By Mike Aladenika.
The long standing face off on the rightful ownership of an expanse of land situated after the river in Amagba community in Benin City took another dimension, Friday, as Elders and youths of Amagba community took to the street "protesting the claims of some people who said they own the ago-emokpai land.
Addressing newsmen during their protest match to the promises of the Nigeria Union of Journalists(NUJ) Press Center, the spokesman of Amagba community, Amb. Thomas Oghadomwangbe said "the land in contention known as oke-oroma is traditionally and legally owned by amagba community known to government and the Palace of the oba of Benin."
"The people who are saying they own the AGO-EMOKPAI or Oke-oroma, as the case may be, are customary tenants to Amagba community. Their fathers were given the land to farm, years back, to which they paid royalties to our enogie. At what point then, did a tenant become the landlord?"
The Amagba community also stated that "this issue of self acclaimed ownership by this people have long been settled by both the government and the Palace of the Oba of Benin. We are always worried whenever they come out to contest a fact we'll stated."
The Amagba spokesperson said "we know why they are coming up againg. They are of the opinion that government's acquisition of its forest reserve may likely give them some level of cash which is not possible, as it is not acceptable for tenants to collect rent when the landlord and his descendants are still alive"
"We acknowledged that the state government has a forest reservation in amagba situated at ago-emokpai which is not in contention, what we are saying here is that, whatever discussion, negotiations or any interface on the matter should be done with Amagba community and not any other person or group of persons."
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