News
Court Declares Felix Amadi Nyeweli Ogbogoro …Begins Contempt Proceeding Against Claimants
A Port Harcourt High Court in Rivers State presided over by Justice Adolpus Enebeli has declared Eze Felix Amadi as the duly recognised Nyewali and paramount ruler of Ogbogoro community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.
With this pronouncement, the 14-year old litigation bordering on the rightful ownership and occupant of the ancient stool of Ogbogoro monarchy has been put to rest.
The court also adjudicated on the land dispute between the families of Owhor Dike of Ehiozu and Rumukpalikwu-Ada all in Ogbogoro community, and held that the five disputed lands situated in different locations within the area, belong to the defendants, the Rumukpalikwu-Ada family.
The court, therefore, in its ruling,made consequential orders perpetually restraining the claimants in the matter,or their privies from entering,trespassing,selling,partitioning or allotting to any person any part of the lands.
It also awarded the sum of N500,000 against the claimants in favour of the defendants.
Enebeli made the declaration while delivering judgement on two consolidated suits brought before the court in 2009 by Ehiozu family as claimants and Rumukpalikwu-Ada family of Ogbogoro community in OBALGA, yesterday in Port Harcourt.
The trial judge affirmed that the two families belonged to the royal family of Ogbogoro community, and always jointly present one Owhor title at Ogbogoro council of chiefs but were distinct and different in their inheritance.
He averred that Rumukpalikwu-Ada family was the most senior among the progenitors of the Ogbogoro royal family, adding that in Ikwerre tradition and customs, they were in the best position to occupy the kingship before their juniors.
Enebeli, therefore, declared Chief Felix Amadias the paramount ruler of Ogbogoro and head of Rumukpalikwu-Ada family, and his co-defendants in the matter as members of the family.
“Thereis no motion from the claimants asking for setting outside the coronation of Chief Felix Amadi in 2005 since the pendency of this matter and there is no other person coroneted as the paramount ruler.So, there will not be vacuum created in the community.I enjoin all of you to follow the part of peace and work with your monarch,the court is not a Father Christmas to give you what you did not bargain for”, he stated.
The judge, however, gave window for those who built on the disputed land before the institution of the matter in court to approach the family for renegotiation, just as he went further to declare that those who bought and developed properties in the disputed land during the pendency of the suit, are at the mercy of Chief Felix Amadiand members of his family.
Meanwhile, Justice AdolphusEnebeli has fixed March 2, 2022, to commence proceedings of contempt of court brought against Collins Ihunda, ClifordAmadiLetten, Maxwell and two others who are members of Ehiozu family over allegations of disobeying the orders of the court during the pendency of the matter.
They are standing trial for allegedly tampering,selling,partitioning and allotting the disputed lands even after the court had made an order restraining all the parties till the determination of the suit before it.
The trial judge warned that no court would be happy when people resort to self-help and disobey its orders.
He warned all the affected persons to ensure that they appear in court on the aforementioned date.
Speaking outside the courtroom, counsel to the defendants in the matter, Joseph Dents, declined comment on the judgement.
However, Emenike Eke, counsel to the defendants, commended the court, and described the judgement as justice for his clients.
By: Akujobi Amadi
President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of four new members to the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement yesterday, said the appointment is to fill existing vacancies and strengthen the board’s capacity.
The statement said the approved nominees are Mr. Olusegun Omosehin of the National Insurance Commission and Engr. Wole Ogunsanya of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria.
Tinubu also endorsed the nomination of Sam Onyechi, who represents the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum and Barrister Owei Oyanbo from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
The President encouraged the new members to leverage their expertise and dedication to enhance local content development within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
It added, “The nominations arose from the exit of previous institutional representatives from the Governing Council.
“The NCDMB Governing Council, established under Section 69 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, comprises representatives from key institutions.
“These include the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, and the National Insurance Commission.”
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to construct additional hostels, rehabilitate roads, and enhance power supply in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).
NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, disclosed this during a visit to the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, yesterday by a delegation from the UNIPORT’s Governing Council.
Ogbuku stated that the NDDC had committed to upgrading facilities at UNIPORT as part of efforts to foster partnership with educational institutions across the Niger Delta.
According to him, the implementation of additional projects at the university forms part of a broader strategy to improve education standards in the region.
“Aside from the construction of new hostel blocks and installation of a 300 KVA solar inverter system, the NDDC will also facilitate more projects in the university.
“The commission will also deploy its engineers to assess the condition of UNIPORT’s roads and hostels for potential rehabilitation,” he said.
Ogbuku noted that upon completion, the projects would add to various initiatives previously undertaken by the commission at the university.
“These and other projects reflect our commitment to actualising President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the Niger Delta region,” he added.
He reaffirmed the NDDC’s dedication to fostering development and strengthening partnerships across the region.
Earlier, Sen. Mao Ohuanbunwa, Chairman of UNIPORT’s Governing Council, who led the delegation commended the current leadership of the NDDC for its achievements in accelerating development in the Niger Delta.
He highlighted the university’s infrastructural challenges, noting that it lacked adequate facilities to accommodate its growing student population, and appealed for the NDDC’s support in addressing the shortfall.
“Currently, UNIPORT has a total student population of about 50,000, while its hostel accommodation capacity can only cater for 5,000 students.
“We therefore urge the NDDC to assist in the construction of additional hostels, improve transportation facilities, and facilitate the acquisition of gas turbines to enhance power supply for our students,” Ohuanbunwa pleaded.
The Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, commended NDDC for its impactful projects across the Niger Delta and extended an invitation to the commission to participate in the institution’s forthcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.
The Senate has rejected a motion to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters after the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission, late Prof Humphrey Nwosu.
Nwosu presided over the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which was truncated by the former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).
The election which was won by the late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola, was adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the electoral history of Nigeria.
The motion to rename INEC after Nwosu was re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe yesterday after lawmakers threw it out last Wednesday.
Abaribe called for posthumous national honours to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
However, the proposal sparked a heated debate once again, with lawmakers deeply divided over Nwosu’s legacy.
Senator Osita Ngwu acknowledged that Nwosu operated under a military regime, which restricted his ability to announce the results.
He argued that “there was no way he would have announced the results with a gun to his head. That doesn’t change the fact that some of us see him as a hero.”
Senator Austin Akobundu, however, described it as most uncharitable for lawmakers to dismiss Nwosu’s contributions, insisting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honour.
On the other hand, several senators like Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea outright, questioning why the Senate should honour someone who failed to announce the results insisting that “nothing should be named after him”.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi argued that history does not reward efforts, but only results.
“As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” he submitted.
Also, Senator Sunday Karimi criticised Nwosu for lacking the courage to speak out, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalising him would undermine the memory of MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the June 12, 1993, annulled election.
“Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy,” he tendered.
After intense deliberation, most senators rejected the motion through a voice vote.
They, however, agreed to honour him with a one-minute silence and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other prayers to immortalise Nwosu.