NWOKAFOR EJINDU & ORS VS OFOJAMA OBI & ORS
July 4, 2025ANABARONYE V NWAKAIHE
July 4, 2025Legalpedia Citation: (1997) Legalpedia (SC) 01968
In the Supreme Court of Nigeria
Fri Jan 24, 1997
Suit Number: SC. 134/1989.
CORAM
MICHAEL EKUNDAYO OGUNDARE, JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT
ABUBAKAR BASHIR WALL JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT
NASIR, JUSTICE COURT OF APPEAL
SYLVESTER UMARU ONU JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT(Read the Leading Judgment)
YEKINI OLAYIWOLA ADIO JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT
PARTIES
1. OFOJAMA OBI2. CHRISTOPHER UDECHUKWU3. NDAGBO UYENU APPELLANTS
RESPONDENTS
AREA(S) OF LAW
SUMMARY OF FACTS
The plaintiffs/appellants’ sued the defendants/respondents for the Declaration that a parcel of land is the communal property not of the defendants alone but of both the plaintiffs and Declaration that the defendants according to native law and custom have been wrongfully in possession of the same land order for recovery of possession.damages,Perpetual injunction
HELD
The net result is that this appeal is meritorious and it accordingly succeeds. I allow the appeal, set aside the decision of the court below and restore the decision of the trial court with costs assessed at N1,000.00 in this Court and N500.00 in the Court below in favour of the appellants.
ISSUES
1. Whether there was a substantial miscarriage of justice necessitating a retrial after the learned Justices of the court below had upheld all the crucial findings of fact by the trial Judge.2. Whether the implication of payment of tribute by the 3rd plaintiff/ appellant on the land communally owned by Ebunam family and Okelue family was an issue raised in the pleadings or grounds of a
RATIONES DECIDENDI
THE PURPOSE OF PLEADINGS IN CIVIL CASES
It is now clearly settled that the purpose of pleadings in civil cases is to give notice to the other side of the case he is coming to meet in court so as to enable him prepare adequately for same and avoid being taken by surprise.PER ONU, JSC
CASES CITED
George v. Dominion Flour Mills Limited. (1963) 1 SCNLR 117; (1963) 1 All NLR 71 at 77.See Idika v. Erisi (1988) 2 NWLR (Pt. 78) 563Chief Frank Ebba v. Chief Warri Ogoda(1984) 1 SCNLR 372; (1984) 4 SC 84 at 112.Kuti & anor v. Jibowu & anor (1972) 6 SC 147 Okeowo v. Migliore (1979) 11 SC 138; (1979) NSCC.138 Sanusi v. Ameyogun (1992) 4 NWLR (Pt. 237) 527 at 556:?
STATUTES REFERRED TO
NONE
