Former Special Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Inter-Party Affairs, Senator Ben Obi in a video shared on YouTube by Symfoni TV narrated how he was able to convince General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) to release late Chief Emeka Ojukwu’s father’s properties which were seized during the civil war
According to Obi, when Ojukwu returned from exile in 1982, part of the agreement he had with the late President Shehu Shagari’s government was that all his father’s properties which were confiscated due to his role in the civil war would be released to him, however, this didn’t happen until 1993 under Babangida tenure as military Head of State
He said the seized properties were nineteen: fourteen were in Ikoyi, four were in GRA, Apapa and one was in Yaba all in Lagos State. He said in November 1992, he met with General Aliyu Gusau who was the National Security Advisor and he told him that the country hasn’t been fair to the Ojukwu’s family
He said when the General asked him why he said so, he told the General that the 19 properties under the Ojukwu Transport Limited which were seized belonged to Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, a man who once rendered great service to the country and so by refusing to release the properties as promised, the government was punishing not just Emeka Ojukwu but also his father who set up the company
The former Senator said thereafter, General Gusau took him to meet Babangida who was the Head of State and he told Babangida exactly what he told General Gusau. He said Babangida promised to release the properties and within 9 months, all the properties were released.
