The Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, (Dr.) Ifechukwude Aninshi Okonjo II, in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State, has firmly refuted allegations linking him to the destruction of farmland and the sale of family property belonging to a woman identified as Pauline Okonkwo.
In a statement released by the palace and signed by its secretary, Ifeakanachukwu Emordi, the monarch dismissed the accusations as a “smear campaign” allegedly sponsored by a small group of land speculators from Agidiase community, who, according to the palace, recently lost a long-standing legal battle over the ownership of the disputed land.
The palace explained that a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment delivered by Justice H.O. Akpotowho in Suit No. O/50/2021 affirmed the validity of a Writ of Possession and Certificate of Possession granted to the Obi. The ruling, it added, confirmed his legal position as custodian, trustee, and overlord of all lands within Ogwashi-Uku.
It further disclosed that the court issued a perpetual injunction barring the defendants or their agents from selling, advertising, or interfering with the land. The disputed property, located behind Delta State Polytechnic, Edo-Ogwashi, Ogwashi-Uku, and covered under Survey Plan No. 3311/DT/LIT/002/2024, was specifically protected by the ruling.
According to the palace, the monarch “never destroyed crops or sold any land belonging to Pauline Okonkwo or her family.” It stressed that the enforcement of the judgment was a lawful process overseen by the courts.
“The entire exercise was purely judicial, carried out by court bailiffs under the authority of the Delta State judiciary. They formally handed over possession of the land to the Obi, with security provided by the Commissioner of Police and approval from the Inspector General of Police. Everything was done peacefully and lawfully,” the statement read.
The palace further alleged that those who lost the case were now using Mrs. Okonkwo, whom it described as a beer parlour operator rather than a farmer, to gain sympathy and damage the monarch’s reputation. “The facts are clear: the land was legally recovered through the courts. Any claims that the Obi personally destroyed crops or sold land are fabrications designed to incite emotions after the sponsors failed in court.”
It reaffirmed the monarch’s commitment to peace, justice, and proper development within Ogwashi-Uku, urging the public to disregard “false media campaigns.” “We call on the public, especially the press, to rely on court judgments and official records rather than propaganda videos and baseless claims,” the statement added.
The palace concluded by appealing to indigenes and well-meaning Nigerians to ignore what it described as malicious fabrications. “His Majesty remains committed to protecting community lands, promoting fairness, and ensuring a kingdom guided by due process for future generations.”
Meanwhile, Chronicles Reporters earlier reported that a woman from Agidiase village, Pauline Okonkwo, had accused the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku—who is also the brother of World Trade Organisation Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala—of destroying her farmland, irrigation facilities, and palm trees valued in millions of naira.
In a viral video obtained on Friday, the woman, visibly distressed, claimed that her farmland, cultivated with her husband for over a decade, was bulldozed on August 20, 2025. She alleged that men loyal to the monarch invaded the site with tractors and bulldozers under the guise of constructing a road, flattening her crops, palm trees, and an irrigation system that had cost the family millions to set up.
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