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Court Sacks Occupant Of Nyenwe Ali Ubima Stool
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has nullified the certificate of recognition given to Eze Iheanyi Williams by the state government as the Nyenwe Ali of Ubima community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state, describing the said recognition and installation as illegal and non-existent.
The monarch, until the court’s decision, was the paramount ruler of Ubima community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The court also held that the state government’s action to recognise the sacked paramount ruler of Ubima community, during the pendency of the matter in the court, amounted to “executive rascality and abuse of power”, saying that no court would allow such disobedience and disrespect to its orders to thrive.
The trial judge, Justice Chigozie Igwe of the state High Court 17, in his judgment delivered, last Wednesday in Port Harcourt, in a matter bordering on the rightful occupant to the Nyenwe Ali Ubima community chieftaincy stool brought by Eze Michael Dikewoha of Ubima.
The trial judge held that the action of the state government was an affront on the sanctity and the independence of the Judiciary, adding that the law frowns at any action that would jeopardise any matter before the court.
He said the court’s order sacking the former Ubima monarch was to serve as a deterrent to others, noting that Prince Iheanyi Williams shot himself in the leg by his accepting to align himself with the state government’s action when he was aware of the pendency of the suit before the court for the last 10 years.
“He is barred from the benefits of this judgement, the state government’s action by recognising Prince Iheanyi Williams during the pendency of this matter is null and void, and has no effect on the stool in contest”, he stated.
The claimant, Eze Michael Dikewoha, who was laying claim as the rightful occupant to the Ubima chieftaincy stool, had prayed the court, among other things, to declare him as the only qualified person for the stool since he was the oldest serving village head in Ubima in accordance with the custom and native laws of the people as well as urged the court to declare the action of the state government a nullity for issuing a certificate of office and recognition to Prince Iheanyi Williams, even when the state government was a party in the matter.
Justice Chigozie Igwe, however, dismissed the claims of the claimant, Eze Michael Dikewoha, and the counter claims of Eze Christopher Okah, 2nd defendant in the matter, as well as the third set of defendants, and the Omuobunwo family who are fourth to seventh defendants in the suit for inconsistency and lack of coherence in the various evidence of fact in their claims.
The third and set of the fourth to seventh defendants sought for court declaration that they were the bona fide occupants of the disputed Ubima Nyenwe Ali chieftaincy stool.
The trial judge while dismissing the prayers of both the claimants and that of the third and fourth defendants, averred that they did not prove their case beyond reasonable doubt, adding that they failed to justify their claims through the evidence and facts before the court.
Justice Igwe, therefore, ordered the three families of Omuahiaume, Omuahua, and Omuobunwo, who are the original descendants of Ubi, the founder of Ubima community to bury their selfish interests, and go home and nominate a suitable candidate for recognition and subsequent installation as the new Nyenwe Ali of Ubima.
Earlier in an interview with newsmen after the judgment, the counsel who represented the Omuobunwo family, who were fourth to seventh defendants in the matter, Winston Churchill Madume, said he would study the judgment, and inform his clients on the next line of action.
Other defendants in the suit include, Rivers State Government through the Attorney General as first defendant, and Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, as second defendant.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.