Enugu Centenary demolitions – Truth be told By Ogazi Igbonekwu Ogazimorah Esq.

The statement by Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, ECTDA, claiming presence kidnappers, non-compliance with regularisation of dues, etc, as reasons for demolition of buildings are as porous as any such parlous defence of any callous action can be.

Yes, ECTDA is assigned, in law, to dictate physical and aesthetic development of Enugu Capital territory, but these angles of “kidnappers’ den” and “non-compliance” are, to say the least puerile, almost silly.

There are two basic questions ECTDA must first resolve:
1. If the Centenary was started since about 2007 by the Sullivan Chime administration, is it possible that the government has yet to evolve the proper development plan for the new town all those years or that people are pretending not to know that the whole crises are caused by land grab tussles?
2. Does ECTDA think that Enugu is now so cowered and the citizens such emergency cowards that nobody cannot, one day, in the near future tell what has been happening there?

The issues in the Centenary are caused by four blocs of land development power players:
1. the communities,
2. developers,
3. high stakeholders in and near government, and
4. the government.

We take them one after the other:
1. The various communities have been in agitation for the return of their lands since ESUT was moved out. This started way back in 2006 when the Chimaroke administration made it certain that ESUT had moved to Agbani. It was normal for these communities which resumed farming activities to seek the formal return of their lands.
Secondly, some adjoining lands that were not originally part of the then planned ESUT were surreptitiously added and claimed as parts of ESUT by some elements in the past administrations. So, it was an opportunity for some land players to get hold of swaths of land in the while claiming that they were originally parts of the erstwhile planned permanent ESUT site.
The communities and families have been contesting these moves. There are many suits in court over this. I have personal exposure in the legal fireworks, having operated from a law firm that is deeply engaged in some of the tussles.

2. From inception, genuine developers had pitched and were given lands to develop way back in 2007 by the Chime government. But after sometime, new players in government had driven to dispossess them even after they had invested hugely in the Centenary. In a case I am quite familiar with, the past administration was said to have seized a section and allocated it to a new developer-player said to be the proxy of a senior government man.
3. The then new men of power wanted to erase all that had been done as many of their members quickly incorporated or raised real estate companies to contest already allocated and almost fully developed portions. This is one other area where litigation is very high.

4. Government officials, past and present, see the Centenary as a gold mine and are unabashed in wheeling and dealing in whatever ways they feel they must to muscle in. Some of the actions of the present government are in defence of unpopular actions of elements in the immediate past administration.

The other question the ECTDA has to answer is, when did demolition become the punishment for failure to pay regularisation dues in urban development?
And, if kidnappers were noticed to be operating in some uncompleted buildings, why did ECTDA not realise that the presence of such unholy men and women could be the reason many developers fled their projects, knowing that developers are assumed to be buoyant and can pay ransom?
Isn’t it the job of ECTDA to even secure the environment to encourage speedy completion of projects and quick settling in to populate the area?

Yes, the skit maker has raised strong awareness about the planned felling of his house. He may succeed in stopping the harmer. He may not. I pray he succeeds.

Lately, we have heard so much about the so-called Enugu masterplan, which has become the refrain for cruelty against people’s property. It was the same claim abundantly bandied by officials of the past administration for seizing people’s lands. But, wait a minute, can a masterplan be just a matter of sleek computer generated designs and simulations, papers and billboards.
A masterplan ought to go as clear vigilance of state officials, humane and predictable presence, sincere dealings, and affordable costing to encourage development. It cannot mean monstrous prancing around and cruel show of power.

Any way, we know it, many of these victims are suffering because they failed to grease palms. Some are suffering because of the inordinate greed of land grabbers in and out of government.

Governments come and go, but society remains. Civil servants and goons of politicians commit atrocities while in office, but soon, they are out, tails tucked between their legs and head bowed. They quickly join in the “shuffering and shmiling” of our society.
From ages past, each man is dealt the hand he dealt.

Such is life.

(This is a snippet, though. If need be, I will discuss it in full).