By Gideon Njoku
Monday, August 9, 2021 was a very bad day for former two-time Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, now the Senator representing Imo West at the Senate.
24 hours after he declared that he would build an Islamic University in Daura, Katsina State, an Imo State High Court stripped him and his family, permanently, of properties worth billions of Naira, including the Eastern Palm University, Ogboko, which he, allegedly, looted from the State during his controversial eight year tenure as Imo State Governor.
Okorocha had, on August 8, 2021, declared that he would build the Islamic University in Daura in appreciation of the Emirates relationship with him. He said it would be free accommodation and feeding for students.
President Muhammadu Buhari is from Daura.
But the next day, the Hon. Justice Fred Njemanze stripped him of multi billion Naira properties he allegedly looted from the state. And, as if that was not enough, a Yoruba First Class Traditional Ruler, Oba Akintude Akinyemi, the Eselu of Iselu kingdom, withdrew the Traditional title he had officially offered Okorocha, and canceled the installation ceremony.
The Eselu withdrew the title in a letter dated August 9, which he addressed to the embattled Senator.
The withdrawal letter reads in part: “I, Oba (Dr) Ebenezer Akintude AKINYEMI, JP, FCIMN, (Akaosu 1), the Eselu of Iselu Kingdom, a First Class Monarch in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State. regretfully write to WITHDRAW Your Excellency’s appointment as Otunba Asoludero of Iselu Kingdom in Yewa North Local Government of Ogun State. I am using this medium to inform Your Excellency of the CANCELATION of the proposed installation ceremony.”
The canceled installation ceremony had been scheduled for September 19, 2021. The Oba said the withdrawal was in the interest of peace.
And ordering the absolute forfeiture of over a 100 properties, Justice Njemanze ruled that “all the properties in pages 226 to 272 of the Imo State Government White Paper report by a Judicial Panel of Enquiry on Recovery of Lands and Other Related Matters” are hereby absolutely forfeited to the Government.
Okorocha’s Counsel, he noted, woefully failed to give concrete and verifiable reasons why the Court should not order an absolute forfeiture in favor of Imo.State Government.
He also said that the defence was not properly filed, and the statements therein, useless.
Some of the properties forfeited to the Imo State Government include, but not limited to the following:
*Eastern Palm University, Ogboko.
*Royal Spring Palm Hotels and Apartments.
*Acres of land for IBC Staff Quakers which Okorocha illegally took over for his Rochas Foundation College.
*Owerri Magistrate Quakers Orlando road/cooperative office/Girls Guide converted to private use housing market square and Kilmanjoro eatery.
*Public building situated at plot B/2 Otamiri South extension Layout given to the Ministry of Women Affairs for establishing a Skills Acquisition Centre for Women, allegedly acquired for the benefit of Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha’s all-in Mall, along Aba road.
*Plot P5, Naze Residential layout initially part of Primary School Management Board but now annexed to All-In Mall, along Aba road belonging to Mrs Nkechi Okorocha.
*And all the properties contained from pages 226 to 272 of the Government White Paper on the recommendation of the Judicial Commission of Enquiry into Land Administration in Imo Starwood from June 2006 to May 2019.”
The Eastern Palm University has since been renamed the Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University.
The Judicial Panel was set up by former Governor Emeka Ihedioha, but was inherited by Governor Hope Uzodinma on assumption of office. Uzodinma sustained all the Judicial Commissions of Inquiry, resisting all pressure on him to disband them.
The non-disbandment is one of the main reasons Okorocha fell out with Governor Uzodinma.
