Benin Palace Chief Dragged to Court by Siblings over Alleged Doubtful Paternity, Seek His DNA

By Reporter

Thirty-Three years after his murder, the children of late Engr. George Idah, former Oredo Local Government Council Chairman, have dragged Mr. Osaro Idah, a chief in Benin palace to court on allegation of doubtful “family relationship” and and have asked the Benin High Court to order Osaro Idah to submit himself for Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) paternity test to help determine his biological father.

According to the Court documents obtained by Midwest Herald, Mr. Mark Idah and Mr. Omoruyi Idah, filed the case on behalf of themselves and other children of their late father, Engr. George Idah, who was murdered in Benin City while serving as Oredo Council Chairman.

The defendant Mr. Osaro Idah, who is a Benin Palace chief and a front line People’s Democratic Party leader, served former Governor Godwin Obaseki as Political Adviser is being challenged by the late Idah children over his alleged claim to the late Idah properties.

In their claims, they explained that during the burial of Engr. George Idah, the Defendant (Osaro Idah) was not called as custom demands to perform the traditional rites, which the 1st surviving male child of a deceased male usually perform in a burial ceremony of a deceased male under Benin native law and custom, that fact the Defendant did not participate in the burial. They added that it was the 1st Claimant (Mark Idah) that performed all the burial rites as the 1st son.

They told the court that, before their late dad travelled to the United Kingdom for studies that the Defendant’s mother—Ayo, once came to him to inform him that she was pregnant for him. But their father was not certain if he was the one that impregnated Osaro’s mother.

He demanded for a DNA test at the family shrine and swear to an oath as tradition demand and which is still the traditional mode of conducting a DNA test on a Benin child whose paternity is in doubt, but Ayo refused.

The suit marked B/233/2025, the plaintiffs, Mark Idah and Omoruyi Idah, have filed the case on behalf of themselves and other children of the late politician.

The surviving children contend that their father had eight children from three wives and the defendant -Osaro Idah is not one of them, and did not have a “legally customarily recognized relationship” with their late father during his lifetime, alleging that there was no acknowledged paternity or formal familial ties established under Benin native law and custom before their father was tragically killed in 1992.

The plaintiffs are therefore asking the court to make declaration that, based on customary practices and the absence of paternity confirmation during the lifetime of Engineer George Idah, the defendant, Osaro Idah is not entitled to parade himself as a legal heir or claim a share of the estate until his paternity is confirmed through DNA.

They have also asked for an order directing the defendant to undergo a DNA test or any scientifically valid method to confirm his biological ties to the late Engr. George Idah.

In addition, Mark, Omoruyi and others have asked for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, Osaro from presenting himself as the first son of the late Engr. George Idah or interfering with the estate until his paternity is determined.

The Plaintiffs Statement of Claim reads in part:

“The Claimants are suing on behalf of themselves and the entire children of late Engineer George Idah who died intestate on the 22nd day of February, 1992 in Benin City.

“The Claimants aver that they are the recognized children of late Engr. George Idah under Benin Native Law and Custom.

“The Defendant is not one of them. Engr. George Idah had eight children during his life time—namely:

“Ms Rowettea Idah who was born on the 5th day of January, 1966; Mr. Mark Igbinovia Idah who was born on the 10th day of September, 1972; Osarunmwense Idah (deceased) who was born on the 22nd day of February, 1975; Omoruyi Idah who was born on the 20th day of June, 1975; Eghosa ldah who was born on the 11th day of November, 1976; and Eduwu Idah, born on the 24th day of February, 1978; Uyi Idah who was born on the 17th day of October, 1979; and Isiuwa Idah who was born on the 19th day of February 1982.

“He had Ms Rowettea Idah while he was undergoing his study abroad at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. At that time, he was just in his twenties. Her mother was Miss Lite. He had the rest children on his return from abroad.

“It was Mrs. Virginia Idah and Ms. Anastasia Eyo Nsa that had them for him.

“Before Engr. George Idah travelled to the United Kingdom for his tertiary education, Defendant’s mother by name Ayo once came to him to inform him that she was
pregnant for him.

“As Engr. George Idah was not certain if he was truly the one that impregnated her, he asked her to go before the family shrine and swear to an oath as tradition demand and which is the traditional mode of conducting a DNA test on a child whose paternity is in doubt in Benin, but she refused despite numerous entreaties.

“As a result of her refusal, Engr. George Idah refused to accept the Defendant as his son even before he was born; and when he was born, he did not participate in naming him during his traditional naming ceremony. In fact, he was not the one who gave him the name Osaro as a father would do for his child and this, he clearly made known to his family while he was alive.

“The Defendant was never part of Engr. George Idah during his lifetime. He never introduce him to his nuclear family and never brought him to his house any day.

“None of the children of George Idah knew the Defendant as their brother while their father was alive.

“During the burial of Engr. George Idah, the Defendant was not called as custom demands to perform the traditional rites, the 1st surviving male child of a deceased male usually perform in a burial ceremony of a deceased male under Benin native law and custom. In fact the Defendant did not participate in the burial. It was the 1st Claimant that performed all the burial rites as the 1st son.

“The Claimant aver that few years after the death of George Idah, the Defendant emerged from nowhere and started laying claim to Engr. George Idah’s estate with force. He used hired thugs to attack most of the members of Idah’s family. He specifically singled out Mr. Sam Idah who insisted that his brother’s declaration must be respected by the Idah’s family.

“The Claimants aver that for the past 33 years when their father died, the Defendant has made life so unbearable for them. He uses his influence in government to constantly intimidate and harasses the children of Idah.

“He forcibly seized the house where Engr. George Idah lived from them and at the moment is laying claim to it as his inheritance.”

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