“Demolish or Leave It?- Harrison Gwamnishu Seeks Advice As House Built for Widow Becomes Source of Conflict

Nigerian activist, Harrison Gwamnishu, has sparked widespread reactions online after seeking public opinion on whether to demolish a house he built for a widow following a lingering land dispute.

According to Gwamnishu, the house was constructed in 2023 for the widow under the belief that the land belonged to her late husband. However, he later discovered that the property is family land, leading to ongoing conflicts.

He revealed that issues began almost immediately, as the family allegedly took possession of the house on the day it was handed over.

“Even on the day I handed over the keys in 2023, the family collected the keys from her and asked me to come and demolish the house,” he explained.

The activist added that the situation has escalated over time, with repeated confrontations between the widow and the family members over ownership of the property.

“There have been repeated physical confrontations between the widow and members of the family over the land and the newly built house,” he stated.

Following his post, Nigerians took to social media to share their opinions, offering different solutions to the dispute.

One user, @_Sampixels, suggested, “Are they refusing to sell the land to him? He can buy the land and pay them for it. If they refuse, just demolish the house and move on.”

Another user, @LyfAcrosBorders, raised safety concerns, saying, “Her life is at risk, people are just evil. Take her to safety.”

Some questioned the family’s timing, with @Kingkosec writing, “But where were them when Harrison was building the house, why waited till he finished before coming up with such claim?”

Similarly, @james_harmless added, “Why didn’t they stop you from building at the first place? If I be the woman I no go gree.”

Others suggested alternative resolutions, including compensation or purchasing the land, while some emphasized the importance of proper land verification before construction.

“Proper verification of land ownership before construction is very important,” @ann_omatf noted.