The prolonged legal tussle over the Ogwashi-Uku royal stool has finally been laid to rest as the Supreme Court on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, delivered a decisive ruling upholding the victory of the Umu Obi Obahai Royal Family.
In the case marked SC/CV/1036/2022, the apex court struck out the appeal filed by the Umu Dieyi Family, represented by Chief Francis Njokanma, Felix Izediunor, Wilson Izediunor, and others, against Prince Thomas Mowete and members of the Umu Obi Obahai lineage.
This latest action by the Umu Dieyi Family marked a second attempt to reopen a matter already concluded by the Supreme Court in 2022, when the court ruled firmly in favour of the Umu Obi Obahai Royal Family and dismissed their earlier appeal.
Despite the clarity of that ruling, the Dieyi faction went back to the apex court in August 2022, but the Supreme Court, in its latest judgment, found the renewed appeal to be without merit and dismissed it entirely.
Legal analysts have condemned the repeated legal manoeuvres as a deliberate effort to sow doubt within the Ogwashi-Uku community, despite the conclusive nature of earlier court decisions.
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Reacting to the verdict, Prince Onyema Okonjo, who spoke on behalf of the Umu Obi Obahai Royal Family, welcomed the ruling and praised the judiciary for upholding what he described as a long-established truth.
“We are grateful to the Supreme Court for standing firm on justice. This confirms that there are no longer any legal grounds to dispute the position of the Umu Obi Obahai Royal Family on the throne.
“It is time for healing, not further division,” he stated.
He called on members of the Umu Dieyi Family to respect the decision of the apex court and cease actions that may destabilize the community, warning against the continued trespassing or disobedience of lawful orders.
“We will not condone further provocations or any conduct that undermines the authority of the law or the peace of our kingdom,” Prince Okonjo added.
The family also lauded their lead counsel, Chief Arthur Okafor (SAN), for his exceptional handling of the legal proceedings and dedication to the case.
This judgment is widely seen as a stabilising development for Ogwashi-Uku, a kingdom where royal disputes have often sparked tension.
With the Supreme Court drawing a clear line under the matter, legal commentators agree that any further legal challenge would likely be deemed an abuse of judicial process.
