The traditional ruler of Umuawulu in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Joel Egwuonwu, has firmly denied any involvement in the protracted land dispute between Enugwu and Umuenu quarters, urging all parties to respect the ongoing judicial process.
Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Egwuonwu described allegations linking him to the crisis as false, misleading, and a deliberate attempt to tarnish his reputation and that of the traditional institution.
He said he was compelled to address the matter following a series of public protests and personal attacks allegedly targeted at him, stressing that he had played no role in instigating the disagreement.
“It is uncharitable for anybody to associate me personally with the needless protests and paint me as the architect or cause of the disagreement between Enugwu and Umuenu quarters,” the monarch said.
Egwuonwu emphasized that the ownership dispute is currently before a court of competent jurisdiction in Awka and called on all stakeholders to allow due process to take its course without interference.
The monarch further alleged that certain individuals from Enugwu quarter were sponsoring false narratives and protests aimed at discrediting him and creating division within the community. He urged the public to disregard such claims, describing them as calculated attempts to mislead.
Providing historical context, Egwuonwu noted that prior to 2019, there was no dispute between the two quarters, explaining that earlier litigation over the land was between Umuenu quarter and Awgbu community, which culminated in a Supreme Court judgment in 1973 in favour of Umuenu.
He also alleged that some leaders of Enugwu quarter had supported Awgbu’s claim during the earlier litigation but only began asserting ownership decades later.
According to the monarch, rising tensions in 2020 prompted him to set up a five-member investigative committee led by his Onowu, Prof. Emma Ezenwaji. The committee, he said, concluded that the land belonged to Umuenu quarter, but its findings were rejected by Enugwu, which subsequently filed a case at the High Court in Awka where the matter remains pending.
Egwuonwu added that the Umuawulu Progress Union later constituted a separate four-member mediation panel chaired by Mr Azubike Anazor. The panel, after site visits and submissions from both parties, also affirmed Umuenu quarter’s ownership in its August 2025 report.
Despite being from Umuenu quarter, the traditional ruler maintained that he had remained impartial throughout the dispute.
“My only offence here is that I hail from Umuenu, one of the disputing quarters. I have maintained the level of neutrality expected of a father whose children are involved in family disagreements,” he said.
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He called on all parties to embrace peace and avoid actions that could escalate tensions, expressing optimism that the dispute would ultimately be resolved through lawful means.
Egwuonwu further appealed for unity, warning that divisive interests must not be allowed to disrupt the long-standing peace in Umuawulu community.
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