A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has finally settled a 100-year-old land ownership conflict between the Usokun and Obuama communities of Degema. Justice David Gbasam dismissed the 2020 lawsuit brought by the Usokun people, citing the principle of res judicata. The judge determined that the matter was already resolved by a 1938 ruling that granted the Obupiri land to the Obuama community, deeming the new case an abuse of the judicial process.
Following the decision, Obuama’s lawyer, S.V. Harry, declined to request legal costs. King Asari Dokubo, the Amanyanabo of Torusarama Piri, welcomed the judgment as a source of relief and encouraged both sides to abide by the verdict. He noted that the history of this dispute traces back to 1923, with multiple rulings consistently favoring Obuama. While expressing a desire for peaceful coexistence, the monarch stated that the community is prepared to defend its ancestral rights if the opposition decides to appeal.
