Henry Ajumeze
Land Sellers, Eroding Our Identity and Heritage, Ajumeze Admonishes Ibusa Community
– Emeka Esogbue
A UK-based University Don from Ibusa has reiterated a warning against the indiscriminate and illegal sale of lands in his Ibusa community.
The University of Manchester Lecturer and Guild of Ibusa Writers and Artists President made the observation in a terse piece published in Ibusa Development Forum, a WhatsApp group on Saturday.
“There’s nothing as tragic as selling off community lands the way we’re doing in Igbuzo,” Ajumeze warned.
He pointed out that the tragedies are not only about the evident social vices, the normalisation of thuggery and its attendant bloodletting and terrible slaughter of young people but erosion of the people’s identity in the long run.
“The worst is that we’re eroding the means of our identity, the basis of what we call home. With our lands gone, we have no Igbuzo, the legacy our forefathers left is sadly commodified and erased.”
“We’re selling off portions of little spaces in which our children can stand tomorrow to call homeland.”
“This is why, for those who studied history and literature, the fiercest struggle against colonialism was over land. In other words, anyone who sells community land, is an enemy of the clan, a destroyer of community. Land sellers are not only killing young people today, they’re making sure no generation emerges tomorrow.”
“Look at it this way, if our forefathers sold off all these lands before now, what would you sell today?”
“To be rich through community land is to be poor; in fact, dubiously incapable of earning wealth unless you cheat and potentially terminate your community. Where will future Igbuzo children build? Where will they live to call home?”
Ibusa, a community in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State is currently grappling with indiscriminate sales of land.
On Friday, violence ensued in Ogbeowele part of the community in a part not unconnected with land grabbing in which a man was reportedly shot while some houses were razed.
The Oshimili North Council, battling with the scourge, has, however, responded with a By-Law, the Council hopes will end the illegal sale of lands within the Council communities where the illicit act is common.
For your Anioma news and articles, follow the Pen Master Blog
