A widow, Mrs Doris Okolie, has brought an Asaba-based legal practitioner, Chinedu Ofodum, before the Palace of the Asagba of Asaba, Prof Epiphany Azinge, over allegations of intimidation, oppression, and attempted illegal eviction from her rented apartment.

The incident, which has garnered attention within the Asaba community, revolves around a tenancy dispute at No. 12 Peter Osadebe Street, Asaba, where Mrs Okolie has resided for over two years.

Sharing her ordeal, Mrs Okolie, who hails from Ute-Ogbeje in Ika North-East Local Council of Delta State, accused Ofodum of trying to evict her from the apartment she paid for, despite the tenancy still being valid.

“With all humility as a resident of Asaba, I wish to bring to the notice of Your Majesty the Asagba of Asaba and the general public what my experience has been for the past year,” she stated in a petition to the monarch.

She said, “I paid the sum of N300,000 in May 2023 and moved into a one-room and parlour apartment. Upon moving in, I discovered a sewage pipe leakage.”

According to her, the recurring plumbing issue cost her over N98,000 in multiple repair attempts, even though she reported the problem to the property manager, Barr. Ofodum, who allegedly showed no willingness to fix it.

She further disclosed that in August 2024, the lawyer increased the rent from N300,000 to N400,000 without addressing the plumbing issues.

“I did not object. I paid,” she said. “Then in January 2025, he verbally increased it again to N500,000, which I also paid in May 2025, covering till April 2026.”

“To my shock, Ofodum then called my son to inform him that I must vacate the apartment, without issuing any formal quit notice. Upon questioning, the lawyer insisted on a partial refund, citing a ‘plus and minus’ arrangement to deduct for the time she had lived in the apartment post-payment.

“I told him I was never indebted to him, so why any deduction? Still, he insisted,” she said, adding that she was eventually issued a seven-day quit notice, followed by a court summons where Ofodum allegedly claimed she was a monthly tenant.

“Can N500,000 be the monthly rent?” she asked rhetorically. “This is outright humiliation and oppression. I am appealing to His Royal Majesty and the public to call Barr. Ofodum to order before this leads to a breach of peace.”

When contacted, Ofodum confirmed that the matter is currently in court, adding, “We served her a one-month quit notice. After it expired, we followed up with a seven-day notice, and upon expiration, we filed a claim in court.”

On the issue of refund, he said, “I told her we can do counterbalance, that means deduct what she has used and refund the balance. She refused. We wouldn’t have gone this far if she had agreed.”

Ofodum maintained that regardless of any payment made, the notice served determined the tenancy.

The case is expected to come up in court later this month, even as residents of the area and community leaders await the intervention of the Asagba.