Some aggrieved members of the Lagos Diocese of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) have filed three applications before a Lagos Division of the Federal High Court seeking, among other things, a relief for the judge handling the suit, Mojisola Olatoregun, to recuse herself from the case.
Another relief by the plaintiffs is a prayer to join one Abimbola Bode-Thomas, one of the concerned elders of the Lagos Diocese, as a plaintiff while Adebola Ayodeji Ojofeitimi, a reverend and the Provost of the Lagos Diocese, who played a pivotal role in the installation and enthronement of bishops, be made a defendant in the suit. This is to enable them to be bound by the court’s decision, the members said.
The plaintiffs are also urging the court to restrain the defendants and their agents from taking any step to enthrone Humphrey Olumakaiye as the new Bishop of Lagos Diocese pending the hearing and determination of the suit.
The plaintiffs, who identified themselves as prominent financial members and elders of the church, are suing for themselves and on behalf of concerned members of the Lagos Diocese of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).
They include Fola Osibo, Modupe Alakija, Oluyomi Finnih, Femi Adeniyi-William, Layi Ajayi-Bembe, Laide Sasegbon, Modupe Sagoe, Ade Abisogun, Bukola Meadows, and Molara Otuyelu.
Joined as defendants in the suit are the Registered Trustees of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion); The Lagos Diocese of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion); and Reverends Nicholas Okoh; Adebola Ademowo; Humphrey Olumakaiye; Michael Fape.
The case was initially assigned to Chuka Obiozor, a professor and judge at the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court, but later re-assigned to Ms Olatoregun.
However, the defendants wrote a letter to Ms Olatoregun asking her to recuse herself on the ground that she is a communicant and a devoted member of the church.
At the last hearing, the judge, in open court, transferred the case file to another judge, Rilwan Aikawa, of the same Lagos Division. The case has now been adjourned till June 21 for hearing.
In another objection filed on behalf of The Registered Trustees of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican communion) Lagos Diocese by Olumide Sofowora, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the church argued that there was no meeting of the General Synod of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion or the Diocesan Synod of Lagos Diocese where the plaintiffs were given the authority to institute any suit on their behalf of the concerned members of the House of Laity of the Church of Nigeria in respect of all their allegations and claims in this suit.
Source: Premium Times
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