FACES OF THE JUDGES THAT CONFIRMED THAT OKERE AND ODION LANDS WERE FOUNDED BY THE URHOBOS
PICTURE 1. JUSTICE A.A ADEMOLA
(Then a Magistrate but later became the Chief justice of Nigeria in 1959)
In Suit number W/72/1939 Okoh Eyekpimi vs Abeke & itete Ereku on a case of trespass and restrictive injunction against the defendants who are children of Ereku. In the judgement delivered on 22nd of March 1940, the then Magistrate A A ADEMOLA affirmed the oral history narrated by Pa Okoh Eyekpimi of how Odion was founded by the Urhobos and how Ereku came to Odion and was given land to settle.
The then Magistrate A A ADEMOLA in 1939 described these two children of EREKU as
"opportunist who are ready to snatch land from Pa Okoh Eyekpimi an old man, under a belief that in his old age he would be indifferent and would take no serious step against them"
He went further to state that "The Erekus have no defense to this action and they came to court to bolster a case which they themselves know has no iota of truth"
He finally awarded judgement in the favor of Pa Okoh Eyekpimi of Odion Urhobo community and awarded a damage cost of €12 ( twelve pounds) and a cost of €23.12 pounds against Abeke Ereku and itete Ereku ( See Picture 6,7, 8 & 9)
PICTURE 2. JUSTICE E.A EKERUCHE
On the 17th day of July 1973 Justice Ekeruche delivered a judgement in a case with suit number W/48/1968 D. O IDUNDUN & ORS VS DANIEL OKUMAGBA on the ownership of lands in Okere.
The learned Justice E. A Ekeruche having meticulously studied the evidence & witnesess of both the Urhobos and the itsekiris concluded that the Ekpenede/Ogitsi story of how Okere was founded is a fabrication with the intent to grab land. The Judge affirmed that Okere was founded by Sowhoruvwe Owhotemu and Idama who are three Urhobo brothers before other people came to join them and he also agreed with the version of the Urhobos on how Ogitsi came to Okere.
Additionally the case of Odion lands also popped up in this W/48/68 D.O Idundun & ors Vs Daniel Okumagba and Justice Ekeruche affirm that the Urhobos who founded Odion settled in their land freely and conclusively they are not tenants to anyone. (See picture 10,11,12,13 & 14)
PICTURE 3,4 & 5. JUSTICE ATANDA FATAI WILLIAMS (JSC), JUSTICE MOHAMED BELLO AND JUSTICE ANDREW OTUTU OBASEKI
In a judgement of the supreme court on October 8th, 1976 in Suit number SC/309/74 these Justice of the supreme court of Nigeria affirmed the Judgement of the lower court of Justice E.A Ekeruche on the Urhobo ownership of both Odion and Okere. (See picture 15 & 16)
Both the Judgement of the then Magistrate A A ADEMOLA and that of Justice E.A Ekeruche affirmed by the supreme court justices conformed with the reality on ground as the Urhobos in Okere and Odion were in actual & physical possession of the land and are also exercising the necessary ownership rights over their land.
In the wisdom of the Urhobos of Odion and Okere they added Urhobo to the name of their land to distinguish their land from that of their itsekiri tenants who they gave portion of lands to settle.
Hence their lands are now known as ODION URHOBO & OKERE URHOBO. Both Odion Urhobo and Okere Urhobo are under the traditional authoritily of THE OROSUEN OF OKERE URHOBO KINGDOM
WE HAVE EFFECTIVELY ESTABLISHED BY THE ALL THE NECESSARY COURT JUDGEMENT & DOCUMENTS THAT THE URHOBOS ARE THE ORIGINAL FOUNDERS & OWNERS OF BOTH ODION & OKERE LAND.
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