Egbema stool: Court strikes out protracted suit

A high court sitting in Port Harcourt has struck out a consolidated suit over a dispute on the occupant of the traditional paramount stools of Nze Obi of Egbema community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government area of Rivers state.

The suit which was instituted since 2001 by two aggrieved contenders to the throne was struck out on the basis of incompetence as they did not exhaust section 16 subsection 1 of the traditional laws of Rivers state before heading to court.

Justice Sogbere Biambo in his ruling noted that the stool which is a government-recognized stool cannot be subjected to a premature process and cannot be heard except all settlements between parties and the Rivers state ministry of chieftaincy affairs failed.

Speaking to journalists after the Judgement, counsel to the first defendant Amabebe Nsirim said the claimant did not take appropriate steps as noted by the court and as such his client Eze Evaristus Amuda remains the Nze Obi of Egbema.

On his part Charles Opara counsel to the second defendant said they would go back for a fresh action.

Also, Evaristus Amuda while hailing the court Judgement called on all aggrieved parties to join him and move Egbema foreward.

The Egbema traditional stool covers over forty communities and has been in contention since 2009.