Oyo: Court orders NUJ to pay N3.5m in damages to Ibadan businessman

JUSTICE A Aderemi of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan has ordered the Nigerian Union of Journalists, (NUJ), Oyo State chapter to pay the sum of N3.5M to Mr. Adeoye Aderinwale, the Proprietor of Soular Interbiz for unlawfully and forcefully ejecting him out of the NUJ guest house.

Mega Icon Magazine reliably gathered that the claimant had earlier entered into a joint venture with NUJ in 2005 where it was agreed that all properties brought in by Soular Interbiz would be revert to him at the end of the contract.

But in 2011, as learnt, NUJ served the company a letter compelling its Proprietor to hands off running and management of the guest house.

Our reporter, however gathered that Soular interbiz through its lawyer, Barrister Yemi Giwa filed an application against the Union, joining its erstwhile Secretary, Mr. Rotimi Babalola and Former Vice Chairman, Mr. Lanre Ladapo as defendants .

The lawyer demanded N5m as for general damages suffered by his client ( claimant ) from the unlawful threat by the defendant to forcefully ejected the claimant from the property.

NUJ Lawyer, Barrister Steven James countered the claims, arguing that Soular Interbiz was not forcefully ejected but asked to leave when the contractual agreement between the company and the Union expired.

Prosecution witnesses of the claimant include, Mr. Wale Ojo Lanre, also a former Chairman of the Union and Mr. Lekan Rahman, a staff of Soular Interbiz while the defendant witnesses are : Cosmas Oni, Vice president NUJ B Zone , Mr .Gbenga Opadotun, the immediate past Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists, Oyo State Chapter and Alhaji Bolaji Kareem, Coordinator, International Institute of Journalism, (IIJ) and a Union leader.

According to Soular Interbiz, items brought include: 10 West point air conditioner, 10 LG TV set , 5 wooden bed , 9 foams 9×9, 3 , 6×7 foams, five wooden stoods, 1 DSTV decoder and dish, 1 wooden mobile wardrobe , 10 blankets, 10 wooden TV stands, window blinds and racks, 2 large TV set, 3.5 Kva generator, Pillow and beddings.

The NUJ claimed that there was no contractual agreement that states such decision between NUJ and Soular Interbiz, but shockingly, Mr Wale Ojo Lanre, ex-Chairman of the Union who served as one of the prosecution witnesses for NUJ told the court that he signed the contract for Soular Interbiz.

Speaking further, the former NUJ boss, Ojo Lanre explained that it was agreed that the properties contributed by the claimant would be removed at the expiration of his contract .

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