Asari Dokubo urges respect for judgment, as court ends 100-year dispute between Rivers communities

By Daniel Abia

Port Harcourt — A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has brought a century-old land ownership dispute between Usokun and Obuama communities in Degema Local Government Area to a close, dismissing a suit filed by Usokun Community over the disputed Obupiri land.

Justice David Gbasam, who presided over the matter, struck out Suit No. DHC/76/CS/2020, filed by Usokun Community on May 6, 2020, on the grounds of res judicata, ruling that the issue had already been conclusively determined by competent courts.

The court held that ownership of the disputed Obupiri land had previously been awarded to Obuama Community in Suit No. 164/38, decided in 1938, and ruled that the fresh action amounted to an abuse of the judicial process.

Following the judgment, counsel to Obuama Community, S.V. Harry, informed the court that he would not seek costs against Usokun Community despite the outcome. The court subsequently made no order as to costs.

Reacting to the judgment, King Asari Dokubo, Dabaye Amakiri I, Amanyanabo of Torusarama Piri, Elem Kalabari, described the ruling as a major relief and urged all parties to respect the decision of the court.

The monarch expressed hope that the judgment would end years of litigation and tension between the two communities.

“We are very happy. It is a great relief. We believe this act of provocation will stop for some time. We know they are likely to appeal, and we are fully prepared for that,” he said.

He maintained that Obuama Community remained committed to peaceful coexistence but insisted that peace must be built on respect for established legal rights.

“We have always been magnanimous in victory. If they want peace, we are ready for peace. But we cannot surrender our ancestral rights in the name of peace,” he added.

King Dokubo recalled that the dispute had generated several court cases over the decades, beginning from 1923, with subsequent legal battles in 1925, 1932, 1935, 1938 and the latest suit filed in 2020.

According to him, successive court judgments had consistently affirmed Obuama’s ownership of the disputed land.

He further stated that Obuama leaders had demonstrated commitment to peaceful relations, citing a recent instance where members of the opposing community who were convicted in a criminal matter received leniency after appeals for mitigation from Obuama representatives.

The traditional ruler expressed confidence that any further legal challenge would be resolved in favour of Obuama Community, saying the community had always relied on due process and judicial pronouncements to protect its rights.

The judgment is expected to have significant implications for the long-running boundary and land ownership dispute between the neighbouring communities, though legal observers noted that the matter could still proceed to the Court of Appeal if Usokun Community chooses to challenge the ruling.