Iyowa Remains Most Peaceful, Organized Community In Benin Kingdom – Elders
By Simeon OSAJIE
The most elderly man, Pa. Sunday Igbinowanhia and the Council of Elders of Irowa Community have asserted that the community remains one of the most peaceful, organize community in Benin Kingdom.
Iyowa Community is situated in Ovia North-East local government area of Edo State.
They made the assertion recently in reaction to the probing of journalists amidst negative practices by natives in several communities which often hinder developers’ work, and progress.
According to the elders, “Though we may have our own peculiar challenges as a people and family, those negative stories like land grabbing, extortion of money from developers, undue relocation and others, do not happen here in Irowa Community. This is not a make-believe thing to cajole anybody, it is the truth.
“It may interest you to note that we have non indigenes who bought property here and have not developed it for over 10 years and even more, their land is still intact.
“From time to time, we do verification and when we discover that the documents presented before us by any developer are not authentic, which means he or she bought the property from the wrong source, then issue(s) would arise, but definitely, the issue(s) would be amicably resolved for the good of all parties.”
In the same vein, Elder Festus Osarugue Nosakhare Igbinowanhia, Secretary to the Community, said that since all the years he has been in the saddle, there has never been an incident of extortion of developers, land being grabbed and other acts of illegality.
“Until recently, we began to hear such rumours and we don’t know where that is coming from.
“I want to reassure here that in Iyowa community, we do not do relocation of land bought, neither land grabbing nor extortion of any kind under any guise. We are law abiding and peaceful people.
“However, if there is anyone or group who has any issue concerning the property acquired here, they should feel free to meet the Council of Elders and be assured that it will be treated to the admiration and satisfaction of everyone.”
Also speaking, Ambassador Etionsa Ighodaro, the Okaighele pointed out that there were never any time issues of land grabbing, extortion and the like were experienced in Iyowa community.
“Hence, I make bold to say that if there is anyone who says there are issues with the property acquired in Iyowa, such person(s) should come forward with his or her documents for verification. The documents of all the transactions made, are all intact.
“Whatever negative stories being bandied about Iyowa is the handiwork of mischief makers for reasons best known to them alone and they should be disregarded for they are mere falsehood, he added.
“We want to encourage prospective developers, individuals and corporations to come and find out the true situation for themselves. There is abundant land here in Iyowa community,” he said.
Elders Roland Ugiagbe, and James Aigbuza corroborated the statement and urged members of the public to disregard the negative information and feel free to come to Iyowa community to do business.
