MR. AMOS OKETADE V. MRS. OLAYINKA ADEWUNMI (NEE OYEDE) MRS. OMOLARA ADEWUMI MRS. BOLA OYEDE DAPO OYEDE MRS. CHRISTIANA OLABISI OGUNLANA (AL L SUING AS ADMINISTR ATI X, ADMINISTR AT OR S AND BENEFICIARIES OF MRS. JULIANA O. OYEDE)

TOBI JSC (Delivering the Lead Judgment): This case has moved full circle. It started in Magistrates’ Court and it is ending in the Supreme Court, thus, passing through four courts: Magistrates’ Court, High Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. The litigation is on an apparently little matter. It involves landlord and tenant. It is tenancy of a small apartment situate at No. 2 Irawo Lane, Agbowo, Ibadan. The learned Chief Magistrate in his judgment directed the appellants to give up possession to the plaintiffs/respondents within three weeks. The judgment was delivered on 31 May 1999, some fourteen years ago. The appellants filed an application in the Magistrates’ Court for stay of execution, which was refused. A similar application to the High Court was granted.

Dissatisfied with the ruling of the High Court, the respondents filed an appeal and a motion for stay of execution in the Court of Appeal. On 22 January 2001, the Court of Appeal ordered the appellant to pack out of t…