–As Concerned Okata Community Indegenes Condemn Chairman’s Action, Insist On Supremacy Of Court Judgement.
The people of Umukpabi Odoru village in Okata community, Ihitte Uboma LGA, have bemoaned the actions and unruly interference of the Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area Chairman, Prince Obioha Ndukwe in a land dispute that has threatened peace and and mutual co-existence in the community in recent time . Concerned members of the community alleged that the Local Government Chairman is trying to use his executive power to thwart and upturn the verdict that a Court of competent jurisdiction gave in a land dispute several years ago.
The people opined that it is either that the chairman acted in ignorance because he is not conversant with all facts or is being influenced by ulterior motives. Hence his decision on the matter is not only malicious but also contravenes judgement of a court of competent jurisdiction that has already ruled on this matter.The natives who comprise men,women and youths are of the view that the council boss should show good example by respecting a Court Order and which every one considers paramount. In their words, “our local government chairman is expected to be an agent of peace and not destruction. We urge him to refrain from actions and decisions that may threaten the peace of the community considering the fact that he is the Chief Security officer of the Local Government Area.”
The indegenes revealed that they are very conversant with the land in dispute adding that that they are in support of their traditional ruler HRH EZE CC Iwueke who aligned with the verdict of the court in the matter. .They hinted that the decision of the court and that of the traditional ruler should be respected by every body that is in one way or the other affected by the issue no matter how highly or lowly placed the person may be in the society.
In his judgement,prince Ndukwe claimed that a petition dated 21st April 2026 was brought before to his office so as to investigate the report of the seven man fact finding committee set up by the traditional ruler. It would be recalled that the traditional ruler set up a committee and some notable members of his cabinet are also members of the committee.The committee rather than working according to the directives of the traditional ruler went contrary to their terms of reference .The committee allegedly compromised in their findings probably because of undue influence from the other party in the matter. For example, it was gathered that the committee refused to include the reports of the three eldest men in the village and their statements were allegedly ommitted in the committess final report.There is a saying that the the words of the elders are the words of wisdom .The three old men in their separate remarks told the committee that there is no name or kindred as Ogbuohia not to talk of being the eldest.They maintained that the name is strange and does not have any root in their ancestral lineage.
The traditional ruler rejected the committe’s report on the ground of incompetence and partiality .He upheld the ruling of the court.This matter has been decided at various courts of law ranging from the Mbano/Etiti Hgh Court and the Court of Appeal sitting in Porthacourt , Rivers state. Sir Humphrey Onuoha failed to establish the the identity of Ogbuohia as he claimed. He claimed that the so called Ogbuohia kindred but could not prove to the court beyond reasonable doubt and case was ruled against him with cost.
It would have amounted to contempt of court if the traditional ruler went contrary to the ruling of the court.The traditional ruler ruled that statusquo should be maintained meaning that the decision of the court should be maintained .
However, history has it that Odoru village has two sons, Umukpabia and Umushoghoro. Ukpabi is the eldest among the two.Ukpabi had four sons namely Ekechukwu Ndubueze,Nkwokorie Kenkwo,Ebichiem Onuoha and Duru Adiukwu.The aforementioned kindreds are named in the order of seniority. If one may ask ,what is the place of Ogbuohia in this whole arrangement? Sir Humphrey Onuoha who is claiming Ogbuohia kindred falls within the third position in the seniority order which is Ebichiem Onuoha.
As far back as 1978, the entire Onuoha family occupied the third position in Umukpabi kindred,Their family like every other member of the kindred is known and addressed as Umukpabia. They were members of Umukpabia family only that Sir Humphrey who was very desperate to aquire land for the so called Ogbuohia pulled out from the kindred and tried to establish Ogbuohia so that he would have access to the land. Sir Humphrey lost the case in the court. He could not establish Ogbuohias root s and ancestral lineage in court, hence he lost the case.Even when Sir Humphrey pulled out of Umukpabia , his elder brother and eldest son Mr Joel Onuoha did not pull away with him. He remained with Umukpabia. Mr Joel never changed his name from Umukpabia to Ogbuohia. Facts are sacred and the truth can never be submerged .If there was a name called or known as ogbuohia,why did Joel Onuoha still remain with Umukpabia and refused to join his brother in pursuit of Ogbuohia identity all through the court processes? Joel Onuoha never appeared in court for one day in solidarity with his younger brother Humphrey Onuoha.Mr Joel refused to join in the matter in court and his name was never mentioned through out the court processes and in the judgement because he was not in support of his brother Humphrey ,Even as at today, there is no land called or known as Ogbuohia land in the entire kindred,village and community.
The court made it clear that the name Ogbuohia never existed, perhaps, the Local Government Chairman was not provided with all these historical facts and background before before he took the his stand on the matter. He failed to thoroughly investigate thie issue maybe because he was in a haste to favor his maternal uncle .The council chairman through his judgement now wants to establish Ogbuohia so as to empower his maternal uncle to enter the land and reclaim it. One cannot be a judge in his own case.The whole community has sent a warning signal to the Council boss telling him to desist from any act or decision that will cause trouble and anarchy in the community.They urged him to call both parties together and find out the true position of things before jumping into conclusion and throwing his weight behind one man
Concerned and respected members of the community have advised the local government chairman to urge his cronies to come home and make peace with their kinsmen and kindred instead of seeking a parralel kindred for a name that never existed in the community lineage’s.The local government chairman failed to address all the issues raised in the Eze’s judgement.instead, he initiated a parralel judgement to favor his maternal uncle and set a once peaceful community on a war path..One can only seek redress in the law court if they are not satisfied with the Ezes judgement.They should go to court instead of seeking self help at the local government chairman’s office.
The matter was brought to the Eze,s palace in April 2025 for arbitration and he delivered his judgement in May 2026. How on earth was he in a haste to deliver judgement as was claimed by the chairman. A matter that spanned almost one year at the Ezes palace. From the day the traditional ruler circulated his judgement to the parties involved till date,there has never been any form of crisis or acrimony in the community.
A cursory look at the chairman’s judgement may not reveal much but if one take an indepth look into that judgement you will simply observe that his verdict is a deliberate misrepresentation of facts. An intentional act orchestrated to favor his maternal uncle
In another development,the people of Okata have revealed that some portions of the age long tradition of ‘”Ihe Ngwutu Onu” should exclusively be reserved for the eldest member of Umukpabi kindred named Ekechukwu Ndubueze and family and not the other way round.They are of the view that the Local Government Chairman as an elected officer local should maintain peace and order in all the communities rather than taking decisions that may set the entire community on fire.
