January 16, (THEWILL) – The people of Ifa Ikot Okpon Community, under the aegis of Ifa Ikot Okpon Development Association, have sent a Save Our Soul (SOS) message to Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, to come to their aid following the demolition of houses by the state government which has rendered many families homeless.
The association made the appeal in an open letter to the Governor, with the caption, Ifa Ikot Okpon Community Is In Pain (Save Our Souls), signed by Elder Edet Udoh, Obong Etim Bassey Offiong and Elder Mfon Udoh, Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary of the organisation respectively.
According to them, Ifa Ikot Okpon is one of the gazetted villages in the Etoi Clan of the Uyo local government area of the state and the letter is to draw the attention of the Governor to the demolition of several residential homes, shops and churches by the States Ministry of Lands and Town Planning on December 19, 2024, on claims that it was government’s land, rendering owners of the buildings homeless with valuables worth millions of Naira destroyed.
They said the land known as Edem; Eko Umana stretches to Nwomo, (the community deity) is their ancestral land where they have lived for hundreds of years.
The group explains that the land said to have been acquired are individual lands and the area is a densely populated area with houses, churches and grocery shops.
There is no time in the history of the Ifa Ikot Okpon Community that the portion of that land was acquired by the state government or its agents and there is no document to attest to the fact that Edem Eko Umana was acquired by any government or its agents and that any document produced now is a conspiracy by the Ministry of Lands.
“That when last the village representatives met with you, then the Commissioner for Lands, now our Executive Governor in 2022, you made a policy statement that since there were no documents to prove the legitimate acquisition of that portion of land, they now negotiate for block G and H, that the other side (is Nwommo and Edem Eko Umana) is within the village on which more structures are built and dwelled therein. That government has intention, not interest and will not come for it anymore. Your Excellency, remember the words of the king, which are his bond.
“The following tract of lands were taken from Ifa Ikot Okpon Community: Uyo Regional Market, the Timber Market, Osongama Estate, Emili Estate (G and H block) which are vast enough to accommodate EFCC, Judiciary quarters, Police station and other intending projects within.
“That by forcefully ejecting Ifa from their ancestral home, thereby subjugating them to untold suffering and mourning, was not part of the social covenant and responsibility you made during your electioneering.
“That is the Land Use Act, the procedure for the government to acquire lands from the citizens or override public interest is well spelt out, not a secret process or a process stepped in confusion or speculation.
“That on 19th of December 2024, the Ministry of Lands and its agents embarked on demolition of people’s houses where they have lived for over a hundred years without giving them notice and paying compensation, thereby, rendering them homeless and forcing them into the abyss, is not part of social contract your Excellency, our Governor entered into with electorate”, the devastated Ifa Ikot Okpon Community cried out.
They, however, called on Governor Umo Eno to see their cry as another opportunity further to cement his amiable reputation as a forthright governor, to right the wrongs, create goodwill among the governed in his unwavering drive of ARISE mantra to build the Akwa Ibom State of their dream.
