STAKEHOLDERS REJECT APPEAL COURT RULING ON ONEH-EH NCHIA STOOL, DECLARE SUPPORT FOR OKPABI

By Nwafor Oji Awala 

Traditional stakeholders of Nchia District in Eleme Local Government Area convened on Friday at the royal court of Oneh-eh Nchia, Obarijima Palace in Ogale, to express firm opposition to the recent Appeal Court judgment that reaffirmed King Appolus Chu as the Oneh-eh Nchia X of Eleme Kingdom. The gathering, called by His Royal Highness, Emere Godwin Bebe Okpabi, drew together paramount rulers of the clans that make up Nchia, land priests, youth leaders, women chiefs, and other traditional figures.

The meeting followed the June 13, 2025 decision of the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, which dismissed all six grounds of appeal filed by Chief Bebe Okpabi under case number CA/PH/370/2023. The court upheld the earlier ruling of the Rivers State High Court, validating King Appolus Chu’s position as the Oneh-eh Nchia and affirming that the process followed aligned with local customs.

However, at the stakeholders’ meeting, discontent was widespread. Speaker after speaker rejected the ruling, insisting that it did not reflect the traditions and customs of the Nchia people. They argued that the selection and installation of a traditional ruler should remain the exclusive preserve of the community and not be influenced by financial power or external influence.

The women chiefs, under the leadership of Chief Mrs. Ada Gokpa, pledged their full allegiance to Emere Godwin Bebe Okpabi. They recounted their historical loyalty to past Oneh-eh Nchia rulers and emphasized that their loyalty now rests firmly with Okpabi, whom they regard as the legitimately selected and installed ruler. Gokpa recalled moments when the women rallied in protest following legal pronouncements that threatened Okpabi’s position, underscoring the depth of their support.

Prince Awalanta Ejire, the first son of the late King S. O. Ejire (former Oneh-eh Eleme), and former council chairman, drew parallels between the current situation and the traditional process that brought his father to power. He noted that only clan heads are traditionally eligible for the stool, and that the selection process that produced Okpabi followed that path. He challenged the selection committee and delegates involved in the 2020 process to stand by the outcome and defend the cultural values they upheld.

The land priests of Ogale and Alesa clans, Chiefs Fortune Olaka Obe and Onura Okereke, respectively, also expressed solidarity with Okpabi. They declared their commitment to defending the legitimacy of the stool and ensuring the continuity of the traditions it represents.

In his opening remarks, Emere Godwin Bebe Okpabi outlined the history of his emergence as Oneh-eh Nchia X. He stated that after the elevation of HRM King Philip Obele to the Oneh-eh Eleme stool, the Nchia Council of Chiefs began a selection process in October 2019, culminating in his selection and installation in 2020. Okpabi maintained that the process was documented, witnessed by land priests, and endorsed by representatives of all six clans.

He expressed concern that political and cultural elites have remained silent as the sanctity of the Oneh-eh Nchia stool comes under threat. According to him, the issue transcends personal ambition and touches the core of Eleme heritage and legacy. He reminded those in attendance of similar past legal battles involving the Oneh-eh Eleme stool, which were successfully defended up to the Supreme Court.

The embattled ruler confirmed that his legal team has already taken steps to challenge the Appeal Court judgment at the Supreme Court, including filing for a stay of execution.

As the meeting ended, the unified message from the Nchia stakeholders was unmistakable: the traditional processes that brought Okpabi to the stool must be upheld, and the legal battle would continue until the Oneh-eh Nchia stool is secured in accordance with the customs of the Eleme people.