The Court of Appeal sitting in Benin, Edo State, has declared Chief Hycinth Afamefune Okolie, the authentic Ihonor of Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State.
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The Chieftaincy title was the third in the hierarchy of traditional titles in the Kingdom after the Obi and the Iyase.

Chief Okolie had won the contest for the coveted title after a fierce contest in 2008 but unsatisfied with the emergence of Chief Okolie as the Ihonor, two of the contestants, Borniface Anyibuofu and Augustine Nwaeke Okeibunor, headed to the high court, seeking to quash his nomination.

The two contestants at various times, in Suits nos. 0/35/2008 between Roland Okolie and five others vs Hycinth Okolie; 0/5/2009 between Augustine Nwaeke Okeibunor and seven others vs Obi (Prof) Aninshi Okonjo and Hycinth Okolie; 0/14/2010 between Diokpa Igwebuike Ntoka and three others vs Attorney General of Delta State, Local Government and Chieftaincy affairs, Diokpa Nkwor Vincent Ezieshi and Hycinth Okolie as well as 0/21/2014 between Augustine Nwaeke Okeibunor and six others vs Obi (Prof) Aninshi Chukwuka Okonjo and Hycinth Okolie, sought the courts’ nod to quash the nomination.

The matter was latter brought before the Appeal Court in a case No. CA/AS/174/2018, where judgment was delivered in favour of Chief Okolie.

Indigenes of Ogwashi-Uku, who were at the Court premises hoped that the judgment will engender peace in the Kingdom.

The court judgement was coming on the heels of a similar judgment over the Iyase title, the second most powerful title in the Kingdom.

High Chief Mike Nwaukoni who was installed as the Iyase in 2004 had his installation challenged in 2008 following the enthronement of Professor Aninshi Okonjo as the Obi of the town.

The legal fireworks that ensued climaxed at the Supreme Court, where it was decided by the Justices of the apex court that Onowu Mike Nwaukoni was the authentic Iyase of Ogwashi-Uku.
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