Judge Orders Loyola Jesuit College And Admission Seeker To Settle Dispute Out Of Court
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has directed Loyola Jesuit College and an admission-seeking applicant, Master Aondo Terdoo Caleb, to resolve their legal dispute out of court. The judge ordered both parties to hold an emergency meeting within five hours on Friday to explore amicable solutions and report back to him later that day.
Justice Lifu invoked Section 17 of the Federal High Court Act, which encourages the resolution of disputes outside the courtroom, in a bid to settle the matter peacefully.
Master Aondo Terdoo Caleb, represented by his mother, Mrs. Ogooluwa Terkaa Aondo, filed a lawsuit against Loyola Jesuit College, seeking an order to compel the school to admit him as a student. The case also named the College’s Principal, Father Chikere Ugwuanyi, and the President, Rev. Father Peter Chidolue, as co-defendants.
Although the judge declined to grant the ex-parte application that sought immediate admission for the applicant, he invoked Order 26 Rule 8 of the Court, directing the College to appear before him on August 16 to present their defense.
During Friday’s proceedings, Loyola Jesuit College, represented by lawyer P. E. Ediale, objected to the lawsuit and requested more time to prepare a response. Moved by the situation of the young applicant, who was present in court with his mother, Justice Lifu urged both parties to seek an out-of-court settlement to avoid starting the applicant’s educational journey on hostile terms.
The judge expressed hope that a positive resolution could be reached, but he also indicated that he would proceed with the case if the parties could not agree.
As of the time of this report, representatives from the College, the applicant’s parents, and their lawyers were engaged in the emergency meeting as instructed by the court.
In his initial application, Master Caleb sought an interim injunction to compel Loyola Jesuit College to admit him as a student and grant him all the rights and privileges of a Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS 1) student by August 20, 2024. He also asked the court to prevent the school’s principal and president from denying him admission or transferring his spot to another student.
After hearing arguments from Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Matthew Burkaa, who represented the applicant, Justice Lifu opted not to issue an order compelling the College to admit the applicant but instead scheduled a hearing for August 16 to consider the school’s defense.
