Onitsha Historic Recreational Facility Reduced to Rubble as Controversy Escalates

The orchestrator of this unprecedented destruction, Harold Ekwerekwu, a lawyer with a controversial claim, has sparked outrage by asserting that the land belongs to his family.

Ekwerekwu argues that the lease granted by colonial authorities has expired, justifying his family’s forceful reclamation of the property.

His claim has ignited a fierce backlash from the Onitsha Sports Club’s members, who vehemently deny his assertions and accuse him of a brazen power grab.

In a furious response to the demolition, club members erupted into high-profile protests, storming the Anambra State Government House, the police headquarters, and the State House of Assembly.

Protesters carried signs condemning the alleged self-help actions of Ekwerekwu and the perceived failure of the police to protect their property, citing a court injunction that was reportedly ignored and that police inaction suggested possible corruption or bias.

Secretary of BoT, Emeka Anyanetu said: “This is really ironical for Harold Ekwerekwu to suddenly come out from the blues and start claiming that the premises of the sports club which was built since 1924 as the oldest sports club in the old Eastern Region belongs to Ekwerekwu family and he also followed it up with instant demolition without even approaching the members, claiming that he has a lease document signed by the colonial masters during the time of his forefathers that the land was leased to sports club for an upward of 75 years and that the lease period had since expired.

“In as much as we respect government in power, follow due process, maintain law and order, peace and tranquility and also explore legal options to the matter, our silence should not be misconstrued as an act of weakness or cowardice, particularly in the face of current security challenges in the country.”

Further complicating the dispute, on August 25, 2024, another group from Umudei village entered the fray, asserting their own claim to the land. They alleged that the land, once a forest reserve leased to the colonial government in 1910, was divided between the Ekwerekwu family and Umudei village in 1945. The Umudei representatives argue that Ekwerekwu’s claims are erroneous and that their own rights to the land have been infringed upon.

According to the Chairman, Umudei Development Committee, Emeka Iwuanya, “Ekwerekwu family of Okposieke and Umudei village jointly owned the land known as forest reserve. In 1945, the Ekwerekwu family demanded that her own portion of the land be allocated to her and it was granted that the family owns the left wing of Enugu Road and Umudei village owns the right wing which includes the Onitsha Sports Club.

“So, Ekwerekwu family should not lay hand on the Sports Club premises as it doesn’t belong to them but to us. We got information that Ekwerekwu family is ejecting the club members and demolishing the structures therein and that is why we are here to protest against that,” Iwuanya stated.

But their protest quickly turned violent when suspected thugs attacked, tearing apart placards and engaging in physical confrontations, further intensifying the volatile situation.

In response to the claims from Umudei village, Ekwerekwu characterized them as being driven by hunger and suggested that they should come to him for financial assistance instead of being partial in the land dispute.

He said: “We are not in contention with anybody over the land. No injunction was served us by members of the club or anybody. The members of the sports club are squatters. They are not supposed to be here and if they want to remain, they should come to us for negotiation.”

On the alleged threat by the family to members of the club as their properties were being damaged, he restated that there will be no such thing. Rather the family was only reclaiming its landed property after expiration of the lease granted to them by their forefathers.

“There can’t be bloodshed as speculated in some quarters, we are good people. We still did not touch their recreational facilities and we never touched any of the club members,” Ekwerekwu stated.

The Commissioner of Police has vowed to investigate the demolition, while the Chief of Staff to Governor Chukwuma Soludo has promised a thorough review of the situation.

Meanwhile, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, has issued a strong denial of any involvement by the traditional council, emphasizing that neither the palace nor the council had authorized or endorsed the demolition actions.

The Police Area Commander for Onitsha, Gregory Itobore, An Assistant Commissioner Of Police, debunked allegation of compromise, explaining that he got wind of the incident when the demolition had already been completed.

As the conflict continues, the future of the Onitsha Sports Club remains in serious jeopardy. With fierce disputes between Ekwerekwu’s family and Umudei village, and rising allegations of corruption and police misconduct, the resolution of this high-stakes drama is uncertain