Members of Amaechi-Awkunanaw autonomous community have reiterated that the now disputed land housing the defunct Satellite Newspapers at Garriki area of Enugu South Local Government Area within Enugu metropolis was a gift from the community to Chief Jim Nwobodo in 1981 when he was Governor of old Anambra state.
Recently, a dispute on the land came up with a section of the community asking for retake of the premises. The crisis led to the suspension of the traditional ruler of the community, HRH Igwe Ogbodo Okorie by Enugu State Government.
However, speaking on behalf of the Amaechi community, the administrator of Enugu South-West Development Center, Chief Harry-Chuks Egbonnaji said that “Satellite is a portion of land from old road, given to Jim Nwobodo jointly by Amagu-Ugwu that comprises Amaechi-uno and Amaechi. There was a dispute over the land and Jim helped to broker peace. So when he became Governor, in 1981, the same Amagu-Ugwu searched for what they would use to appreciate him and they gave him the satellite premises. He never asked for it and there was no attachment to it. The greater Amagu-Ugwu people made up of Amaechi and Amaechi-uno are about to have a reunion, a general assembly to reaffirm that satellite premises was a gift given to Jim.”
According to Egbonnaji, when the land was given to Nwobodo, the suspended Igwe Ogbodo Okorie was among the persons that became caretakers of the land, noting that when Jim established Satellite newspapers on the land, the late Justice Eddy Onyia was the first secretary of the Satellite newspaper.
