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 A Delta State High Court in Asaba has dismissed the legal challenge brought by Prince Oyowoli Emiko against the succession of Ogiame Atuwatse III as the Olu of Warri. Prince Oyowoli, son of the former Olu Ikenwoli, had contested the legitimacy of the current monarch’s ascension to the throne. The court, in its ruling on case A/119/2023, determined that the claimant’s suit was statute-barred, effectively upholding the preliminary objection raised by the defendants. The presiding judge dismissed the suit “in its entirety,” dealing a decisive blow to Prince Oyowoli’s claims. The court highlighted several crucial aspects in its decision: The withdrawal of the previous suit (W/104/21) was found to be tactical rather than conciliatory, with the court noting it was not “borne out of a reason for peaceful co-existence” but rather an attempt to secure “another opportunity for a bite” through the new filing. The court deemed the relief claims in the current suit premature, emphasizing that ...