in Nnewi is for sale to a corporate body or whosoever.

The Land was voluntarily given to NITEL for them to operate and now that they are not functional, Nnewi have taken back their land for developmental projects and it was on the process of taking back their land that we looked at the centrality of the land and entrusted it to one of our sons, who can be there and develop it. We did not sale it to him.

We entrusted it to him for some years after which we can decide to know what to do with the land. There was no bidding because it is a scared land. We just looked around and the only criterion is that he has a good image evident in his motor manufacturing business which we wish and desire that he assembles there. We had no intention to sell the land to him and he wasn’t begged. We only entrusted the land to him.  The rumour and publication in newspapers on begging him to buy the land is not true.

Was it in the executive meeting of Nzukora that the decision about the land was reached?

The Town Union Act divided functions between the traditional rulers and the Town Unions, and we are solely in charge of developments. They are our custodians. In certain issues, we join decisions between the custodians and the town union. So, it is a joint decision between the Nzukora and traditional stools.

The decision is not business oriented, and we do not have the intention to make profits by so doing.

However, it is important to note that a company that is posing itself as NAT.Com that acquired assets and liability of NITEL are laying claims on our sacred land. As I am talking now, they have sued us to court that NAT.Com acquired the assets and liabilities of NITEL.


I think they need to understand the meaning of assets and liabilities. NITEL was our tenant and they sold their assets and liabilities to NAT.Com. Meanwhile, when the NAT.Com came in, we asked them to furnish us with information but we made it clear to them that they should bring a document attesting that Nnewi handed over the land to NITEL or the document which shows that we sold the land to NITEL and if they don’t see anything, they should know that our local deity was just being hospitable to the people of NITEL and we had no intention to advance such to them.

How NITEL came in and begged us and we gave them land without collecting anything is important. If NAT.Com wants to operate in Nnewi, they should also come and beg us and we might consider giving them land which must not necessarily be that place.

What affiliation has Innoson with that particular land?

We entrusted it to him to showcase his business, believing that after some years, we collect it and give it to another person because we have a lot of people in Nnewi, but we are not going to sell it. The lease is to last for fifty years. It is a brotherly agreement, so, the central message is that it was entrusted to him, not for sale and he was not begged.

There was a speculation that last year’s Afia-Olu was celebrated at Nnewi High school. How true is it?



No, what we had at Nnewi High school was Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Memorial Football Match which is part of activities lined up for 2017 Afiaolu festival. The Afia-Olu Nnewi last year took place at Enete-Edo. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Parks and Plazas.

READ MORE: https://www.anaedoonline.com/2018/12/07/we-entrusted-nitel-land-to-innoson-not-for-sale-nzukora-nnewi/

I'm glad innoson use the land for productive purpose