Enugu Ezike Youths Move to Secure their Ancient Lands: ‘Ezike Oba’ Ancestral Lands at Amube
In what is seen as an attempt to secure the ancestral lands of their progenitor, ‘Ezike Oba’, Amube Youths’ Leader, Mr. Ayogu Okechukwu, led a delegation comprising the leadership of the President of Igbo-Eze North Youths Worldwide, Amb. Ayogu Agbo (the great), his deputy, Comrade Odii Ogili, Convener, Enugu-Ezike Culture and Tradition, Mr. Abugu Jonathan, Provost Marshal 2, Mr. Odo Sunday, and other members of the executives, for an on-the-spot assessment of the lands.
In a similar vein, the Concerned Igbo-Eze North Youth, – A conscience based youth organization paid a similar visit on 1st sept 2025 to affirm their support to the positions of IgboEze North Youths And Amube Youths.
Ezike Oba is said to be the progenitor of the current Enugu-Ezike Community. He is believed to be a hunter who later settled at Ufu Ezike – an expanse of land given to him by Amube Community (as a sign of their hospitality) to settle.
That is the only common ancestral land owned jointly by the entire Enugu-Ezike Community, and bequeathed to them by their progenitor – ‘Ezike Oba’. Historians believe that Enugu-Ezike is the single largest community in the entire West African sub-region and possibly the second largest in the world.
In the recent past, it was rumoured that some select elders of the 36 villages in Enugu-Ezike divided the lands according to the villages. The rumour also added that some parts are being sold to private individuals (yet to be identified), or groups of persons. This has led to tension between the youths and some sensitive individuals who have persistently insisted that it may not be right to share or sell the only common ancestral land binding all the sons and daughters of Enugu-Ezike Community together.
According to sources, what now escalated the tension is the movement of earth-moving equipment to the ‘Ufu’ site by suspected agents of Igbo-Eze North Local Government without prior notice of even the Onyishi Amube, ‘Onyishi Iziga Nwa Onuche’, Amube Council of Elders and Amube Youths. This nearly pushed the Amube Youths to confront those people using caterpillar equipment to create multiple access roads to the said land, a semblance of forceful take over for unknown purposes since no traditional stakeholders was in the know.
The escalating tension drew the attention of Igbo-Eze North Youths Worldwide, leading to the fact finding visit on 30th August 2025, by the President General and his delegation to the said site, where he solidly affirmed the support of the entire Igbo-Eze North Youths to stall any balkanization, sale or takeover except it is for a purpose driven by the unity and cultural identification of the people.
Efforts were made to reach the Local Government Chairman to know the extent of his involvement. However, at the time of publication, concrete answer is still being awaited.
