Abuja, NIGERIA – In an unprecedented scenario, the Okunerere Adoration Ground in Nsukka, a spiritual sanctuary for countless followers, was demolished on Thursday morning under contentious and chaotic circumstances. The destruction of the property, valued at more than 300 million naira, has sparked outrage among locals, with the spiritual director of the ministry, Rev. Fr. Paul Obanyi, also known as Okunaerere, condemning the attack as illegal and orchestrated by powerful forces.
Speaking in a deeply emotional tone, Rev. Fr. Obanyi recounted the harrowing events that unfolded earlier this week. According to the priest, the trouble started when a woman named Princess Monica Ota allegedly began making threats against the Adoration Ground, claiming that the land on which it stood belonged to the former governor of Enugu State, Lawrence Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, often referred to as Gburugburu.
“She told us that Gburugburu owns the land here. If Gburugburu owns the land, why is she the one confronting me? Why am I being threatened over this place?” Fr. Obanyi asked in a voice filled with frustration and confusion. He explained that while he initially dismissed her claims as a joke, it became apparent that she was serious. “I heard she was coming to inspect the land, but I thought it was just talk,” he said. “I informed the police, thinking it would all be a misunderstanding. Little did I know that she had already gone ahead to tell the authorities that she would be coming that very day.”
What followed was a swift and brutal invasion of the Adoration Ground by a team of heavily armed soldiers, police officers, and hired thugs. “Suddenly, we saw an army, police, and all the thugs in Nsukka. They were paid to invade here. It was like a military operation,” Obanyi recounted. “I was returning from the police station when I got back to the Adoration Ground, only to find that they had already broken down the fence and were tearing everything down.”
Despite the presence of a few devoted members of the ministry who were trying to stop the demolition, the attackers showed no mercy. “We were asking them to stop, but the woman was in her car, giving orders,” Fr. Obanyi said. “She told them, ‘Go in, destroy everything, after all, the government has sent me to destroy this place.’ They didn’t care about the people who were there or the damage they were causing.”
Fr. Obanyi, visibly distressed by the unfolding destruction, went to the police to question whether they had authorized the demolition. “I asked the police, ‘Did you give the woman the order to destroy my pure water factory and the Adoration Ground?’ Even if the land isn’t mine, is this the right way to handle it? Shouldn’t they have followed due process? I should have been given a quit notice, not have my life’s work crushed like this,” he said with tears in his eyes.
The destruction was more than just a physical loss. “They destroyed everything—over 300 million naira worth of property,” Fr. Obanyi lamented. “All the equipment, including the water bottling machines, were crushed beyond recognition. The money to fund all of this came from Ekene Microfinance Bank, and now it’s all gone. We couldn’t even salvage anything—they didn’t allow us to remove a single item, even though it was our right.”
As Fr. Obanyi sought answers from local authorities, his frustration grew. “I went to the town planners in Enugu to ask if they had sanctioned the demolition,” he explained. “They told me that no one, except an incumbent governor, has the authority to approve such an act. They confirmed that they had not authorized the woman to demolish the property. It was clear that she was acting outside the law.”
According to the priest, the situation was made even worse by the police’s lack of intervention. “I went to the Area Commander to ask why the police didn’t stop the demolition. He told me that the woman had claimed she was just coming to inspect her land—not anyone else’s land, as she falsely claimed that Gburugburu owned it. This was not an inspection; it was a full-blown demolition,” Obanyi said, his voice shaking with disbelief.
The priest also alleged that the woman behind the demolition, Princess Monica Ota, had previously boasted of fighting against other prominent religious figures, including the famous Fr. Ejike Mbaka, and that she had planned to slander his name in the media. “She threatened that she would destroy my reputation, claim I had impregnated multiple women, and defame me in every way possible. She even claimed that the bishop had told her to bring the Adoration Ground down and give it to the church. I asked her, ‘Am I not the church?’ There are so many forces behind this, and I want to know who is truly behind this unlawful destruction.”
Fr. Obanyi’s questions echoed a deeper sense of confusion and hurt. “What authority did she have to carry out such an operation? Why did the police allow this to happen? Why did the local government officials, the police, and the military stand by and watch as my life’s work was destroyed?”
The events have left many in Nsukka and across Enugu State stunned. The Adoration Ground, which has been a spiritual haven for thousands of worshippers, is now in ruins. The violent demolition has raised numerous questions about the abuse of power, and the apparent disregard for the rule of law. For Rev. Fr. Obanyi, this is not just a physical loss, but a deeply personal and spiritual blow.
In the face of overwhelming adversity, the spiritual leader vowed to seek justice through all available legal avenues. “I will not let this injustice stand,” he declared resolutely. “Even if they think they can silence me, I will follow due process to ensure those responsible are held accountable. I will not let this be swept under the rug.”
As the community watches and waits for answers, the demolition of Okunerere Adoration Ground has become a symbol of the broader struggles facing many Nigerians who feel powerless against the forces that manipulate both the law and the lives of ordinary citizens.
For now, the questions linger: who truly owns the land on which the Adoration Ground stood? What were the motivations behind the destruction? And perhaps most pressing, who stands to benefit from the wreckage of this sacred site?
The events surrounding the demolition of Okunerere Adoration Ground are still unfolding, but one thing is certain—the fight for justice is far from over. Fr. Obanyi has vowed to continue pressing for answers, with the hope that the truth will eventually come to light and those responsible will be held to account for the damage they have caused. The people of Nsukka, and indeed the entire region, await a resolution to what has become a deeply emotional and politically charged issue.
Discussion about this post