The news that the former Chairman of the Rivers State Traditional Council, Amachree XI, Amanyanabo of Kalabari Kingdom and Commander of the Federal Republic His Majesty, king Prof Theophilous J T Princewill CFR has been dethroned by the Supreme Court as the Amanayabo of Kalabari has been described as false and Malicious.
The Counsel to king TJT Princewill, Barr Faye Dikio SAN while reacting to a Newspaper report by one of the Port Harcourt based papers, BEACON NEWSPAPER last Friday in Port Harcourt, said there was no truth whatsoever in the publication which was only targeted at tarnishing the image of his client and also cause confusion and Panic in the Kalabari kingdom and beyond.
Barr Dikio explained that what transpired in the proceedings of Appeal No SC.249/2011 before the Supreme Court on Monday, 25th of February 2013 was not for hearing of the substantive suit, but an Appeal by Chief O.T.K.D Amachree as Appellant against Chief MacDonald O Abbi, His Majesty TJT Princewill, Chief Dagogo Princewill and Chief S.O Princewill.
He further explained that the Appellant filed two motions which were listed for that day, 25th February, 2013.
According to him, one of the motions was for the striking out of the names of Chief Dagogo Princewill and Chief S.O Princewill who were deceased and other prayers.
Dikio said the prayer to strike out the names of the deceased respondents was granted and others were struck out upon withdrawal.
The Counsel also informed the press that the second motion for leave to file additional grounds of appeal was also withdrawn to be refiled.
“I give it to you to note that there was no order and there could not have been any judgment on the appeal that has not been heard. His Majesty also has his Appeal in the Supreme Court against the same judgement of the Court of Appeal delivered on 23rd May 2011 with a Motion for stay of execution still pending before the apex court”, he said.
The Counsel said His Majesty’s Appeal No SC.248/2011 was not listed for the 25th of February 2013 and also not been heard due to many other Appeals before it.
According to him, the motions struck out by a panel of five supreme Court justice headed by Justice Walter Onnoghan has no effect on the substantive suit on whether King Princewill was rightly crown as the Amanayabo of Kalabari and subsequently recognised by the government.
He regretted that the publication failed to verify the veracity of the facts before going to the press, noting that all what the said Newspaper published were false, Malicious and was intended to cause chaos and disaffection in the Kalabari Kingdom with the intention to disturb the peace and loyalty enjoyed by His Majesty,King TJT Princewill and the Kalabari people.
He however noted that the publication 26th February succeeded more in causing panic among his people and subjected the king to anguish pain and mental torture.
Barr.Dikio said his Chambers has formerly written to the publisher to take urgent steps to retracting the false story and state the true facts of the case to the public. His letter to the Management of Beacon is attached while his account of the issues at stake is displayed below.
Hon. Tamunotroko Prince Dateme, JP.
Secretary to the Amanyanbo of Kalabari Kingdom
FAYE DIKIO & ASSOCIATES
Legal Practitioners & Arbitrators
OBAZI CHAMBERS,
No. 7 Aba Road (3rd Floor)
Port Harcourt,
Rivers State,
Nigeria.
FALSE AND MALICIOUS PUBLICATION IN THE BEACON NEWSPAPER OF TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26 – MARCH 4, 2013 RE: SUPREME COURT SACKS AMANYANABO OF KALABARI – A REFUTAL
INTRODUCTION
The front page of the BEACON newspaper of the issue of Vol.4 No. 8 of Tuesday, February 26 – March 4, 2013 published the following headline: “Supreme Court sacks Amanyanabo of Kalabari – Great Jubilation in Buguma” and at page 3 of the same publication a false story was carried concerning the removal by a Supreme Court judgment of 25th February, 2013 of His Majesty King (Prof.) T.J.T. Princewill, JP, CFR (Amachree XI, Amanyanabo of Kalabari) as the reigning monarch of Kalabari Kingdom.
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE PROCEEDING OF 25/2/2013
It has become necessary to refute the false publication in the said newspaper and state the truth here for the interest of the public.
The truth is that there was no judgment by the Supreme Court dethroning the Amanyanabo of Kalabari on the 25th of February 2013. The Supreme Court did not affirm or upload any Judgment of the Court of Appeal on the said date. Two appeals were lodged at the Supreme Court against the judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered on 23rd May, 2011. His Majesty, King (Prof.) T.J.T. Princewill filed one (Appeal No SC.248/2011) and Chief O.T.K.D. Amachree filed the other (Appeal No. SC.249/2011). No date has been fixed for the hearing of the two appeals in the Supreme Court.
APPEAL NO. SC.249/2011
On the 25th of February 2011, two motions were fixed for hearing in Appeal No. SC.249/2011. One was for the amendment of the Notice of Appeal by striking out the names of two deceased Respondents (Chief Dagogo Princewill and Chief S.O. Princewill) and for leave to file and argue additional ground of appeal. The prayer seeking to amend the processes by striking out the names of the deceased Respondents was granted while the prayers for leave to file and argue additional grounds of appeal were struck out upon withdrawal. The second motion for stay of execution was also withdrawn and consequently struck out.
APPEAL NO. SC.248/2011
The Motion for stay of execution in His Majesty’s appeal No. SC.248/2011 has not been heard as no date has been fixed for it. It was therefore, inconceivable that the proceedings of the Supreme Court on Appeal No. SC. 249/2011 was being misinterpreted as “unanimous landmark Judgment which de-stooled the Kalabari monarch”. This can only be in the imagination of His Majesty’s detractors, whose dreams and wishes for his dethronement cannot become reality. His is still firmly on the throne. They have only succeeded in casting doubt as to his continuous reign as the Amanyanabo of Kalabari in minds of a negligible few who may easily be persuaded while he still enjoys massive loyalty and support from an overwhelming majority of the Kalabari people.
HIS MAJESTY’S STANCE
His Majesty sympathizes with those who are determined to mislead and misinform the people in their attempt to cause anarchy and confusion. While they are pursuing their evil agenda, he is more determined to pursue the course of justice and secure the victory he so much deserves. It is His Majesty’s resolved to continue to pray and work for the peace, progress and unity of the Kalabari nation with the hope that soon even his enemies will sheath their sword and join him in the task of seeking the well-being of the Kalabari people. In this regard, His Majesty as the father of the Kalabari people for calm while the final outcome of the appeal is being awaited.
LONG LIVE THE KALABARI PEOPLE!
LONG LIVE RIVERS STATE!!
LONG LIVE THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA!!!
FAYE DIKIO, SAN
COUNSEL FOR HIS MAJESTY
KING (PROF.) T.J.T. PRINCEWILL, JP, CFR
(AMACHREE XI, AMANYANABO OF KALABARI)
