(Ugoachataberu)
Chief Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo, the former governor of old Anambra State, former minister of youths and sports and former senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a man of impeccable character and high reputation carefully built over many years.Jim, as he is fondly called by his many admirers and fans, is a man of charm, charisma and great aura, an iconic politician and businessman who has carved a niche for himself in the annals of who is who in Nigeria. His wife, Pat Nwobodo, is a banker of high repute, a high flyer, who had played in the banking and securities industry over many years and rose to the top echelon as managing director of many companies in that industry. So, if anything, the couple is a respectable aristocrat whose image inspires trust and confidence in those they mentor, their admirers and fans.
Moments ago, if yesterday, the social media was agog with an open letter written by one US-based doctor, Cynthia Nwakobi, purporting to have been defrauded to the tune of N132.5 million by Chief Jim Nwobodo, his wife, Pat Nwobodo, at their connivance with her own lawyer and relation, Barr. Eli Ugwu.This was one allegation too many, as it did not tie in with the good image of the Nwobodos at all. It sounded so improbable that the iconic Chief Jim Nwobodo, a father figure, a renowned statesman and his reputably virtuous wife would involve in such fraud to the paltry sum of N132.5 million, when at the young age of 32 Jim was already a millionaire. It would not add up at all. Something must be wrong somewhere. In this season of politics, anything is possible; moreso as Jim has given Barr. Peter Ndubisi Mba his fatherly blessings and thrown his weight behind him, the highly cerebral and resourceful candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Enugu State. One could point a finger to political instigation. Or how else would one explain such unseemly haranguing of the Octogenarian Jim and his dear virtuous wife, Chief Barr. Pat Nwobodo.
Cynthia Nwakobi from Nsukka and married to an Anambra man whom he had divorced in controversial circumstances, having leveraged the favourable disposition of the US law towards the protection of wives against their husbands, something unknown to Africa, sent the man away from his own house, and reportedly planned to assassinate him in Nigeria, had in her open letter to President Buhari, accused Jim and his wife of having sold encumbered 6 plots of land at Satellite Estate, Garriki, Enugu to her at a total cost of N132.5 million. She claimed that she had reported them to the anti-graft agency, the EFCC, but that the EFCC handled it with levity and had taken no action to that effect. She,therefore, petitioned President Buhari to intervene and direct the EFCC to prosecute the alleged culprits. Cynthia in her letter gone viral on social media had whipped all manner of sentiments as to how she was a single mother and how the hope of her safe investment in Nigeria was being dashed and all that. It is really unfortunate that Cynthia would go to this extent in her instigated attempt to sully the reputation of Chief Jim Nwobodo and his wife, Pat, around whom she had fawned with many messages of good wishes, admiration and respect ( See her text messages as attached ). What then had suddenly changed Cynthia would accuse 'Mummy" of fraud? Quite unfortunate!
The truth as it stands is that at no time was Cynthia defrauded; that Jim sold 6 plots of his land at the estate to her at a total cost of N132.5 million; that before the transaction was concluded, Barr. Eli Ugwu, Cynthia's lawyer, did conduct a search at the Ministry of Lands Enugu State and found the land was not in any way encumbered; that over 60 plots of land had been sold and all the buyers took possession of their land without hindrance, including First Bank PLC and UBA PLC, both of whom developed theirs and have been offering banking services for over 10 years in the same estate unchallenged; that Ministry of Housing Enugu State partnered with Jim Nwobodo in developing the estate, a Ministry that knows the status of all land in Enugu State. Archbishop Ede, the Archbishop of Methodist Church Enugu, and Bishop Nnaonah, a Methodist Bishop, both own properties in the same estate. Cynthia is free to possess and develop her land without let or hindrance. So, what then is her grouse? On instigation to cast slur on the Nwobodos? Or what!
Findings reveal that the land in question belonged to Amagugwu Amechi Awkunanaw Community which graciously ceded it to their illustrious son, Chief Jim Nwobodo, in the early 80's while he served as the governor of old Anambra State. Jim had needed land to situate Satellite Newspaper and his people told him he did not need to buy land elsewhere; whereas, they had land to give him. They, therefore, graciously gave him the land. The then Amagugwu Amechi Awkunanaw comprised the present Amechi Uno and Amechi Awkunanaw. That was before the excision of Amechi Uno from the community and the conferring on it autonomous status. Jim had held the title to the land for over 40 years and had sold plots to banks and individuals who had developed their plots without let. At no time had the ownership of the land been in neither doubt nor contention except on the occasion when a community in Akegbe - Amagu Ibite - laid claims to it and took the matter to court. They later withdrew the matter from the court in the understanding that it did not belong to them in the first place. Evidence of the withdrawal is hereby annexed. The people of Amechi Awkunanaw and Amechi Uno had in 2021 issued a joint communique reiterating the fact that the plots of land at Satellite Estate all belong to Chief Jim Nwobodo (Please see the attached).That communique was published in the Sunday Sun Newspapers of November 14, 2021, page 29, as attached herewith.Many sons and daughters of Amechi Awkunanaw, the original owners of the land, have bought and are still buying plots of land in the estate. Again, Chief Nwobodo donated a sizable portion of the estate to the Nigerian Electricity Company( NEPA), where they built a large substation that has been in operation for 20 years unchallenged. What then is special about the 6 plots Cynthia bought to merit her claims of fraud?
