Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Many lawyers on social media, on July 3, hailed the judgment as a win for religious freedom, after a Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, ordered Prophet Tamarauebi Elisha Owan, founder of GreatGod Holy Tabernacle, to pay ₦200 million in damages for the unlawful destruction of a traditional Egbesu shrine where Niger Delta leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, and others serve as chief priests. In a judgment delivered by Justice H.A. Nganjiwa on June 29, 2026, the court condemned the actions of Prophet Owan and members of his congregation, describing them as unconstitutional and a clear violation of the constitutional rights to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.
The court also issued a mandatory injunction directing the prophet and his co-respondents to rebuild the Osuopele Beniseide Opu-Oru Temple, the traditional place of worship destroyed during the incident. The case arose from events of December 20, 2024, in Ojobo community, Delta State, when Prophet Owan and members of his church allegedly stormed the Osuopele Beniseide Opu-Oru Temple, a shrine dedicated to the Egbesu deity. According to court records, the respondents carried out the invasion under the guise of "combating evil spirits," causing extensive damage to the temple and destroying invaluable historical, religious, and cultural artefacts regarded as irreplaceable by the worshipping community.
The judge held that the action violated the constitutional rights of the applicants to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Justice Nganjiwa firmly rejected any notion of religious superiority or self-help as justification for destroying another faith's place of worship, stating that the Constitution protects not only the rights of followers of Christianity and Islam but also adherents of African Traditional Religion and other recognised faiths. The court further held that no individual or religious group has the authority to destroy another person's place of worship under the guise of religious evangelism or spiritual cleansing. The judge described the actions of the respondents as unconstitutional, discriminatory, and a flagrant violation of the fundamental rights to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, emphasising that the harassment of the traditional worshippers and the destruction of their shrine amounted to religious discrimination and violated Sections 10 and 38 of the Constitution, which guarantee the secular character of the Nigerian state and protect every citizen's right to freedom of religion and worship.
In its final orders, the court imposed a comprehensive package of remedies and sanctions on Prophet Owan and his co-respondents. The respondents were ordered to completely rebuild the Osuopele Beniseide Opu-Oru Temple. The court also awarded ₦100 million as exemplary damages for the unlawful and malicious destruction of the temple, its sacred objects, and religious symbols, and an additional ₦100 million as general damages for the violation of the applicants' constitutional rights and for the "untold ridicule, emotional trauma, and humiliation" suffered by members of the Egbesu faith. The respondents were further ordered to jointly pay ₦5 million to cover the legal and filing expenses incurred by the applicants. To safeguard the worshippers from further harassment, the court also granted a perpetual injunction restraining Prophet Owan, his agents, servants, privies, and members of his congregation from interfering with the applicants' right to practise their religion, and ordered them to remain at least 10 kilometres away from the temple and its worshippers. In addition, the court ordered the respondents to publish an apology.
The landmark judgment reinforces the constitutional protection of religious freedom and strongly condemns acts of religious intolerance, serving as a powerful reminder that every Nigerian has the constitutional right to practise the religion of his or her choice without intimidation, discrimination, or unlawful interference.
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