The Court of Appeal sitting in Benin City, the Edo State Capital, has dismissed an appeal filed by Egbirhe Community, challenging the judgement of the Edo State High Court which upheld the resolution of the boundary dispute between Okhuoromi and the Egbirhe communities conducted by the Oba of Benin.
The Egbirhe community who are the claimants had dragged Okhuoromi the respondents both in Oredo Local Government Area before the Edo State High Court 1, presided over then by the former Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Esther Edigin (rtd), in Suit No: B/361/2019 where the claimants amongst others claimed that the resolution of the Customary Arbitration conducted by the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II was compromised by the palace emissaries sent to carry out the boundary demarcation for the parties in dispute.
They wanted the court to set aside the resolution of the Oba and declare them owners of the area in dispute but ruling on the matter, Justice Edigin held that the resolution of the Benin Monarch stands and Egbirhe are not only bounded by the resolution but also stopped from instituting any suit in whatsoever form on the issues determined by the Oba.
Not satisfied, Egbirhe through their counsel, E.O. Eghobamien (SAN), filed a Notice of appeal on May 14, 2021, containing five grounds of appeal at the Appeal Court, and prayed the court to grant their appeal while the Respondents (Okhuoromi) through their counsel, Prince P.E. Uwadiae Esq, prayed the court to dismiss the appeal claiming it lacks merit and affirm the decision of the trial Court.
The three-man panel, headed by Justice Bitrus Gyarazama Sanga, in a unanimous decision held that the appeal lacked merit.
“It is hereby dismissed and the judgement delivered by E.A. Edigin, CJ; on 28th April, 2021 in Suit No. B/361/2019 is affirmed”.
Reacting to the appeal court ruling, elders of Okhuoromi Community during a press conference commended the Court for standing for justice by affirming the decision of the trial Court.
Speaking on behalf of the people, the Chief Priest (Ohen) of the Community, Ovbokhan Igbinovia dismissed the allegations of dishonest relationship between Okhuoromi and some developers making round in the social media where there are claims that the land they bought was being taken back from them.
“This claim is not true, baseless, misleading and lacking the truth as there was never a time the claimants bought land from us and in Okhuoromi, we don’t sell land for two developers nor indulge in land grabbing activities”, he said
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