AGBARAGU EMERGES NBA OLEH BRANCH CHAIRMAN, PLEDGES TO STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIP WITH JUDICIARY FOR A JUST SOCIETY: AN INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY TIMOTHY AGBARAGU, ESQ.
Newly sworn-in Executive Officers of NBA Oleh Branch taking the oath of office. From the left: Benjamin Orieghe (Publicity Secretary), Jude Itedjere (Secretary), Timothy Agbaragu (Chairman), Mrs Okemena Okole (Vice Chairman), and Daniel Onianwa (Treasurer). The newly sworn-in Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Oleh Branch, Timothy Agbaragu, has pledged to foster synergy with the Judiciary to ensure the swift dispensation of justice within the jurisdiction. Agbaragu made this commitment today in Oleh, the headquarters of the Iso…
DR TOLU ADEREMI DEMANDS JUSTICE AND URGES THE NBA TO TAKE ACTION OVER THE ALLEGED POLICE KILLING IN EFFURUN.
Dr Tolu Aderemi has strongly condemned the reported killing of a young Delta State indigene by a police officer, describing the incident as a grave violation of justice and human dignity, and calling for urgent institutional accountability. The legal practitioner, who currently serves as Chairman of the NBA Lagos Branch Law Reform and Monitoring Committee and is a Partner at Perchstone & Graeys, expressed deep concern over the gruesome event said to have occurred in Effurun, Delta State. The incident, which has circulated widely in a dis…
JUSTICE IS NOT A SUMMARY PROCESS | Clementina E. Ukiri, Esq.
The viral video from Delta State showing the extrajudicial execution of a suspect is not just a "police matter"; it is a direct assault on our collective humanity and the Rule of Law. As a legal practitioner and someone deeply committed to the peace and stability of our society, my heart bleeds. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is clear: every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. When a law enforcement officer decides to be the prosecutor, the judge, and the ex…
PRESS STATEMENT: ASSAULT ON WOMEN: JUSTICE MUST PREVAIL | Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas
Yesterday, I visited His Royal Majesty, Anthony Ogbogbo Ibuka I, the Ovie of Ozoro Kingdom, at his palace in Ozoro to express my solidarity with the kingdom and, most importantly, with the victims of the deeply troubling incident that occurred during a festival in Oramudu Community, Ozoro Kingdom—the headquarters of Isoko North Local Government Area, Delta State. This visit provided me with first-hand insight into the events that transpired and reinforced my unwavering commitment to justice and the protection of women’s dignity. Let me begi…
SEXUAL ASSAULT ON WOMEN AT OZORO FESTIVAL IS A NATIONAL DISGRACE.
A society reveals its true character in how it treats its women. Where women are chased, stripped, groped, violated, and publicly humiliated by mobs under the guise of celebration, what is on display is not culture. It is barbarity. It is a collapse of conscience. It is a stain on our shared humanity. The deeply disturbing reports emerging from a recent festival in Ozoro, Delta State, are not just troubling; they are horrifying. Women were allegedly accosted in broad daylight, forcefully stripped of their clothing, sexually assaulted, and su…
NBA EFFURUN BRANCH SET TO CELEBRATE LANDMARK 10TH ANNIVERSARY WITH THREE-DAY EXTRAVAGANZA | Clementina E. Ukiri, Esq.
EFFURUN, DELTA STATE – The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Effurun Branch, is gearing up for a historic milestone as it celebrates its 10th-Year Anniversary Ceremony from Friday, 20 February to Sunday, 22 February 2026. Under the leadership of the Branch Chairman, Dcn. Onoriode Ewenode, the 'Bar of the People' has curated a robust three-day itinerary designed to blend professional development, community outreach and social networking. The event will be held under the distinguished chairmanship of Hon. Justice T.O. Diai, the Chief …
ISOKO NATION: OUR TRADITION IS NOT A RECEIPT. | Clementina E. Ukiri, Esq.
