Nonagenarian sues govt, AGF, Lagos over seized schools

A nonagenarian, Mrs. Roseline Ololo, has sued the Federal Government, Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Minister of Education, Lagos State government and others over her private school taken over by Lagos State government.

She is praying a Federal High Court, Lagos, for an order returning her schools, Metropolitan College and Isolo Secondary School, which were taken by Lagos State government, to her as founder.

The 92-year-old widow filed the action for enforcement of her fundamental human rights as enshrined in Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution (As amended).

She sued for herself and her company, Akaix West Africa Ltd, through her counsel, Mr. Malcolm Omirhobo.

Also joined as respondents in the suit are Lagos State Attorney-General and the Lagos State Commissioner for Education.

She is also praying the court for a declaration that the refusal by the Lagos State government to return her schools is unjust, unconstitutional, illegal and unlawful.

In the affidavit she personally deposed to, Ololo averred that in 1940, she and her late husband, Mr. Akaihieobi-Ololo Ogwu, moved from the eastern part of Nigeria to Lagos Colony.

She said that in 1952, they both incorporated a company, Akaix Africa Ltd, in which name they established Metropolitan College.

She said that for expansion purposes and to move away from the thickly populated residential area of Surulere, they moved to the new site in 1974.

“In 1976, through the Education (Private Secondary Institutions Special Provisions) Law, the military government of Lagos State took over 48 private secondary schools from their owners, including Metropolitan College.

“In the process, Isolo Secondary School was carved out of Metropolitan College on the same expanse of land hosting the college.

“However, in 2001, the administration of Chief Ahmed Bola Tinubu repealed the law and returned the said 48 private schools to their owners,” she averred.

Ololo said that Metropolitan College was curiously not returned to its owners, a development, which she said, brought about a law suit.

She is, therefore, praying the Federal High Court for a declaration that the refusal of the respondents to return her schools violated her constitutional rights to acquire and own landed property.

She averred that the acts of the respondents amount to a wilful attempt to exploit, marginalise and victimise her on account of her sex as a female, and her status as an old person.

Ololo, therefore, seeks a court’s order restraining the respondents from further infringing on her fundamental rights, as well as an order returning her property to her.