The royal family of the late Ebe Monarch in Enugu State, has accused the Catholic Diocese of Enugu of employing crooked methods to grab their land by hook or crook.

The family of late His Royal Highness, Igwe Raphael Ani, said the church approached their late patriarch who was then 95 years and begged him to allow the shed in his land at Gariki Awkunanaw, Enugu to used temporarily for Catechism classes and our father, being a devout Catholic gave them approval.

These facts were made known in a petition titled, "Ecclesiastical Unlawful Gran of Family Property," to the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, His Grace, Most Rev., Callistus Omaha, which was obtained by thle Southeast Post online newspaper in Enugu.

Spokesman for the family, Prince Eric Obiora Ani, said, "the family is well known for assisting in propagating the interests of the Catholic Church.

"In August 2010, the family was approached by the church asking to permit her to use the shade provided by the Mango tree for catechism classes and it was granted. 

"Months later, on getting into the property, it was observed that a temporal structure (batcher) had been constructed. On further probing, Rev Fr Bartholomew assured the family, it was to keep the children of God safe from the rains during Catechism and masses.

"It was later observed that Monsignor Obiora Ike was becoming more regular than usual visitor to then 94 years Igwe, Raphael Ani. It was observed that his visits were usually at midday while all members of the family were usually off to work/ business and Igwe at home alone with the house keepers.

"On one of the visits, I was at home, while he was visiting, he let met know how he would like Igwe to give or dash the church his factory located in Ebony Paint Road and knowing what appeals to Igwe, promised to name the church after him, "St. Raphael, the Archangel, and even proposed for the church to make him a Saint for this singular act.

"I was dumbfounded and in awe of such pronouncement, the family decided that it was not willing to give out the land to the church. The visits from Monsignor Ike intensified and members of the parish council stormed the family home every festive season bearing gifts of rams,bags of rice, gallons oil, cartons of tin tomatoes. The pressure from the Monsignor and parish council continued to mount and even caused rift in the family.

"One fateful day, at close of work, I was reliably informed that Monsignor Obiora Ike, visited with a team of photographers and a video man and gave 98 year old Igwe documents to sign and photographs and video clips were taken. No copy of signed documents was given to him.

"The family was very upset by the gesture of the Man of God, towards a vulnerable senior citizen and got its lawyer to write the church as well as the Monsignor, to express it's disappointment and inform that whatever documents that were signed were invalid. The family also demanded for the pictures and signed documents, lo and behold it was a handwritten letter by the Monsignor, using the churches letter- head, authorising the handover of the property to the church... What a church!

"Realising the property could not be obtained by trick, they resorted to talking with the family. The Catholic Bishop of Enugu, His Lordship, Callistus Omaha, invited us severally for breakfast at the Bishop's Court for discussion, then the family resolved it could offer up the property in exchange for another factory of equal size, in an agreed location and his property relocated.

"The church got quantity surveyors to provide bill of quantities for the building of the factory. The quotes range from N30 million to N68 million and they decided to provide N30 million with option of six - monthly reviews as the project progressed. The church considered that it was too busy to do the day to day running of building the factory and however, invited Engineer Luke Mammel, to supervise the project on behalf of the church.

"Having trust and faith in the church and it's legal team, the offer was accepted; without recourse to our legal team input.

"Funds were provided and work started in earnest at the mutually agreed upon land within Nwanne Di Namba Estate, Abakaliki Road, Enugu. The St Raphael the Archangel Community moved into their newly acquired premises and moved all our property within the factory complex, while awaiting final relocation of the generator and it's housing complex. At no point during the construction did any other member of the church's team but Engineer Mammel visit the site. 

"All needed approvals were obtained from its representative, Engr Mmamelu on all issues, especially as the church made itself unreachable. Over two years now, the factory has remained at standstill, waiting for the church to provide funds, requested to re-instal it's crane.

"Months to months, it has been for one excuse to the other and one Parish Priest to the other. 

"In the initial agreement reached, the church requested for six months to relocate the parish to new site and for over three years, has done nothing about it. The building materials store, building blocks, rods and even water tanks have been stolen by unknown person's due to the unsecure nature of the site and unnecessary prolongation of the project. It became necessary to erect the fence to prevent further vandalisation.

"As soon as the church noticed the activities of labourers, I was summoned and threatened to stop work on my property by the Parish Priest, Fr Evans Offor... The Parish Priest invited the Enugu Capital Territory Authority, ECTA, to harass the labourers at the site and even stop work wasting man and materials set already for the day's work.

"The church reached me through Engr Mmamelu on the issue, requesting me to meet with the Bishop on a new proposal, while the initial proposal has not been concluded."

Rev Father Chinedu Akiko of the Enugu Catholic Diocese, who was said to have in-depth knowledge of the matter promised to volunteer comments on the matter when contacted through the WhatsApp.

His words, "Thank you so much for reaching out to me. I'm highly honoured. Thank you for your decision not to publish a one-sided story. 

Feel free to reach out to me anytime. You may also wish to send either a questionnaire or what you would want me to respond to." However, few questions sent to him through same WhatsApp are yet to be replied at the time of going to the press.

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