<p><strong> OLAGUNJU, JCA (Delivering the Lead Judgment): </strong> The appeal is from the decision of Amaizu, J., as he then was, of the Onitsha Judicial Division of the Anambra State High Court who overruled the preliminary objection raised by the appellants to the jurisdiction of that court to entertain the appeal filed by the respondents against the decision of the Mbanano Customary Court in Idemili Local Government Area of Anambra State. The appeal raised an issue that has lately become convoluted, namely, whether an appeal from the customary court should go to the High Court or first to the court of a Chief Magistrate or of a Senior Magistrate of the 1st and 2nd grade if there is any one of such courts within the area of jurisdiction of the customary court from which decision the appeal originates as provided by a combined application of section 49(1)(a) of the Customary Court Law and section 17(2)(a) of the Magistrates Courts Law, Caps. 38 and 88 of the Revised Edict on the Anambra State Law, 1991…</p>