In Ilorin,the Supreme Court has
declared as illegal the withholding of
the result of a student, Stephen
Olanrewaju Akinola, by the authorities
of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN).
Akinola, who got admission into the
university in 1995 to study Statistics,
got into trouble in the school for being
part of student unionism.
The development prompted Akinola to
file a legal action before a Federal High
Court in Ilorin which delivered a
judgement in his favour but the
UNILORIN failed to obey the verdict.
The institution further appealed against
the judgement while Akinola also filed
a contempt proceedings against the
university. While the contempt
proceedings and the appeal were going
on, a Resolution Committee on
Politically Victimized and Rusticated
Students was set up by the president.
The two parties appeared before the
committee, and terms of settlement
were agreed upon by which the
university agreed to pardon the
student for whatever wrong he may
have committed if he withdraws the
contempt proceedings against the
institution. After withdrawing the suit,
the school failed to honour the
agreement reached and continue to
withhold Akinola’s result.
After the breakdown of the agreement
between the two parties, the case
went into full trial and the appellate
court ruled in his favour and awarded
N7million damages to Akinola.
The university lodged another appeal at
the Supreme Court of being dissatisfied
with the judgement
But the Supreme Court in a unanimous
judgement delivered by a Justice of
Supreme Court (JSC), Justice Mary
Odili, upheld the judgement of the
Court of Appeal in Ilorin.
Justice Odili said: “To be exact, what
the appellant and its agents were
doing was without the necessary vires
and in fact was an affront on the
authority and powers of the Head of
State.
SOURCE; DAILY TIMES

Justice delayed but not denied. Better late than never.