By Lucky Isibor
The Edo State High Court has ordered the deposed Onojie of Ewu, Prince Rasak Yesufu Ogiefo, and the Permanent Secretary in the Edo State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Pauline Irusota (Esq) to appear personally before it on 21 October to show cause why they should not be committed to prison for alleged contempt arising from the continued disobedience of court judgments on the Ewu traditional stool.
Justice Omotosho issued the order on Tuesday after hearing an application brought by the claimant, His Royal Highness Jafaru Isesele I, in the long-running Ewu Kingship dispute, seeking the committal of the two respondents for alleged flagrant disobedience of the judgment of the High Court in Suit No. B/457/2001.
The contempt application, filed through Form 49 after the earlier issuance and service of Form 48, was argued by Kingsley Obamogie, SAN, who led Olayiwola Afolabi, SAN, and two other counsel.
The dispute dates back nearly three decades during which Prince Rasak Yesufu Ogiefo was installed as the Onojie of Ewu during the pendency of litigation, a grandson of the Onojie of Ewu, as the traditional ruler of the kingdom. The eldest surviving son of the late Onojie, His Royal Highness Jafaru Isesele I, challenged the installation in court.
The Edo State High Court, in its judgment delivered on February 11, 2005, declared Jafaru Isesele I the rightful Onojie of Ewu. The decision was affirmed by the Court of Appeal on February 14, 2014, and subsequently reaffirmed by the Supreme Court on July 19, 2024.
Despite the judgments, the claimant contends that Prince Ogiefo has continued to occupy the palace and present himself as the Onojie of Ewu.
Moving the application, Obamogie told the court that the judicial decisions had remained unimplemented despite having been affirmed at all levels of the Nigerian judicial system.
“My Lord, the judgment of the High Court in relation to this matter was given on 11th February, 2005, more than 21 years ago. The Court of Appeal gave its judgment upholding the judgment of the High Court on 14th February 2014, which is about 12 years ago. The Supreme Court gave its judgment reaffirming the judgment of the Court of Appeal upholding that of the High Court on 19th of July, 2024, that’s approximately two years ago,” he submitted.
He further argued that the first defendant had remained in occupation of the palace in defiance of the subsisting judgments.
“The First Defendant has continue to hold on to the Palace and continued to parade himself as the Onojie of Ewu in clear disobedience of the judgment of this Honourable Court.”
Obamogie also informed the court that the dismissal of an application seeking to set aside the Supreme Court’s judgment had removed every legal impediment to the continuation of the contempt proceedings.
“My Lord we are humbly appealing that the dismissal of their application to the Supreme Court to set aside its earlier judgement on the matter has cleared the coast for us to come and continue the contempt proceedings in this Court.”
The contempt proceedings against the permanent secretary stem from a letter dated December 12, 2025, allegedly issued by the Permanent Secretary, Pauline Irusota, directing that allowances due to the Royal Stool of Ewu be paid to Prince Rasak Yesufu Ogiefo despite the subsisting judgments recognising Jafaru Isesele I as the rightful traditional ruler.
Following arguments by counsel, Justice Omotosho ordered Prince Rasak Ogiefo and Mrs Irusota to appear personally before the court on 21 October to explain why they should not be committed to prison for contempt and disobedience of the court’s judgment.
Meanwhile, the Edo State Government had earlier assured that it would fully implement the Supreme Court’s judgment on the Ewu chieftaincy dispute.
The Edo State Solicitor General, Iseghohimen Stephen Okoror, had stated after the Supreme Court dismissed an application seeking to set aside its judgment on 16th March, that the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo remained committed to obeying the court’s decision.
“We didn’t file any papers, we just told the court we are going to abide by the decision of the court,” the Solicitor General said.
“Our Governor, Most Distinguished Senator Monday Okpebholo is someone who abides by court decisions and will never disobey court rulings. Whatever the court says, he will abide by it,” he assured.
The Supreme Court had, in its judgment delivered on July 19, 2024, affirmed His Royal Highness Jafaru Isesele I as the lawful Onojie of Ewu Kingdom in Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State and consequently upheld the decisions of the High Court and Court of Appeal on the dispute. Further attempts to reopen the case at the Supreme Court vide a motion by Prince Rasak Ogiefo was equally dismissed by the apex court on Friday, 5 June.