Renowned Entertainment Lawyer, Rockson Igelige, Laid To Rest In Oleh

By Andrew Ejovwo Abuza

Renowned entertainment lawyer and intellectual property rights advocate, Barrister Rockson Akpotiri Igelige, has been laid to rest in Oleh, headquarters of Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State.

Igelige was buried on Friday, October 23, 2026, at his residence at Yahweh Junction, Okpesia Layout, Oleh, following a funeral service held at the premises of the Isoko South Local Government Council along IDCC Road, Oleh.

Before the funeral service, valedictory sessions were held in his honour at the Legislative Chambers of the Isoko South Local Government Council and the High Court of Justice, Oleh.

Igelige, who died at his residence in Oleh on Friday, August 21, 2026, at the age of 55, was a native of Oleh Kingdom and a prominent figure in the legal profession, entertainment industry and Isoko community.

Between 1992 and 1996, he studied Theatre Arts at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Benin City, Edo State, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts (BA) Honours degree.

He subsequently studied law at Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, Oleh Campus, where he obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Honours degree before proceeding to the Nigerian Law School, Lagos. He was subsequently called to the Nigerian Bar as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Among his lecturers at the Faculty of Law, DELSU, Oleh Campus, were Professor (Mrs.) Beauty Alloh, Professor Kingsley Edu, Professor Andrew Clement Ejovwo Abuza, the late Dr Ayuba Giwa, Kennedy Uwubiti Esq. and Rufus Olarewanju Esq.

Igelige later earned a Master of Laws (LLM) degree in Entertainment Law from the University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, further strengthening his expertise in the legal issues affecting the creative industry.

He was the principal partner of Rockson Legal, a law firm with its main office on Odoro Road, Oleh.

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His professional career spanned legal practice, entertainment, intellectual property rights advocacy, community development and politics, making him a prominent personality in Delta State and the wider Isoko nation.

Igelige’s political career included his election as a councillor on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), representing Oleh Ward 1 in the Isoko South Local Government Council following Nigeria’s return to civilian rule in May 1999.

He served as Supervisory Councillor for Health before becoming Leader of the Legislative Arm of the Isoko South Local Government Council, a position he held until 2012.

Beyond his legal and political engagements, Igelige was committed to advancing the rights of artists and other creative professionals.

In 2017, he established the Friends of the Creator (Artistic) Foundation in Oleh, an organisation dedicated to promoting intellectual property rights, advocacy, research and support for artists and other professionals in the creative industry.

He was also a prolific writer, public commentator and speaker who contributed to discussions on emerging issues in entertainment, copyright and intellectual property law.

In the course of his legal practice, Igelige secured victories in copyright and other intellectual property disputes before the Federal High Court and the Nigerian Copyright Commission on behalf of his clients.

His contributions to the entertainment industry and legal profession earned him several recognitions, including the Entertainment Lawyer of the Year Award in 2019.

Igelige is survived by his wife, a Chief Magistrate in the Delta State Judiciary, three children, siblings and other relatives.

The burial attracted dignitaries from the legal profession, government, politics, labour and the media, including the Chairman of Isoko South Local Government Council, Comrade Ovoke Warri.

Others in attendance included members of the Bench and Bar, government officials, labour leaders, media practitioners, staff of the Isoko South Local Government Council, judiciary personnel, and staff and students of DELSU.

Community leaders, artists, record labels, music producers and other creative professionals also attended the burial, alongside market men and women, shop owners, artisans, commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators, friends and well-wishers from across Nigeria and beyond, who gathered to pay their last respects to the late legal luminary.