The Aidonogie of South Ibie, Etsako West Local Government Area, Edo State, HRH Umoru Inusa Umoru, has debunked the claim by Mr. Aliyu Kelvin Danesi as the authentic Aidonogie of South Ibie land, as false.
In a press statement by HRH Umoru Inusa Umoru seen by the Nigerian Observer, Mr. Danesi had claimed, among others things, that the community should disregard his removal as the Aidonogie of South Ibie as he is still the Aidonogie of South Ibie; No law or court has ever removed him as the Aidonogie of South Ibie; The new chieftaincy law enacted on 2006 qualified him to occupy the stool of Aidonogie of South Ibie.
Furthermore, that his removal by the Edo State government was politically motivated and the action of the government amounted to “executive lawlessness”, and he obtained ex parte orders restraining the government from disturbing him as the Aidonogie of South Ibie.
According to HRH Umoru, in the press statement, “My attention has been drawn to the press conference granted by Mr Aliyu Kelvin Danesi, which was widely published on different print and electronic media, where in summary, Mr Danesi stated…
“The entirety of Mr Aliyu Kelvin Danesi’s contentions above is deliberately false and misleading. As I shall show below, Mr Danesi was never the Aidonogie of South Ibie; he merely usurped the stool of the Aidonogie of South Ibie and forcefully and illegally imposed himself on the people for over 25 years.
“Mr Danesi has always been rejected by the custom, the law and the people. My appointment and recognition by the Government is merely the liberation of the good people of South Ibie from Mr. Danesi shenanigans, the enthronement of rule of law and the enforcement of multiple decisions of the different hierarchies of courts as explained in the succeeding subheadings and paragraphs.”
HRH Umoru showed court decisions nullifying Mr. Danesi’s appointment, saying that Danesi’s claim is specifically untrue and manipulative, as “the courts did not just merely remove Mr. Danesi as the Aidonogie of South Ibie, the courts nullified his appointment as the Aidonogie of South Ibie.”
By the nullification, in the eyes of the law, Mr. Danesi in fact was never appointed or installed as the Aidonogie of South Ibie, the numerous court decisions are considered below, he said (Judgement of Justice Sadoh of the High Court of Edo State in consolidated Suit Nos: B/226/1998 and B/227/1998).
“In the instant case, having duly considered the evidence adduced by the parties and their witnesses, I hold that the selection of Alhaji Aliyu kelvin Danesi does not comply with the registered Declaration regulating the succession to the clan head Aidonogie of South Ibie. See exhibit B2. I therefore declare his selection, appointment as well as the approval by the Edo State government invalid, null and void.”
Also see, judgement of Justice Muntaka-Coomassie JCA in Appeal Number CA/B/9/2001 – Mr. Danesi appealed the decision of Justice Sadoh to the Court of Appeal. On 7 April 2003, the Court of Appeal, in the main, rejected the appeal and Justice Muntaka-Coomassie JCA while delivering the unanimous decision of the Court of Appeal, at page 16 of the judgement, specifically declared and ordered as follows:
“That the selection, presentation, appointment and/or production of Alhaji Inusa kelvin Danesi as the Clan Head or Aidonogie of IYAKPI, South Ibie by the Danesi branch of Okhokho Ruling House is hereby declared null, void unconstitutional and of no effect”.
On the claim of ex parte orders, “As shown above, all the hierarchies of the Courts (from the High Court to the Supreme Court), at least, 6 different courts have held that Mr. Danesi is not the Aidonogie of South Ibie.
“In fact as described by Justice Omonua, Mr. Danesi’s appointment as the Aidonogie of South Ibie is deeded in the eyes of the law “never took place”. Yet, in 2024, Mr. Danesi commenced yet another case, concealed the above different decisions of various courts which declared his appointment as a nullity, and got the court to issue ex parte interim orders in his favour even before the Government and I were aware of the case and before any defendant were served with the documents of that suit.”
In all, the general public is advised to disregard Mr. Danesi lawless and ill-advised press conference as he is not, and had never been, the Aidonogie of South Ibie, according to HRH Umoru.
