By Richard Akinnola

I have read the positions of both parties over the alleged forceful eviction of Mrs Tejuosho and her family from her house by the agents of Lagos State government and/or of Lagos State House of Assembly.

I don’t know who is right or wrong. Since the matter is in court, we await the decision of the court.

What is however trite is that you can’t evict someone from an abode, even an illegal   occupant, without a court order. Unfortunately,   supporters from both sides of the divide, are digging in. I am not interested in their politics. Just that the due process be followed.

I remember the famous case of OJUKWU v. LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT over the forceful eviction of the Ikemba from his Villaska lodge (29 Queens drive, Ikoyi, Lagos) during the pendency of the case initiated by Ojukwu to stop his eviction.

Ojukwu had on October 10, 1985, filed an ex parte application to restrain the military Governor from ejecting him and his family. From the High court, it went to the court of appeal. But during the pendency of the appeal, the Lagos State government evicted Ojukwu. The court ordered the Lagos State government to   restore Ojukwu to the house, an ORDER that was ignored by the government.   Rather, it went to the Supreme court which led to the term “Executive lawlessness” by Kayode Eso,   JSC in his leading judgement.

A similar scenario played out during Nigeria’s civil war.