Admission Palaver: Court Gives Loyola Jesuit College, Teenage Applicant 11 Days to Resolve Dispute

Alex Enumah

Justice Peter Lifu of a Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday gave the Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja and a teenager, Master Aondo Terdoo Caleb, seeking admission into the school 11 days to resolve an admission controversy.

According to the judge, the litigants are to return to the court on August 26, to report on the outcome of an out-of-court settlement proposed by the court.
The teenage boy had dragged the Loyola Jesuit College to court for denying him admission after passing the school’s exams and meeting necessary requirements.

His mother, Mrs. Ogooluwa Terkaa Aondo, who instituted the suit on his behalf claimed that the college’s action amounts to a breach of his right to education.
He therefore prayed the court to order the school to admit him as their student.
When the matter came up yesterday, the judge stood down the matter for four hours to enable counsel to exploit an amicable resolution of the dispute out-of-court.
However, at the end of the four hours emergency meeting, counsel to the teenager, Mr. Mathew Burkaa, SAN and that of the school, Pius Ediale requested from the judge for more time to enable them to consult widely.

Justice Lifu subsequently granted their request and charged them to use their wealth of experience and candour to resolve the issue speedily.

He subsequently fixed August 26, for final report of settlement or possible continuation of proceedings.

Others sued alongside the college in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1114/2024, include the Principal of the College, Father Chikere Ugwuanyi and the President, Rev Father Peter Chidolue.

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 recognise 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.

However, after taking the submissions of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Matthew Burkaa in the ex-parte application, Justice Lifu refused to compel the College to admit the applicant.

He instead invoked Order 26 Rule 8 of the Court to direct the defendants to appear before him on August 16 for their defense in the suit especially to show cause why the request of the applicant should not be granted.