29/05/2026
The year was 2012.
Two occupants of Federal Government houses were disqualified from exercising their right of first refusal to purchase the houses they lived in under the monetization policy. The government went ahead and sold the properties to third parties.
Naturally, the aggrieved occupants headed to court. But how they handled it from there made all the difference.
Let's name the first set of parties Team A.
The parties in Team A decided to look beyond the courtroom walls and agreed to settle amicably. Offers were made, negotiated, and accepted. The disqualified occupant accepted a fair monetary compensation and used it to purchase another property.
The case was closed, and everyone moved on with their lives within just three months.
As counsel, I was incredibly happy I didn't have to keep traversing the distance to Lagos! ☺️
Team B initially tried to resolve amicably, but it fell through because the claimant's counsel made unreasonable demands. They chose to fight it out in the trenches of the courtroom.
The case went to trial, and the High Court entered judgment for the Claimant. The Defendants appealed to the Court of Appeal—the judgment was upheld. They pushed further to the Supreme Court. Finally, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal this May, 2026!
After 14 years of legal battle, the Claimant finally got "justice."
But wait a moment… because it is not yet Uhuru.
There's a snag, and "Justice" for the Claimant might just be cracked!
Yeah, the Supreme Court held that the Claimant was indeed qualified to be offered the property in the first instance, and only if she couldn't pay could the government offer it to someone else.
But, here is the ultimate catch- At what value will the government offer the property today?Is it the value from 14 years ago, or the current skyrocketed market value? 🤔
If the government prices it at today's value, the successful party may not be able to afford it, or she might end up right back at the High Court to challenge the valuation. And just like that, the vicious cycle continues!
Litigation di egwu oh!
So, while Team A has been enjoying peace of mind for over a decade, Team B is left facing:
- 14 years of time wasted
-Massive legal fees across three tiers of court.
- Years of bitter animosity.
Do you even know who the real winner is in Team B? The lawyer who bagged a major landmark case to qualify for elevation to Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) ☺️.
I love litigation, but I cherish amicable dispute resolution. While litigation gives you a judgment, ADR gives you a resolution.
Once you have a dispute to settle with another party, , be at liberty to ask your lawyer about the options available for resolution.
All cases must not go through trial in court. In some situations, try ADR. 🤝
