AWKA – Heirs of the African proprietors of schools taken over by the military government of the defunct East central state of Nigeria has dragged Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State before the state High Court for denial of payment of compensation or immediate return of the confiscated private schools to the original owners.

In the suit number A/83/2019, the plaintiff through their councils, Frank Muolokwu, Anene Belonwu, Obi Muorah and Kennedy Egwuatu, prayed the court to compel Governor Obiano to return their schools to them since other schools owned by voluntary agencies like the Catholic and Anglican missions in the state have all been returned and compensation paid.

According to the lead council, Muolokwu, “Government of Anambra State has not been fair to the proprietors of private schools. Recently, they handed over schools owned by missionaries back to them and paid whooping sums of money, which runs into millions of naira to them while withholding schools and payment of compensation to proprietors, people who founded education to the then eastern Nigeria.”


Recall that the aggrieved children and heirs of the proprietors, whose schools were seized 49 years ago, petitioned Governor Obiano last year, appealing to him to return their fathers’ schools to them and pay them compensation for forceful acquisition of the schools since 1970 through education edit of the military administration.

They also called for urgent abrogation of the law that gave credence to the unlawful take-over of their schools by the government of the defunct East central state of Nigeria.

Some of the schools in contention include Okija Grammar School, owned by B.C Nduka, Merchant of Light, Oba owned by E.I Oli, Basden Memorial Grammar School, established in 1961 by M.C Ogwu, Metuh Memorial Secondary School, Onitsha, owned by Augustine Metuh, Eastern Academy Onitsha, by M.A. Onwuzu, Our Lady’s High School, Onitsha, owned by P.E. Chukwura, among others.


When the matter came up for hearing, B.C. Obiekie, who appeared for the Attorney General and Governor Obiano, appealed for extension of time to enable them regularise which the court granted.

The presiding judge, Justice Arinze Akabua, thereafter adjourned the matter to October 15 for continuation.


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