THE ONOGIE OF EWU

                                 

Counsel to the Onogie of Ewu Community in Esan Central Local Government Area, Zaiki Jafaru Isesele   has raised alarm in a petition to the Edo state Government through the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Mr Henry Idahagbon , that his client is being  allegedly marginalized by the Commissioner  for Local; Government and chieftaincy affairs Mr Lucky James in defiance  of an Appeal Court Verdict.

The Counsel Mr Kingsley Obamogie in the petition alleged that contrary to the judgment of both High and  Appeal courts ,as well as the decision by the Esan Central Traditional Council who resolved that the financial entitlements due to the Ewu Traditional Stool from the state Government be no longer paid to   Prince Rasak Yesufu Ogiefo who lost out in Court, more or so as the matter is at the Supreme Court of Nigeria where the appeal has been entered as SC 147/2014,  they have since know that  the Commissioner  has directed that the entitlements to Ewu  stool  be deducted at source at the ministry  and paid directly to Prince Yesufu Ogiefo .

The counsel also recalled that in February 2012 , the  Government of Edo state had allegedly  illegally paid out the sum of fourty million Naira that was kept in an escrow account by the previous administrations in the state pending the judicial resolution of the Ewu Chieftaincy dispute

He said upon their reports to the court of Appeal on 23^rd of May 2012 the payment was severely deprecated as an act of executive lawlessness.

Meanwhile the Counsel Mr Kingsley Obamogie remarked that the Attorney General and Commissioner as the chief law officer of the Edo state has an abiding duty to advise and admonish the Commissioner for local Government and chieftaincy Affairs Mr Lucky James and all other functionaries of the Edo state Government to scrupulously obey the judgment of the court of Appeal in the Ewu Chieftaincy matter.

He observed that undoubtedly   it is the only option open to a responsible Government and the only way to avoid incurring the wrath of the court.

The Counsel said they will not hesitate to initiate a contempt proceedings at the Supreme Court of Nigeria against the officials of the Edo state Government who have continued to treat the judgment of the court of Appeal with utmost contempt and disrespect if the culture of impunity now exhibited in the case by the Government is not immediately halted.