A Benin-based Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Emmanuel Olayiwola Afolabi has said the recently deposed Onojie of Ewu, Prince Rasak Yesufu Ogiefo risk being arrested and charged with contempt-of-court for defying Supreme court judgement.
Briefing journalists in Benin City, Afolabi accused Ogiefo of parading himself as the Onojie of Ewu months after the Supreme court of Nigeria removed him and declared Jafaru Isesele as the rightful Onojie of Ewu Kingdom.
The unanimous judgement of the apex court was delivered by Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim on Friday the 19th of July, 2024.
While showing a short video clip to to a cross section of reporters where Prince Rasak Yesufu Ogiefo attended a meeting of Council of Traditional rulers recently in Edo State Government House, Afolabi SAN averred that it was a contempt of the supreme court for the action of Ogiefo.
“It’s illegal and contempt of the Supreme court judgement for a deposed traditional ruler; Prince Rasak Yesufu Ogiefo who still calls himself the Onojie of Ewu. He has been sacked by the apex court of the Country on the 19th day of July, 2024 in a suit number SC14/2014.”
“He lost woefully in the Edo State High Court, he lost woefully at the court of Appeal and lost shamefully in the Supreme court of Nigeria and three million Naira cost was awarded against him”, he said.
The senior lawyer urged members of the public particularly government officials to stop associating with him as the Onojie of Ewu.
“No traditional ruler in Edo State or elsewhere should associate with him as the Onojie of Ewu because he has been debarred by the Supreme court. Government officials should not have anything to do with him. He (Ogiefo) cannot no longer attend any traditional council meeting”.
He continued, “We’ve written a letter to the Governor of Edo State, dated 21st of November, 2024 and we attached the judgement. How can somebody who has been sacked by the Supreme court now going to traditional Council meeting? He can no longer enter that Government House as Onojie of Ewu because he is no longer a traditional ruler. Those beads he is wearing should be removed from his neck that is what the law says,” Afolabi maintained.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria however urged Edo State Governor to formally recognise Jafaru Isesele as the rightful Onojie of Ewu Kingdom in line with the Supreme court judgement.
The Senior lawyer emphasized that the slSupreme court’s judgement is final and must be respected accordingly.
TheNewspad recalls that the Supreme Court decided that Prince Rasak Yesufu Ogiefo lost out in the line of inheritance when his father Prince Yesufu Isesele Ogiefo predeceased His Royal Highness Isesele Ogiefo the second, the late Onojie of Ewu.
The development therefore makes the first Respondent who is the eldest surviving son of his father, the late Onojie of Ewu, the legitimate successor to the throne of Onojie of Ewu.
Related posts:
Edo state government officials evacuating destitute, lunatics and beggars from Benin. Watch the video
Supreme court extends case on naira redesign till Feb 22
Court fixes judgement on N500m suit against Anambra government
EFCC opposes Yahaya Bello’s application to vacate forfeiture order on 14 properties, N400m
Leave a Reply