By Adeyinka Adeniran
The National Industrial Court sitting in Ibadan has dismissed a defamation law suit brought by a former Priest of the Ibadan North Anglican Diocese, Reverend Oluwadamilola Ebenezer Kosemani against the Archbishop of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace, the Most Rev. Williams Aladekugbe.
Rev. Kosemani had asked the Court for diverse reliefs which included judicial quashing of the letter dated the 11th of November, 2024 written by Bishop Aladekugbe to the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, a retraction of the letter and an order for apology from Bishop Aladekugbe to the Priest.
The Reverend also asked for the sum of N100million as general and aggravated damages for defamation.
However, in a judgment delivered by Hon Justice J. D. Peters, the judge after examining the reliefs held that the National Industrial Court, being a specialised Court cannot expand its jurisdiction beyond that given it by law.
The Judge upheld the submission of Counsel to the Archbishop, Otunba Kunle Kalejaye, SAN, who led Sir Oyewale Akinrinade, Chief Olusola Orobode, Oyewale Oyegoke, Esq and Miss Toluwani Ogunbanjo that the National Industrial Court has no jurisdiction to entertain actions in defamation at all.
The trial judge after an extensive review of all the current legal authorities on the matter, threw out the entire action and dismissed same.
Speaking after the judgment, the lead Counsel, Kalejaye, SAN expressed deep satisfaction with the outcome and praised the Court for following the path laid by the Court of Appeal in similar matters.
He also alluded to the fact that the Primate of the Anglican Communion had set up a committee to arbitrate in the matter but the junior priest Rev. Kosemani, rebuffed the efforts of the Primate.
Contacted for comments, Archbishop Aladekugbe refused to comment, but thanked God for a successful conclusion of the matter and expressed appreciation to the Primate who set up a committee of senior Priests to arbitrate, which was shunned by the Junior priest.
