Inside Edo
Monarch accuses Edo govt of defying Supreme Court in long-running chieftaincy dispute
Written By: Emmanuel Ikhenebome
16 Dec 2025 09:30 AM
Ewu, Edo – The legitimate Onogie of Ewu, His Royal Highness Zaiki Jafaru Isesele I, has strongly protested an alleged directive by the Edo State Government to restore financial benefits to Prince Rasak Yesufu Ogiefo, his rival who was definitively ruled against by the Supreme Court last year.
The protest comes via a strongly worded letter from the monarch's counsel, E. Olayiwola Afolabi SAN, dated December 13, 2025, accusing the government of attempting to undermine the authority of Nigeria's apex court.
According to the letter, referenced as EOA/GEN/68/25 and titled “Re: Onogie of Ewu Chieftaincy Dispute: Attempt to Undermine The Supreme Court of Nigeria Delivered in SC. 147/2014 on 19th July, 2024,” the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs issued a directive on December 12, 2025, restoring payment of stipends and benefits due to the Ewu throne to Prince Rasak Yesufu Ogiefo.
Afolabi described the move as “unlawful and an affront on the authority of the Supreme Court of Nigeria,” emphasizing that Prince Ogiefo lost at all three tiers of the judiciary.
In a separate letter to the Acting Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Pauline Irusota Esq., the senior advocate demanded immediate withdrawal of the directive within 48 hours, warning of referral to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee if ignored.
The correspondence was copied to Governor Monday Okpebholo, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Edo State Attorney General.
The chieftaincy dispute in Ewu, located in Esan Central Local Government Area, dates back to August 6, 1997, following the death of the previous Onogie, HRH Isesele Ojeifo II.
Prince Rasak Yesufu Ogiefo, a grandson of the late monarch, claimed entitlement under customary law, while supporters of HRH Jafaru Isesele I argued for primogeniture succession.
The case escalated through the courts, culminating in the Supreme Court's dismissal of Ogiefo's appeal on July 19, 2024, in Suit No. SC/147/2014, affirming Isesele as the rightful Onogie and ordering costs against the appellant.
Despite the ruling, enforcement has been contentious. Earlier in 2025, the monarch and supporters appealed to authorities, including police, to evict Ogiefo from the Ewu palace, where he allegedly remains in occupation.
Contempt proceedings are ongoing against him for non-compliance with the court's order to vacate.
The latest development has raised concerns about respect for judicial authority under the new administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo, who assumed office in November 2024 following the APC's victory in the September gubernatorial election.
Critics fear the alleged restoration of benefits to the defeated claimant could signal political interference in traditional institutions, potentially eroding public trust in the rule of law.
As of now, the Edo State Government has not issued any public response to the allegations or the monarch's protest.
Traditional rulers in Edo State receive a 5% allocation from local government funds as stipends, making the financial benefits a significant aspect of recognition.
The protest comes via a strongly worded letter from the monarch's counsel, E. Olayiwola Afolabi SAN, dated December 13, 2025, accusing the government of attempting to undermine the authority of Nigeria's apex court.
According to the letter, referenced as EOA/GEN/68/25 and titled “Re: Onogie of Ewu Chieftaincy Dispute: Attempt to Undermine The Supreme Court of Nigeria Delivered in SC. 147/2014 on 19th July, 2024,” the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs issued a directive on December 12, 2025, restoring payment of stipends and benefits due to the Ewu throne to Prince Rasak Yesufu Ogiefo.
Afolabi described the move as “unlawful and an affront on the authority of the Supreme Court of Nigeria,” emphasizing that Prince Ogiefo lost at all three tiers of the judiciary.
In a separate letter to the Acting Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Pauline Irusota Esq., the senior advocate demanded immediate withdrawal of the directive within 48 hours, warning of referral to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee if ignored.
The correspondence was copied to Governor Monday Okpebholo, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Edo State Attorney General.
The chieftaincy dispute in Ewu, located in Esan Central Local Government Area, dates back to August 6, 1997, following the death of the previous Onogie, HRH Isesele Ojeifo II.
Prince Rasak Yesufu Ogiefo, a grandson of the late monarch, claimed entitlement under customary law, while supporters of HRH Jafaru Isesele I argued for primogeniture succession.
The case escalated through the courts, culminating in the Supreme Court's dismissal of Ogiefo's appeal on July 19, 2024, in Suit No. SC/147/2014, affirming Isesele as the rightful Onogie and ordering costs against the appellant.
Despite the ruling, enforcement has been contentious. Earlier in 2025, the monarch and supporters appealed to authorities, including police, to evict Ogiefo from the Ewu palace, where he allegedly remains in occupation.
Contempt proceedings are ongoing against him for non-compliance with the court's order to vacate.
The latest development has raised concerns about respect for judicial authority under the new administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo, who assumed office in November 2024 following the APC's victory in the September gubernatorial election.
Critics fear the alleged restoration of benefits to the defeated claimant could signal political interference in traditional institutions, potentially eroding public trust in the rule of law.
As of now, the Edo State Government has not issued any public response to the allegations or the monarch's protest.
Traditional rulers in Edo State receive a 5% allocation from local government funds as stipends, making the financial benefits a significant aspect of recognition.
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