We hear of multinational companies infringing on the rights of individuals/families because of the perceived weakness of such families against corporations.

This is how the late Chief (Dr) Sunday Ogunyade vs Mobil Nigeria court battle started over the land where Mobil petrol station is situated along Gbagada-Oshodi express road.

Mobil Nigeria leased the land from the Ogunyade Family from the 1980 to 2010. Upon expiry of the lease, the Landlord thought to negotiate improved terms of lease which is within his legal right but Mobil Nigeria would have none of that.

Being fully abreast of the landlord’s (the late Chief Ogunyade’s) weaker economic standing, the tenant (Mobil Oil) approached the courts to apparently intimidate the landlord. This Mobil Oil did with Suit No. LD/2360/2000.

The economically weaker landlord surrendered to a very unfavourable terms of settlement on September 29, 2000. But Mobil being so in tune with impunity would not honour its landlord with a formal lease agreement as best practice would demand.

Mobil Oil’s arm-twisting way of doing business with Chief (Dr) Ogunyade led to his untimely death. He died on June 2, 2007 while the court ordered lease renewal procured by Mobil Oil was still running.

His family appointed four family members as administrators to the estate of late Chief (Dr) Sunday Ogunyade, Taiwo Ogunyade being one of them.

When asked to vacate the land since the lease was up, Mobil Nigeria decided instead to take the matter to court and the court ruled that there should be a longer notification period before ejection.

Contrary to terms and conditions of the lease agreement, Mobil Oil sublet the property and is earning more in rent from subletting the property than it is willing to pay to its landlords

In Mobil Oil’s desperation to appropriate the title of the land to itself, illegally, Mobil connived with one Oluwa family to sue Mobil Oil claiming ownership of the property. That Mobil Oil did not inform its landlords of this development shows the connivance.

When the rightful owners of the property learnt about this, they sought leave of the court to be joined in the matter and consequently won the case. Yet, Mobil Oil would not change.

The family arrived at a consensus that their tenant, Mobil Oil was oppressing them and so resolved that it'd be better for everyone if they shopped for another tenant, as a way of averting more untimely deaths among family members. So they briefed their estate agents to search for another tenant.

Ehinola-Ola Nigeria Limited being estate agents so instructed, working with the family lawyer Chief Dele Awoniyi, Principal Partner at Dele Awoniyi & Co approached another petroleum marketing company.

The other petroleum marketing company, approached by the family first took a 10 year-lease and thereafter purchased the property as Mobil would still not respect the rights of the landlords to lease the property to who they wanted.

Even with the sale of the land, Mobil Nigeria still would have no respect for the law and vacate the land, in keeping with the terms of the termination of lease and transfer of ownership. This, despite written notices served on it by the new landlords.

Instead of handing over to the other petroleum marketing company, who now legally own the property, Mobil Nigeria refused to give up the property neither would Mobil accord the new owners any status as the law provides.

This being just a summary, it is sad that such a well-known million dollar corporation would degenerate to unethical and mafia-like standards in taking such steps to avoid doing the right thing legally and morally.

By turning the attention of the public to this matter, it is hoped that the right steps would be taken by the parties in question so that justice would be served appropriately.

Very seriously. I can't imagine how many more people they've done it to.

Preciouscheer:
hmm...this is seriously serious