Ewu throne: Don’t disobey Supreme Court judgment, onojie tells Okpebholo

The Onojie of Ewu, His Royal Highness Jafaru Isesele I, has urged Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, to halt any action capable of undermining the Supreme Court judgment affirming him as the legitimate occupant of the Ewu throne.

Isesele, who was declared the rightful Onojie by the apex court in Suit No. SC.147/2014 delivered on July 19, 2024, made the appeal through his counsel, E. Olayiwola Afolabi, SAN, following an alleged directive by the Edo State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to restore payment of financial benefits to Prince Rasak Yesufu Ogiefo, who lost the chieftaincy dispute.

In a letter to the governor dated December 13, 2025, with reference number EOA/GEN/68/25 and titled “Re: Onogie of Ewu Chieftaincy Dispute: Attempt to Undermine the Supreme Court of Nigeria Judgment Delivered in SC.147/2014 on July 19, 2024,” Afolabi warned that any such move would be unlawful and a direct affront to the authority of the Supreme Court.

The letter stated that the Supreme Court dismissed Ogiefo’s appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Appeal No. CA/B/19/2006 for lacking merit, and affirmed the concurrent decisions of the Edo State High Court and the Court of Appeal declaring Isesele as the legitimate successor to the Ewu throne. The court also ordered Ogiefo to surrender possession of the Ewu palace.

According to the counsel, the immediate past administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki, in compliance with the judgment, directed that payment of financial benefits attached to the Ewu throne be stopped to Ogiefo from August 1, 2024, a directive that had been faithfully implemented until the recent development.

“It has just been brought to our attention that the Edo State Government, under your leadership, by a letter dated December 12, 2025, directed the restoration of payment of the financial benefits due the Ewu throne to Prince Rasak Yesufu Ogiefo, who lost at the three tiers of courts. This would be palpably unlawful, illegal and a clear affront to the authority of the Supreme Court of Nigeria,” the letter said.

Afolabi expressed belief that the directive was issued without the governor’s knowledge or approval, and urged him to prevent his administration from being “scandalised” by the chieftaincy dispute. 

Copies of the letter were forwarded to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and the Edo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.

The counsel further disclosed that contempt proceedings are already pending against Ogiefo at the High Court in Benin for allegedly refusing to vacate the Ewu palace in defiance of the Supreme Court order, warning that government officials could be joined in the proceedings if the directive was not withdrawn.

The letter urged the governor to direct the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to withdraw its December 12, 2025 letter, citing Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates all authorities and persons to enforce decisions of the Supreme Court.

In a separate letter to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, dated December 13, 2025, Afolabi accused the ministry of contempt of court and demanded the withdrawal of the directive within 48 hours, failing which a petition would be filed against the official before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee.

The letter warned that resuming payment of benefits to Ogiefo, described as an adjudged usurper, amounted to a willful disobedience of the final judgment of the Supreme Court and a violation of the rule of law.