The emergence of the Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha administration and later, Senator Hope Uzodimma administration in Imo State, after the fall of the Rochas Okorocha planned dynasty, amongst other things, had one significant similarity…recovery of looted lands.
Like Ihedioha, Uzodimma seemed to possess a total dislike for anybody who took away property belonging to others, especially land, and both men waged, and have continued to wage battles against the infamous Rochas Okorocha administration, characterised by so many tales of land grabbing and looting of private and government property.
I remember a video I saw those days of a widow crying out for help after her land was taken away from them.
The tales were so many. Even I lost my property at Eke Ukwu when Okorocha disobeyed court orders and demolished the place which he ended up doing nothing with it.
He probably hoped to convert the land to his personal property like he did the land belonging to his people at Ogboko after using state funds to build a university there.
Ihedioha and later Uzodimma came out against the repeat of such under their watch.
Unfortunately in recent times, the tales of land fraud have once again, dominated discussions in Imo State with fingers pointed at Uzodimma’s aides and the governor said to be is very unhappy about it.
Imagine the shock it would be for a man who does not want his administration linked to fraud or looting of Imo people’s lands, a scourge he swore to fight, to hear that somebody in his cabinet was involved in such, could in the books of Governor Hope Uzodimma, be seen as somebody who have committed the unforgivable sin.
For those who know Uzodimma, the Imo governor has no interest in acquiring lands or property unlike his predecessor Okorocha who while in office, celebrated the acquisition of 1000 CofOs as a governor.
Uzodimma is clearly not against his aides acquiring lands or building houses if they so choose, but it is obvious he wants such acquisitions to be done in a straightforward manner and in accordance to the law.
It could be recalled some time ago, that a very close aide of the governor fell out of favour when he was alleged to be involved with shady land issues.
Clearly, Atulegwu and his associates didn’t learn a lesson from what happened in the past, before delving into one of the biggest land heists in the state’s history.
I still wonder what they were thinking when they committed this unforgivable sin. Did they assume Uzodimma would not notice? Or were they hoping to have escaped the country like Atulegwu who had allegedly stashed his family away abroad and was about to join them when he was arrested by the police?
Presently, Atulegwu and Lady Love are reportedly cooling their heels in police custody while an uneasy silence has enveloped some government officials who may be involved in the fraud as investigation continue.
Imo people are keenly observing the direction this drama goes and pray that Uzodimma, without minding who’s ox is gored, bring everybody who has a hand in the fraud to book.
