Delta court strips ex-minister Agbabu of traditional title
The Delta State Customary Court of Appeal sitting in Asaba has sacked the former minister for state of agriculture, Ashimedua Agbabu, as the Onishe of Ubulu Uno kingdom.
Agbabu was a minister during the former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.
There has been lingering tussle over the traditional title ‘Onishe’ (kingmaker) of Ubulu Uno in the Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State.
The case, having Mr Andrew Nwanokwai and four others as plaintiffs, was instituted to challenge the conferment of the Onishe of Ubulu-Uno Kingdom on Agbabu, who hails from Idumuesedinma in Ubulu-Uno.
According to the native law and customs of the Ubulu-Uno, only the Umuokpa and Idumu Onishe families, both of Umuolo village, Anioshe Quarters, are the custodians of Onishe title, to the exclusion of all others.
In an appeal against the judgment of the Customary Court in Ogwashi-Uku, in a suit No. ASACC/91/2020 delivered on May 13, 2022, the plaintiffs in Appeal No. DCCA/14/2023 prayed the court, among other things, for “A declaration that under the Ubulu Unor native law and customs, it is only the plaintiffs families of Umuokpa and Idumu-Onishe, both of Umuolo village, Anioshe Quarters that are exclusively entitled to produce the holder of the Onishe title.”
The plaintiffs also sought a declaration that the first defendant did not have the powers under the Ubulu-Uno native law and customs to confer the Onishe on the second respondent
The plaintiffs also seeks “An order of perpetual injunction restraining the first defendant from recognising the second defendant in whatever manner or according him any entitlements befitting the title or even recognising him as such.
“An order of perpetual injunction against the second defendant from further parading him as the Onishe of Ubulu Unor.”
In a judgment delivered by Justice G. N. Dele Okafor on Monday, the court granted nearly all the prayers sought by the plaintiffs.
Justice Okafor directed the first defendant to install the fifth plaintiff, Mr Onuwa Aniagwu, as the Onishe of Ubulu-Uno if it was possible, or immediately activate the process of selecting and installing another person, who must be either from the Umuokpa or Idumu-Onishe families in Anioshe quarters.
“It is declared that the first defendant cannot under Ubulu-Unor native law and customs confer the Onishe of Ubulu-Unor title on the second defendant or any other persons who is not from Umuokpa or Idumu Onishe in Anioshe.
“The first defendant is perpetually restrained by himself, agents, privies, servants or otherwise however, from further recognising the second defendant as the Onishe of Ubulu-Unor, or addressing him as such.
“The second defendant by himself, agents, privies, servants or otherwise howsoever, is hereby perpetually restrained from further parading himself as the Onishe of Ubulu-Unor or addressing himself as such or permitting himself to be addressed as such or discharging any of the functions of the title.”
The panel of judges further awarded a N200,000 cost against the defendants.
