Breaking: Court Declares Pa Uwanlatei Olopele as the Founder of Opugbini Village

The atmosphere of the Ancient Town of Arogbo is awashed with victorious jubilation as the Grade A Customary Court of Arogbo, on Tuesday, August 6th, 2024, declared the late Pa Uwanlatei Benson Olopele as the original founder and owner of Opugbini village in the kingdom.

The case, filed under Suit No: AICC/94A/2022 in 2022 by the family of the late Pa Uwanlatei Benson Olopele against the family of the late Pa Think Eduh over the ownership of Opugbini, spanned almost two years. The plaintiffs were represented by the prominent Niger Delta human rights lawyer, Olopele Konstante, Esq., while the defendants were represented by the esteemed lawyer, Kariakitei Kokowei, Esq.

When contacted by Arogbo Ibe Voice Reporters, Konstante Olopele, Esq. expressed his happiness over the court’s verdict which obviously went in favour of the Pa. Uwanlatei Olopole’ Family, thanking Almighty God for the landslide victory that affirmed his family’s claim.

“I am happy with the judgment, which has confirmed our family’s victory and declared that Opugbini was founded by our late father, Pa Uwanlatei Benson Olopele. We give the glory and thanks to Almighty God for this victory. From today onwards, we believe that the whole world will now know the truth about the evolutionary history of Opugbini,” he said.

However, Olopele Konstante, Esq. expressed concerns that some of the reliefs sought by his family were not granted by the court, despite the judgment in their favour.

“I am worried that the Court, having held that the plaintiff had proved his case and that our claim succeeded, later refused to grant the relief sought, which demanded that the defendants demolish the concrete tomb/grave and remove the corpse of their late father from Opugbini, which was founded by our father. The Court made this decision because of family bonds and relationships. As far as I am concerned, litigation is litigation, and there is no room for family bonds in open legal confrontation. The refusal to grant that relief and others may prompt us to appeal to a superior Court on that aspect of the judgment, as the principle of law is that the Court only grants the reliefs sought by the plaintiff or parties if the claim succeeds,” Konstante Olopele, Esq. added.

At the time of filing this report, all efforts by Arogbo Ibe Voice Reporters to reach the lawyer for the Defendant Think Eduh family, Kariakitei Kokowei, Esq., for a balanced report were unsuccessful.