Benin royal family backs Oba Ewuare II N’Ogidigan on Gelegele, says Community belongs to Edo

Benin royal family backs Oba Ewuare II N’Ogidigan on Gelegele, says Community belongs to Edo

The Benin Royal Family has declared its full support for His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II, N’Ogidigan, over the Gelegele controversy, insisting that Gelegele Community belongs to Edo people based on Supreme Court and other apex court verdicts.

The position was made known in Benin by Secretary General of the Benin Royal Family, Prince Dr. Kayode Eweka, during a chat with journalists.

Prince Eweka described it as “disheartening” that some Ijaw stakeholders have “completely abandoned verdicts from various Apex Courts.”

“The threats handed to Benin people, the rightful owners of Gelegele Community, by Ijaw people, are uncalled for. The Ijaws are insulting Benins with monopoly of power,” he said.

He stressed that Benin people are not asking for war, but will not cede their ancestral land.
“We are not calling for war. We are insisting that we are the rightful owners, whereas they are not. We cannot afford to surrender our land to Ijaw people who are not the rightful owners. The ancestors are not happy that the Ijaw people are creating threats and envisaging war. We are peace-loving and law-abiding Benins and we rely on the rule of law. We stand by our father, the Oba of Benin, that his explanation on Gelegele Community stands and there is no going back on that,” Prince Eweka stated.

Speaking on the proposed Gelegele Seaport, the Royal Family Secretary accused former Governor Godwin Obaseki of deceiving Edo people.

“We can’t find anything at the Gelegele seaport. That means Obaseki deceived Edo People. We can’t afford to fold our hands when he deceived and left office as Governor without anything done at the Gelegele seaport,” he said.

Prince Eweka also noted concerns raised by Ijaw people in Gelegele over Governor Monday Okpebholo’s appointments, which they described as “alleged favouritism” and “nebulous modus operandi”, particularly _“paving ways for Esan people, and only few Benin people in his government.”

“We are not at war, but we can’t abandon our rightful ownership of Gelegele Community to them,” he added.
Recall that Supreme Court case on Gelegele was Suit No. SC.131/1982*, delivered on August 19, 1983 by Justice Muhammadu Lawal Uwais, CJN, and 4 other justices. 1f8c What the judgment said:
Ownership: The Supreme Court upheld the decisions of the High Court and Court of Appeal and *affirmed the ownership claims of the Benin plaintiffs over the disputed Gelegele lands”
The High Court judgment of Dec 22, 1978 had stated: _”Gelegele village and its environs and bushes are Benin land. They do not belong to the Ijaws of Gelegele as owners”.Status of Ijaw residents: The Supreme Court judgment described the Ijaws of Gelegele and adjoining communities as tenants occupying a portion of land vested in the traditional authority of the Oba of Benin. The High Court also held: _”The Ijaws are tenants of His Highness Akenzua II the Oba of Benin”Outcome, The Court dismissed the appeal brought on behalf of the Ijaw inhabitants of Gelegele Community* and awarded costs against them. e9861f8c Background of the case The dispute went through 3 levels:
“-High Court, Benin*: Suit No. B/44/1970 – Judgment Dec 22, 1978 in favor of Benin
-Court of Appeal, Benin: Suit No. FCA/B/82/80 – Judgment Dec 16, 1981 in favour of Benin
– Supreme Court Suit No. SC.131/1982 – Judgment Aug 19, 1983 upheld lower courts in favor of Benin 1f8c What both sides say about it
-Benin groups cite the judgment as final proof that Gelegele belongs to Benin Kingdom under the Oba of Benin.Ijaw groups/IPD argue the judgment only referred to “an unidentified piece or parcel of farm land” and “did not confer” ownership of Gelegelegbene community lands on Bini people. They say the case was between Ughoton and Gelegele and did not challenge the existence of Gelegelegbene community. e98672eaa2d1The judgment is still being referenced today in discussions about peace, land rights, and traditional authority in Edo South. e9861059

The Benins are deplomatic ethnic group, and will continue to punish them with the laid down judgement, Dr Kayode Eweka added.