The High Court in Awka, Anambra State, has adjourned a case where school proprietors are seeking the return of schools taken over by the East Central Government in 1970.
In an ongoing legal battle against the state government, the proprietors of the schools presented their fifth piece of evidence. During the court proceedings, a witness named Mr. Anthony Chude testified and two depositions made by him were admitted as evidence. These depositions claimed ownership of Metropolitan College in Onitsha.
When questioned about the delay in taking action for over 50 years, the witness explained that they had initially made unwritten requests. However, they resorted to legal action when their requests were not fulfilled and they noticed that other schools, including those owned by churches, had been returned to their original owners.
Following the court proceedings, the plaintiffs’ counsel, Anene Belonwu, stated that more witnesses would be presented in the coming days. He expressed concern over the unequal treatment of his clients, especially considering the government’s recent licensing of more schools.
Some of the school proprietors, such as Mr. Chude and Reverend Obinna Awgu, who claimed that Basdem School Isulo and others were taken from his father, argued that there have been no abandoned properties in Anambra since 1970. They emphasized that what is fair for one person, like Okeke, should also be fair for another, like Okafor.
The defendant’s counsel, Ben Osaka, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, acknowledged that the group is pursuing legal action because the state government acted on a law passed in 2011, which allows schools to be returned to their original owners upon request. However, he added that the final decision rests with the court.
Proprietors Sue Anambra State Gov’t for Takeover of Schools After 50 Years
