All conditions for sale of land were met, Estate Developer debunks allegations of harassment, Intimidation by Anambra Family,

Bishop Nzekwesi

Uchenna Johnson 

Awka

The Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Pineleaf Estate Homes and Properties Ltd, Bishop Onyeka Nzekwesi has debunked a social media publication, accusing him of arm-twisting a family in Awkuzu in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, and taking over their land.

In a report titled, "Anambra Family Laments Intimidation, Harassment by Estate Developer, Seeks Soludo’s Intervention to restrain Bishop Onyeka Nzekwesi from further harassing Okwesi Family of Awkuzu in Oyi LGA on their own property," the family accused Bishop Nzekwesi of continuous invasion and encroachment on their ancestral Nkpan land, vowing to resist such attempts by all legal means.

The protesting family accused the Pentecostal Bishop of boasting that, whether they liked it or not, he would do whatever it takes to suppress them and grab the expansive land.

They further alleged that Nzekwesi had used his contacts and resources to bring various security operatives, including the military, the police, and recently the Civil Defence Corps, along with hoodlums, to harass and intimidate them in an attempt to compel them to surrender the land.

But, in an exclusive interview with our correspondent, the real estate developer described the allegations as false, mere cheap propaganda meant to attract sympathy to ‘a notorious family which is the architect of their own troubles.’

Speaking at his country home Eziowelle, Idemili North LGA Anambra State, Bishop Nzekwesi said the state Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo had already intervened in the said expanse of land which the Okwesi Family has been claiming ownership of, lauding the selfless intervention of the Boundary Committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Onyeka Ibezim.

Nzekwesi regretted that such cheap propaganda has made many estate developers leave Anambra State.

“That is why you still see many bushes around Anambra State undeveloped because of extortion, greed, deception and craftiness of people like the Okwesi Family who accuse people as land grabbers while they are the real land grabbers who boasted that their late father, a Native Doctor was a thief who forcefully amassed lands to himself scaring people and communities away with his charms.

"The Okwesi Family of Awkuzu Community went with my uncle to show him an expanse of land for sale, claiming that the whole land was their family land, even swearing that the land was not under dispute.

"As my custom is, I did advertisement about the land and three communities, which include Awkuzu, Umunya and Ifitedunu came out and started claiming ownership of parts of the same land, which runs into acres.

"We negotiated with the authorities of the three communities involved and paid them for the same expanse of land for peace to reign.

"When Okwesi Family saw that we had initiated a peace process with all three communities involved and were about accessing the land, the Okwesi Family brought another set of people, saying that they had already sold the same land to them.

"We warned those group to stay away from the land because it is in dispute moreso, Ifitedunu has used the judgement they obtained from court to approach the Anambra State Boundary Committee which is presently demarcating the same land fixing registered beacons along community boundaries with the original Map of Anambra state from the Ministry of lands,” he said.

He revealed that the Okwesi Family had invited him to Ifitedunu community, lamenting that the money given to their family by their community, Awkuzu from the money he paid for the land was not enough as the self-acclaimed direct owners of the land.

Nzekwesi revealed that in his magnanimity, he offered to give Okwesi Family an additional 200 million naira, but out of greed, they rejected the offer, demanding 350 million naira for a land he had earlier completed and concluded its payment to three different communities at their own prices.

“By the time they came to their senses and started calling me, I had already changed my mind and told them to revert to their community for their share of the proceeds from the land sale because I am not owing anyone.

“Okwesi Family defied the state government boundary committee intervention, went into the land in dispute, and started reselling the land to provoke communal clashes that may result to bloodshed.

“Okwesi Family now has the State Government to contend with anytime they trespass on the land, and not me. The government is placing boundary demarcation beacons on the land and keeping people there. The government does not even know me regarding this land matter. I have not even entered the said land,” he said.