Community banishes traditional Chief, his family over disputed land

A traditional Chief, Gilbert Sinclair and members of his extended family have been banished from Bomadi Urban Federated Community over disputed land and alleged gross misconduct against the community, Our Bomadi Correspondent reports.

Chief Gilbert Sinclair was banished following a pronouncement by the Community Chairman, Mr. Clement Tikpa.

The pronouncement also proscribes Chief Sinclair and his household from having any dealings, including business transactions with members of the community, just as two weeks ultimatum was issued to Chief Sinclair’s family to vacate the community.

Meanwhile, members of the community have also been warned against having any dealings with the Sinclair family, while a fine of N20, 000.00 has been placed on anyone who violates the order of the community.

An apparently traumatized Sinclair told Fresh Angle that his family was shocked by the action of the community to ex-communicate and banish them, even as he condemned the decision of the community.

On why he was banished from the community, the former business magnate revealed that his family had a disagreement with the community over the status of a land of strategic importance to the community, which according to him belongs to his family.

The disagreement, he stated further degenerated to the pronouncement of ex-communication and banishment slammed on his family.

In his words, “we cannot stand the shame and trauma since the pronouncement was made.”

He appealed to community leaders and opinion leaders in the area to quickly intervene to avoid further consequences befalling his family.

Meanwhile, several efforts made to speak to the community chairman, Mr. Clement Tikpa at the time of filling this report met a brick wall as his mobile phone could not be reached.

However, a member of the community executive who does not want his name in print described the purported banishment as untrue, saying “the community never ex-communicated or banished Sinclair and his family”.

×