For 14 hours, we have unpacked the uncomfortable truths behind the Isoko Bride Price and the Eri Culture. From the spiritual double standards in Isoko Land to the financial "Marriage Lists" that drain our young men, the message is clear: It is time for reform. We have explored: 1️⃣ The Spiritual Cage: Why should a woman face "ancestral arrest" while a man remains immune? ⚖️ 2️⃣ The Price Tag: Why a high bride price turns a partner into a "purchased asset". 💰 3️⃣ The Reform: How we can transition to a…
PROPOSAL FOR THE REFORM OF MARRIAGE CUSTOMS IN ISOKO LAND | Clementina E. Ukiri, Esq.
To: The Isoko Development Union (IDU) & Traditional Rulers of Isoko Nation From: Clementina E. Ukiri, Esq. (De Dominus Litis, and Advocate Ithihikpebe, of Emede Community) Subject: Transitioning from Transactional Bride Price to Symbolic Union and the Abolition of Discriminatory Eri Practices. 1. The Executive Summary For centuries, the Isoko marriage has been defined by the payment of a bride price. While intended to honour the family, it has evolved into a system that commodifies women and creates a spiritual double stan…
ISOKO NATION: IT IS TIME TO TALK! | Clementina E. Ukiri, Esq.
Is Marriage a Partnership or a Purchase? For too long, we have hidden behind "tradition" to justify the high cost of marriage and the scary culture of Eri . It is time to speak the truth. 1. Why the "Marriage List" is Hurting Us Our young men are being shamed as "boys" just because they cannot afford a ₦1 Million list. This forces couples into cohabitation without protection. We are draining the savings of our children before they even start their lives together! 2. The " Eri " Double Standard …
THE PRICE OF TRADITION: WHY ISOKO LAND MUST EVOLVE BEYOND THE BRIDE PRICE AND ERI CULTURE | Clementina E. Ukiri, Esq.
In the social hierarchy of the Isoko people, a man’s status is often tethered to a receipt. The age-old mandate, "Boys cohabit, men marry", has long served as a moral compass, but the needle is stuck on a transactional north. Today, the "manhood" of an Isoko husband is judged by his ability to fulfil an increasingly expensive marriage list and pay a bride price that activates a complex, and often discriminatory, spiritual contract known as Eri . As we navigate 2026, it is time for a radical re-evaluation. We must ask: Is…
FROM TRANSACTION TO TRANSFORMATION: DECONSTRUCTING THE BRIDE PRICE AND ERI CULTURE IN ISOKO LAND | Clementina E. Ukiri, Esq.
In the heart of the Niger Delta, the Isoko man is raised with a proverbially etched mandate: "Boys cohabit, men marry." For centuries, this "marriage" has been validated by a singular act: the payment of the bride price. While framed as a gesture of honour, deeper research into the customs of Eri and Ese-emo reveals a system that often functions more as a mechanism of spiritual surveillance and gender-based discrimination than a celebration of love. The Spiritual Architecture of Inequality To understand why the br…
THE PRICE OF SILENCE: WHY ISOKO WOMEN AND MOTHERS MUST LEAD THE MOVEMENT TO ABOLISH THE BRIDE PRICE | Clementina E. Ukiri, Esq.
For decades, the Isoko woman has been told that the bride price is her "value". Mothers tell their daughters that a high price reflects a high worth, and that the elaborate ceremonies are the only path to dignity. But beneath the celebratory gin and the expensive George fabrics lies a silent, spiritual cage. It is time for a new movement. It is time for Isoko women, the very gatekeepers of this tradition, to recognise that the bride price is not a gift; it is the financial anchor of a patriarchal system that views them as assets r…
THE MODERN ISOKO MARRIAGE CHARTER: A COVENANT OF EQUALITY, RESPECT, AND SHARED FOUNDATION | Clementina E. Ukiri, Esq.
This Charter serves as a voluntary agreement between the Groom’s Family, the Bride’s Family, and the Couple. It honours Isoko identity while rejecting the commodification of women and the spiritual double standards of Eri . I. The Declaration of Intent We, the undersigned families, come together not to "sell" or "purchase", but to witness the union of two independent adults. We acknowledge that: Marriage is a partnership of equals, not a transfer of property. The woman is a co-founder of the new home, not a ward …
THE MANIFESTO OF THE PRICELESS ISOKO WOMAN | Clementina E. Ukiri, Esq.
