Land Crisis: Ozoemena Draws Line, Tells Aguleri, Umuoba Anam Youths: No to Violence
By Chukwudi Ebele
Anambra businessman and philanthropist, Chief Sir Nonso Ozoemena (Ugegbe Anam), has urged youths of Aguleri and Umuoba Anam to reject violence and embrace dialogue as tensions persist over the lingering land dispute between the neighbouring communities.
Ozoemena, who hails from Umuoba Anam, made the appeal in a statement on Sunday, describing the reported clashes, loss of lives and destruction of property as “unfortunate and unnecessary.”
He warned that neither community could achieve meaningful development in an atmosphere of fear, hostility and insecurity.
“Violence does not solve any problem. The only sustainable path to resolving this dispute is through dialogue, understanding and respect for the peace process,” Ozoemena said.
The founder and Executive Director of Ugegbe Foundation also denied allegations circulating on social media that he was involved in financing the conflict or supporting what was described as the “war efforts” of Umuoba Anam.
Ozoemena described the allegations as false and accused what he called “fifth columnists” of attempting to damage his reputation and expose him to danger.
“It has come to my notice that my name and my residence were being erroneously roped into this violent conflict, thereby making me a target,” he said.
He further alleged that the claims prompted a military search of his residence.
“That barefaced lie and smear campaign put together by fifth columnists to tarnish my hard-earned reputation has fallen flat on its face, following the swift response from the military, which carried out a search of my house and checked on me and found nothing incriminating,” he stated.
According to him, the incident highlights the dangers of spreading unverified information, particularly when tensions are already high.
‘I Remain Committed to Peace’
Ozoemena reiterated his commitment to peaceful coexistence between Aguleri and Umuoba Anam, saying his origin and relationships within either community should not be interpreted as support for violence.
“I remain a peace-loving person and I am committed to the sustenance of peace in this area. I will continue to support every legitimate effort to ensure that our people live together peacefully,” he said.
He also called on individuals allegedly fuelling the crisis to withdraw from activities capable of escalating tensions.
“This is not the time to deepen divisions or encourage young people to take up arms against one another,” Ozoemena said.
The philanthropist maintained that Umuoba Anam had consistently valued peaceful coexistence with its neighbours.
“Umuoba Anam, where I hail from, is a peace-loving community. We have demonstrated at every moment that we cherish continuous peaceful coexistence with our neighbours above everything else,” he stated.
Youths Must Reject Being Used as Instruments of Violence
Ozoemena also charged youths on both sides to resist attempts to recruit them into violence, urging them instead to channel their energy towards productive ventures and community development.
He said the future of both communities depended largely on whether their younger generations would choose development over confrontation.
“Our youths must understand that violence will only destroy the future they are expected to build. They should reject every attempt to use them as instruments of destruction and focus their energy on grassroots development,” he said.
He urged traditional and community leaders, parents, youth organisations and other stakeholders to intensify reconciliation efforts and pursue peaceful mechanisms for resolving outstanding grievances over the disputed land.
Ozoemena further appealed to both communities to avoid inflammatory statements and provocative actions capable of triggering fresh confrontation.
He noted that lives lost could not be restored, while property destroyed during violence could take years to rebuild.
The businessman called on relevant authorities and community leaders to create the conditions necessary for all parties to return to the negotiating table and pursue a lasting settlement.
“Let us give peace a chance. Our people deserve to live, work and raise their families without fear. The greatest victory for Aguleri and Umuoba Anam will not be over who defeats the other, but over how we build communities where our children can prosper,” he added.
