Delta Court Sacks Former Minister Ashimedua Agbabu as Onishe of Ubulu Uno Kingdom
In a landmark ruling, the Delta State Customary Court of Appeal in Asaba has removed Ashimedua Agbabu, former Minister for State of Agriculture during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, as the Onishe (kingmaker) of Ubulu Uno Kingdom.
The long-standing dispute over the Onishe title in Ubulu Uno, located in the Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State, culminated in the court’s decision after the plaintiffs, led by Mr. Andrew Nwanokwai and four others, challenged Agbabu’s conferment as Onishe. The plaintiffs argued that under the native laws and customs of Ubulu Uno, the title of Onishe could only be held by members of the Umuokpa and Idumu Onishe families from Umuolo village, Anioshe Quarters.
The plaintiffs had filed an appeal against the ruling of the Customary Court in Ogwashi-Uku (suit No. ASACC/91/2020) delivered on May 13, 2022. In their appeal (No. DCCA/14/2023), they sought a declaration that only their families were entitled to produce the holder of the Onishe title, and that Agbabu, who hails from Idumuesedinma in Ubulu Uno, was not entitled to the title under their customary law.
The plaintiffs also sought a perpetual injunction to prevent Agbabu from being recognized as the Onishe of Ubulu Uno, and to stop him from further performing the duties or claiming the entitlements of the title.
In a judgment delivered by Justice G. N. Dele Okafor on Monday, the court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, granting nearly all of their requests. The judgment declared that only individuals from the Umuokpa or Idumu-Onishe families were eligible for the Onishe title. Justice Okafor ordered the first defendant, presumably the relevant traditional authority, to install Mr. Onuwa Aniagwu, the fifth plaintiff, as the Onishe, or, if that was not feasible, to initiate the process of selecting and installing a new Onishe from one of the eligible families.
The court also imposed a permanent injunction on Agbabu, preventing him from continuing to hold himself out as the Onishe of Ubulu Uno or performing any related duties.
This ruling marks a significant chapter in the ongoing tussle over the Onishe title, reinforcing the central role of traditional customs and family lineage in the leadership structure of Ubulu Uno Kingdom.