This manifesto is a call to conscience for every mother, daughter, and sister in Isoko Land. It is a declaration of independence from the transactional rites that have, for too long, defined our worth by a receipt and our fidelity by the threat of death. WE DECLARE: 1. Our Value is Inherent, Not Appraised We reject the notion that a "Marriage List" or a "Bride Price" determines our standing in the community. We are not commodities to be liquidated to "recoup" the cost of our upbringing. Our education and c…
.jpeg)
NIGERIAN SENATE PASSED THE BILL FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FEDERAL OIL AND GAS HOSPITAL, BENIKRUKRU, WARRI SOUTH-WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, DELTA. STATE.
Dear Esteemed Constituents, It is with great joy that I inform you that the Bill for the Establishment of the Federal Oil and Gas Hospital, Benikrukru in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, which I sponsored, has on Tuesday, 22nd July 2025, been passed for third reading by the Nigerian Senate. The hospital, when established, will offer comprehensive and specialised medical services to workers in the oil and gas industry and to residents of host communities who bear the brunt of oil spillages, environmental degradation, and o…
.jpeg)
DELTA STATE CHIEF JUDGE GRANTS BAIL TO DIAGNOSED KIDNEY PATIENT INMATE, PLEDGES FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
The Chief Judge of Delta State, Honourable Justice Tessy Diai, has directed the Chief Registrar to arrange a three months financial assistance to enable the management of the prison to care for an inmate diagnosed with liver and suspected kidney failure at the Kwale Custodial Centre. The inmate, Mr. David Olori, 48, has been in custody since December 2022 on the charge of murder. According to the nurse of the centre, Olori was diagnosed with suspected kidney failure at the Central Hospital and required further investigation and treatment at …
JUSTICE OJUGBANA-ORISHEDERE STEPS IN AS THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF THE CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, DELTA STATE.
5th from right: Chief Judge, Honourable Justice Tessy Diai; Governor Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa; Retiring President of the Customary Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Patience Onuwa Elumeze, and judicial officers of Delta Judiciary, AG Mr. Isaiah Bozimo, Esq. shortly after a valedictory court session in honour of Hon. Justice Patience Onuwa Elumeze at the High Court complex, Asaba. The Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa has sworn in Honourable Justice Ojugbana-Orishedere as the acting President of the Customary Court of Appeal, De…
.jpeg)
DELTA STATE CHIEF JUDGE GRANTS TWO INMATES FREEDOM AT SAPELE CUSTODIAL CENTRE. | Agbaragu Timothy.
The State Chief Judge, Honourable Justice Tessy Diai, has released two inmates, Abubakar Abdullahi and Ufuoma Victor, from the Sapele Custodial Centre as she commenced the first quarter of the 2023 jail delivery exercise yesterday. Abubakar Abdullahi had been in a detention facility since 2020 for the alleged offence of conspiracy, kidnapping, and armed robbery while Ufuoma Victor who was allegedly accused of the same offence had been in custody since 2022. According to the Chief Judge, the court has struck out the same case involving two oth…
.jpeg)
POSTPONEMENT OF THE CHIEF JUDGE'S VISIT TO WARRI CUSTODIAL CENTRE. | Agbaragu Timothy
The chief judge's visit to the Warri Custodial Centre earlier scheduled for Tuesday 21st to Wednesday 22nd March 2023 has been postponed to Tuesday 2nd to Wednesday 3rd of May, 2023. A statement by the chief registrar, High Court of Justice, Asaba Obomejero Aforkeya, Esq. disclosed that the postponement was occasioned by the closeness of the Gubernatorial and Houses of Assembly elections to the earlier scheduled date. The statement added that the Chief Judge's visit to other custodial centres remained as scheduled. It urged lawyers, th…
.jpeg)
DELTA STATE CHIEF JUDGE TO COMMENCE THE JAIL DELIVERY EXERCISE FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE YEAR.
Delta State Chief Judge, Honourable Justice Tessy Diai, will commence the jail delivery exercise for the first quarter of 2023 on Tuesday, March 21st to the five custodial centres of the Nigerian Correctional Service across the state, and the Sapele Remand Home. According to the itinerary of the Honourable Chief Judge's visit released by the office of the Chief Registrar, High Court of Justice, Delta State, Justice Diai, will begin the exercise with the Custodial Centre, Warri (popularly known as Okere prison) on Tuesday, March 21st to Wed…