No one knew what became of Cynthia Nwakobi when she from the blues petitioned the Nwobodos and her own lawyer and relation, Barr. Eli Ugwu, to the EFCC, alleging that Barr. Eli Ugwu connived with the Nwobodos to sell an encumbered property to her. Barr. Eli Ugwu had made himself available to the EFCC with documentary evidence of the transaction. Jim's lawyers had also replied to the invitation of the EFCC line by line, clearing him of the false allegation. The EFCC thoroughly investigated the matter and found out that there was no case of fraud in the transaction. The land belongs to the Nwobodos who also acknowledged they sold it to her and that she has unhindered access to it. She had hired another lawyer, one Barr. Ugwu, who prepared documents for the transfer of title and those documents were fully signed. Her new lawyer was informed that the documents had been signed and ready for him to collect. After several weeks of failing to pickup the signed documents, he curiously petitioned the EFC alleging fraud. Thereafter, the EFCC found out that Cynthia and her new lawyer had misled them with false information, and had invited them to account for that and also collect the title documents. They abandoned the title documents and went into hiding. Cynthia's copies of the land title documents are still with the EFCC, and neither she nor her lawyer has gone to collect them.
The people of Amechi Awkunanaw and Amechi Uno have confirmed that the land belongs to Chief Jim Nwobodo and the sale of portions to Cynthia Nwakobi is genuine and therefore asked her to desist from tarnishing the image of their illustrious father and statesman, Chief Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo, and his wife.Speaking on this, the President of Amechi Awkunanaw Development Union, Chief Paul Agbo, said the land was not under any contention and that the woman was free to possess the land. He said the community would protect her should there be any encroachment. He however frowned at her misguided attempt to tarnish the image of their father, Chief Jim Nwobodo. He pointed accusing fingers to one John Egbo who had been the past president of the union as the one instigating the woman to her damaging false claims against the Nwobodos, having frightened and convinced her that the land was under litigation.
According to Chief Agbo, John Egbo and the deposed Igwe Ogbodo Okolie of Amechi Awkunanaw were the hands of Esau whose voice was Jacob's. He enumerated the many atrocities of the dethroned igwe sacked by the Enugu State Government. He also revealed that John Egbo had wanted to continue as the town union president even when his tenure had elapsed and had gratified some persons to support him by vote of confidence to continue as the president. The matter was reported to Jim as a father figure in the community, and he did advise that election be conducted. Since then, John Egbo and the deposed Igwe Ogbodo Okolie had sought occasions to cut pounds of flesh off Jim, and so had instigated Cynthia to petition Jim at the EFCC. It was at that same time that the two partners in vendetta wrote petition to Force Headquarters against Jim, something that ran off like water over a duck's back, since there was no criminal case against Jim for having advised his people to take a democratic process to the election of town union executives. It was alleged that John Egbo who himself lived in the US found it easy to instigate her into such misguided publication of lies.
The entire executive members of Amechi Awkunanaw Development Union corroborated their president and fingered John Egbo and Ogbodo Okolie as the ones nudging Cynthia to the path of infamy. (Video clips of their interviews are also hereby annexed).The secretary of the union, the financial secretary and the legal adviser all confirmed that the land belonged to Jim and was not in anyway encumbered. They however said they would not tolerate the defamation of their father for no just cause, warning that if Cynthia and her cohorts would not desist from tarnishing the image of His Excellency, Chief Jim Nwobodo, then they would have the entire Amechi communities to contend with.
Dr Emeka Nwatu who is a close aide to Jim and his wife said Cynthia might not be mentally stable, for there was no way she could have taken the path of her infamous rude letter under normal circumstances. He brandished documents evidencing the transaction, holding that the land belonged to Jim and that at no time did anyone prevent Cynthia from accessing her property duly purchased. He said that Jim's lawyers at Aforkansi Chambers had asked that since Jim was found innocent, the accuser should be prosecuted for misleading the EFCC deliberately with false information, a reason why Cynthia and her lawyer are now at large. Cynthia is a cantankerous blackmailer. She blackmailed and fought the numerous agents she engaged in this same land transaction. She blackmailed her bank, and sent thugs to Access Bank, Garden Avenue branch, to fight her banker. It got to a point when the Nwobodos got fed up with Cynthia’s inconsistent and weird behaviour and offered to refund the deposit she paid for the land, but she came begging for forgiveness.
The Igwe of Amechi Uno, His Royal Highness, Igwe D. I. Nnamani, also confirmed that the land belonged to Chief Jim Nwobodo. He said that Amagugwu Amechi Awkunanaw gave Jim the land about 40 years ago and that Jim had been in possession of it till date. He reiterated the fact that Amagugwu Autonomous communities had issued a communique to that effect in 2021. He, therefore, wondered why anyone should take to the vile path of attempting to ruin the reputation of a man so blessed like Jim Nwobodo, a precious asset to the entire Igboland and Amechi people. He, however, pleaded with Jim to forgive the erring woman who was being used by the deposed Igwe Ogbodo Okolie and John Egbo, the former president of Amechi Development Union.
Chief Jim Nwobodo himself was grieved at such attempt by that woman to bring his reputation to ruination at his old age, and,therefore, gave her seven days to retract her damaging claims with apology published in a reputable newspaper in Nigeria and through the online newspaper she had published her defamation or risk one billion naira claim of damages.
Out of two or three witnesses, the truth is established. It is apparently unequivocal that there was no case of fraud established against Chief Nwobodo and his wife. Cynthia purchased the 6 plots and had at no time been prevented from accessing them. Why then should she choose to impugn the Nwobodos with such disparaging claims? If she is not under the influence of the vindictive Egbo and Okolie, then she must be under the influence of some narcotics. Or she might not be mentally sound, for no one whose senses are complete would take a journey on such a road less traveled by, and dare to concoct such damaging fiction against the Nwobodos.
