By Innocent Anaba

Prominent chiefs of South-Ibie, Estako West Local Government Area of Edo State, have urged Alhaji Aliu Danesi to stop parading himself as the monarch of South-Ibie Kingdom by obeying several court judgments to that effect, noting that his action was tantamount to contempt of court.

The traditional chiefs, who briefed newsmen in Lagos, yesterday, wondered why Alhaji Danesi was still addressing himself as a monarch despite all the court judgments against him. They added that Danesi’s penchant for disobeying court orders had become legendary.

Roll call
The chiefs, on behalf of the village head of Sabo, South-Ibie were Chief Felix Ikhasuagbe; Daudu of Iyerhekhu Village, South- Ibie, Chief Umoru Enakele; Secretary of the Royal Palace of South-Ibie, Alhaji Musa Ibraheem; Professor Inusa Bello, Imam of Al-Hikman University, Ilorin, and a prominent member of the Ogiator ruling house.

They traced the various judgments that had been delivered, restraining Danesi from parading himself as the Aidonogie of South-Ibie Kingdom.

Judgments
The chiefs quoted a Benin High Court judgment of June 29, 1999, which held that “having held supra that Alhaji Danesi is not qualified to be selected, presented, appointed and installed clan head (Aidonogie) of South-Ibie, he is hereby restrained by way of perpetual injunction from parading and holding himself out as the Aidonogie of South-Ibie clan.”

They also recalled that of the Court of Appeal dated April 7, 2003, which held that “the selection, presentation, appointment and/or production of Alhaji Danesi as the clan head of Aidonogie of Iyakpi South-Ibie by Danesi branch of Okhokho ruling house is hereby declared null, void, unconstitutional and of no legal effect.”

According to Professor Bello, aside these two court verdicts, there was another court ruling delivered by Justice Igbodalo of Benin High Court on May 13, 2009, restraining Alhaji Danesi from parading himself as Aidonogie of South-Ibie.

He said in another recent case on Friday, March 23, 2013, Justice E. Ikpomwen of the Benin High Court chided Alhaji Denesi for his attitude of disobeying court orders.

In a libel suit instituted by Alhaji Danesi against some prominent chiefs in South-Ibie, the judge said: “Judgment would not be delivered where the claimant has deliberately flouted the order of the Court of Appeal by describing himself as the Aidonogie of South-Ibie,” and went on to describe Danesi’s action as “offensive and contemptuous.”

The court added that “consequently, it is ordered that any subsequent processes filed unto court in respect of this order for dismissal must not bear the acronym ‘HRH’ and the claimant must not describe himself the Aidonogie of South-Ibie.”

NJC petition
However, the chiefs faulted threat by Danesi’s to petition the National Judicial Council against Justice Ikpomwen, adding that such action would expose the impunity with which Danesi and his lawyers have been treating court orders.

Bello said: “The most unfortunate thing is that Danesi keeps on misleading everyone that he is a lawyer, when he does not even know the basic attribute of a lawyer— that of respecting court judgments and pronouncements.

“Rather, he prefers to take on the courts and the judiciary on the pages of newspapers.”