From Lateef Taiwo
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja to recognize an infant admission-seeking applicant, Master Aondo Terdoo Caleb as student of the college.
Justice Peter Lifu issued the order following motion ex-parte filed by Master Aondo Terdoo through his mother praying the court to grant him all rights and privileges as students of the college.
Master Aondo Terdoo Caleb had dragged the Loyola Jesuit College before the court seeking an order of the court to compel the College to admit him as a student.
His mother, Mrs Ogooluwa Terkaa Aondo instituted the case on his behalf against the College for the enforcement of his right to education and admission to the prestigious Loyola Jesuit College in Abuja.
Joined as co-defendants in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1114/2024 are the Principal of the College, Father Chikere Ugwuanyi and the President, Rev Father Peter Chidolue.
Recall that Justice Lifu had directed amicable settlement of the admission dispute, between the school and the infant.
The Judge said that it would not be good for the infant to begin on hostility grounds and pleaded with the lawyers in the matter to do everything humanly possible to convince their clients to shift grounds for out of court settlement.
While expressing optimism that he would get positive report on settlement, the judge said that he would proceed with the case in case his directive did not yield positive results.
However the settlement ordered by the court failed and the parties returned back to court.
In an ex-parte application, he brought before the court, the admission-seeking applicant had applied to the court for an order of interim injunction to compel Loyola Jesuit College and its authorities to recognize him as their student.
He had also asked the Court to direct the College to grant him every right, privilege, entitlement and facility accorded to its students in Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS 1) to resume on August 20, 2024, without any limitation or restriction pending the hearing and determination of his motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.
The applicant had also prayed the court to restrain the Principal and President of the College from denying him the right to education and giving out his rights of studentship to any other person pending the hearing and determination of his motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.
In order of interim injunction issued on Wednesday , but sighted on Thursday, justice Lifu ordered the school to recognize the infant as a student of the school.
Justice also ordered an accelerated hearing on the matter considering the nature of the suit which borders on rights violations.
The suit has, however, been fixed for August,30 for commencement of substantive suit.
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