By Fresh Facts Correspondent
Ranent Industries Company Ltd has strongly refuted claims by Rev. Fr. Edwin Obiora that the property serving as the Take-off Campus of Tansian University in Umunya, Anambra State, was purchased by the institution.
In a statement issued on August 14, 2025, Chairman of Ranent Industries, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, described the assertions as “baseless fabrications,” insisting that no agreement was ever reached to transfer ownership of the property to Tansian University.
According to the company, the land and structures remain the legal property of Ranent Industries, with ownership backed by Certificates of Occupancy and other official documents issued by the Anambra State Government since 1982.
History of the Dispute
The company traced the disagreement to 2003, when it provided the property to Tansian University to support its early operations pending the development of a permanent campus. After the university obtained its operating licence in 2007, Ranent alleged that the institution began making “unfounded claims” of absolute ownership.
By 2008, legal action by Ranent Industries led to the university’s ejection from the premises. The parties later entered into a Consent Judgment, under which Tansian University was required to pay N10 million in annual rent and vacate the property by 2035.
Court Battles and Rulings
Ranent Industries said Fr. Obiora reignited the matter in 2018 by challenging the Consent Judgment in court. The High Court reaffirmed Ranent’s ownership and directed the university to settle outstanding rent, granting the company the right to seize both movable and immovable assets if obligations were not met.
The company added that the Court of Appeal dismissed the university’s case for lack of merit, and the matter is now before the Supreme Court.
Fraud Allegations Against Fr. Obiora
Chief Ezeonwuka accused Fr. Obiora of misleading the public by suggesting the dispute had been resolved in favour of the university and that he held ownership rights. Ranent described the priest’s conduct as fraudulent misrepresentation, warning that it could pursue criminal charges.
The company further claimed Fr. Obiora has no legitimate authority over Tansian University’s affairs, stating that ownership rests with its founders, the late Msgr. Johnbosco Akam and Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, who provided the equity that secured the institution’s licence in 2007.
Public Advisory
Ranent Industries warned individuals and organisations to exercise caution in dealing with Fr. Obiora regarding the property, stressing that the matter remains subject to ongoing legal proceedings.
The statement concluded with a call for stakeholders and the public to disregard what it described as “misleading claims” and to respect ownership rights “established through proper legal channels.”
