Okere-Urhobo Youth Controversy: Okumagba acted against court order - Group

A community based pressure group, Okere-Urhobo Solidarity Front, OUSF, says the President-General of Okere-Urhobo Kingdom in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, Chief Emmanuel Ono Okumagba, acted against a court order, when he inaugurated a 5-man interim Youth Executive, Friday September 11, to pilot the affairs of Okere-Urhobo for eight weeks, at the expiration of an interim leadership, which administered the youth body for three months.

According to OUSF, members of the 8-week interim executive controversially sworn-in by Chief Emmanuel Okumagba in disregard of the purported court order are: Eto Iteh, Igho Okumagba, Jerry Aduara, Stephen Ukuejuya Oki and Ademola Akimusere.

Leader and Coordinator of Okere-Urhobo Solidarity Front, Comrade Lucky Ibiri in a press statement, cited an interlocutory injunction obtained Tuesday September 8, from a Delta State High Court sitting in Warri with suit No. W/159/2020 as the basis for faulting Chief Okumagba’s action.

He claimed that the court presided over by Her Lordship, Honourable Justice CI Dafe, in the interlocutory injunction, barred Chief Okumagba from inaugurating another interim executive for Okere-Urhobo youth body.

The case was reportedly instituted by Apostle Isaac A.M Eraivor, Emu Aghogho Eburu, for themselves and on behalf of the Executive of Okere-Urhobo Development Movement and Chief Gideon Okumagba, Claimants/Applicants, against Chief Emmanuel Okumagba as Defendant/ Respondent.

While stating that since the controversial inauguration by Chief Okumagba, there have been unrest in Okere-Urhobo as gun shots, destruction of properties and intimidation have enveloped the kingdom, OUSF appealed to the Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area, Dr. Michael Tidi, to urgently intervene in-line with the court order as well as justice and fairness, to avert escalation of the crisis.