– Monarch’s Wish For Site Thwarted By Uzodinma For Clandestine Reason
Following the controversy that has continued to trail the alleged donation of the former premises of Imo State Polytechnic, Orlu campus to the Orlu Catholic diocese,some Elders have vowed to set the record straight and punture the lies told by some persons in the community for personal gains.They challenged the Church to show evidence that the land was donated to them.
Earlier, the original land owners through their leadership had refuted the claim by the Orlu Catholic Diocese that the land was donated to them and insisted that there was never a time the land was donated to the church for any reason whatsoever.
They maintained that contrary to the false claims, they had a business arrangement with the Irish missionaries who were given a portion of the land for which they paid rent to the land owners but in a surprising twist of events the catholic church of Orlu diocese is now laying claim to the premises without showing any evidence. They are also said to have clandestinely approached the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma who is said to be very close to the Catholic Bishop of Orlu diocese. The Gov according to speculations relocated the Orlu campus of Imo State Polytechnic to his community, Omuma without due process.
A memo previously signed by the late Igwe of Orlu, HRH, Igwe Acholonu which he addressed to the former Governor of Imo State, Achike Udenwa, narrated how Orlu zone has consistently been short changed, as all the tertiary institutions are located in Owerri zone.
The letter also stated that the land was donate to the Imo government for the purposes of building a University.
Igwe Acholonu’s memo with the caption, “A MEMORANDUM ON THE LOCATION OF THE PERMANENT SITE OF THE IMO STATE UNIVERSITY OR THE COLLEGE OF MEDICINE/TEACHING HOSPITAL”, dated May, 22, 2000 and signed by His Royal Majesty, Eze P. I. Acholonu M.B.E. K.S.M.PM J.P. Duru V111.Igwe X of Orlu, Mr. Clifford C. Nwagu, President General, Orlu Town Union, Chief E.O. Egbufor, Special Assistant to the Igwe of Orlu, Chief Sam C.Ukah, National Secretary, Orlu Town Union, Chief A.I. Dioguh Secretary, Council of, Traditional Village Heads, reads in part, “the Eze Igwe-in-Council and the good people of Orlu Town send our warmest and most sincere felicitations and commendation to Your Excellency for your good and fair-handed governance of Imo State and the substantial achievements you have made despite several constraints since your assumption of Office in May 29,1999.
“We must mention your rehabilitation efforts and drilling of bore holes in Orlu, Owerri, Okigwe and other places, your road rehabilitation and asphalting of Orlu – Ideato, Owerri urban and many other major roads in Imo State, your efforts to improve health services, electricity supply, rural life and poverty alleviation, etc. are good testimonies of Your Excellency’s good and fair-handed governance and achievements. The redemption march is really in progress ear-nestly, and we are behind Your Excellency.
“Your Excellency, we consider it right, proper and timely to humbly send this memorandum or request on the Location of the permanent site of Imo State University and its College of Medicine and Teaching Hospital. We are of the strong and considered view that Imo State University should be relocated from its present temporary location in Owerri to a suitable and permanent site in Orlu zone.
“We believe that Owerri zone and Owerri Municipality in particular have got more than a fair share of tertiary institutions, both federal and state-owned, located within the area, while Orlu and Okigwe have virtually none in their areas.
“Owerri has the Federal University of Technology, the Federal Polytechnic, the Alvan Ikoku College of Education, the Michael Okpara College of Agriculture, Umuagwo,which is a stone throw from Owerri, the Police College, the School of Nursing including the Imo State University
“Equity, fairness and good governance demand that Imo State University be relocated permanently to Orlu. Good enough, the University is on a temporary site, which makes it easy and reasonable to relocate it. We are requesting passionately and specifically that the College of Medicine and Teaching Hospital of the Imo State University, if not the entire university be sited or located in Orlu at the present campus of the Technological skills Acquisition Centre (TESAC), Orlu. This is more desirable and honourable than the present TESAC or any proposed Technological Institution to be sited there
“The developed and undeveloped spaces at TESAC, plus adjoining expanse of virgin land make the site most attractive and suitable for the permanent location of the University or its College of Medicine / Teaching Hospital. The location is easily accessible through Ideato, Nkwerre, Isu, Orsu etc. by a good network of roads. Readily available are essential social services-good water and electricity, NIPOST and Telecommunication services etc. The location has a very quiet and friendly environment, with scenery befitting a university environment.
“Thanks, Your Excellency, for giving our memorandum and request the serious and most favourable considerations it deserves.
“Long live Your Excellency, the Executive Governor of Imo State.
“Long live the Government and people of Imo State, Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
One of the stakeholders who is also a prominent son of Orlu zone said that the current stand of some members of the community on the issue has exposed the fact that most of those who are supporting the assertion that the land was donated to the church do not mean well for Orlu people. He faulted the stance of the current Igwe on the matter, adding that the way and manner the church used their relationship with the Governor to ensure that the Orlu campus of Imo State Polytechnic is relocated to Omuma to enable them lay claim to the expansive premises is not only questionable but also an insult on the sensibilities of Orlu community and its people.
He said, “I am not against Gov Uzodinma developing his community, Omuma but l expected him to attract a state or federal institution to Omuma and not to relocate a school that was already existing in Orlu zone. He drew the Gov’s attention to the fact that uptill now the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) does not have a permanent site as a Teaching Hospital. They are currently using the premises of the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Owerri. So why did the Governor not convert the former Imo Ploy premises as the permanent site of the Teaching Hospital, or alternatively attract another government establishment to the site rather than donating the land to Church.
“Establishment of schools is a business enterprise.If the Church wants to set up such business like they did with Nwannegadi Micro Finance bank,they should go and buy land.That is the right thing to do,”he concluded.
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