First Daughter Goes To Court Over Attempt To Exclude Her From Father’s Burial Ceremonies

By Braxton Ilobah

The late Mr. Chiedu Alfred Ojeah’s family of Idumu-Osume Quarters at Ubulu-Uku, Delta State has engaged in battle of wits as the first daughter and incidentally the first child of the family has taken two of her younger siblings and an hospital director to court over attempt to deny her participation in the burial of their late father.

Millicent Nneka Ojeah-Iyamagbo has filed Suit No. UDCC/7/2026 at the Customary Court, Ubulu-Uku seeking the order of the court to restrain her brother Ilobah Kingsley Ojeah, sister Vivian Amaechi Ojeah-Okwuokei and the Managing Director of St. Mark Anglican Church Hospital, Mr. Stanley Osakwe from commencing the burial of their late father on Monday 30th March, 2026.

In her statement of claims against the defendants, the plaintiff declared that by Ubulu-Uku customs and traditions, she is the first child of late Chiedu Alfred Ojeah and in consequence, the first and second defendants cannot take steps to exclude her with regards to the burial of her father.

She also declared that as the Ada (the first female) of late Chiedu Alfred Ojeah and by Ubulu-Uku customs and traditions, she is central to the burial of her father and the first defendant who is the first son has no right to exclude her on the ground that he is the “Diokpala.”

The plaintiff further declared that the third defendant as the medical director of the facility where the corpse of the Chiedu Alfred Ojeah is incompetent to release the corpse to the first and second defendants.

In a Motion Exparte filed by her Counsel, Onyeisi Chiemeke Esq from Onyeisi Chiemeke & Associates, the plaintiff is praying the court to give an Order of Interim Injunction restraining the defendants, their servants, agents and/or privies, jointly or severally from carrying out any burial ceremony or rites with respect to the late Chiedu Alfred Ojeah pending the determination of the application for interlocutory injunction.

The Motion Exparte also is seeking an Order of Interim Injunction restraining the third defendants or his servants, agents from releasing the body of late Chiedu Alfred Ojeah to the first and second defendants pending the determination of the application for interlocutory Injunction.

When ATLANTICNEWSONLINE got in touch with Mr. Osakwe on Monday (30th March) evening, he confirmed having received a restraining order from the Customary Court and declared that on no account would he disobey an Order of the Court.

As at press time, efforts to speak with the first and second defendants were unsuccessful as they could not be reached on phone.

However, it was gathered that the bailiff of the court met the 2nd defendant Vivian Amaechi Ojeah-Okwuokei but she evaded service by denying the fact she was Vivian. It was attempt to evade service. Meanwhile the 1st defendant has been served with the process.