In a move that could escalate a long-standing property dispute, the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos has challenged a judgement of the Lagos State High Court declaring the Lagos State Government the owner of a disputed property at No. 17/19 Okoya Avenue, Ikeja GRA. According to THISDAYLIVE, the Archdiocese filed a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal in Ibadan on Monday, October 17, citing numerous procedural irregularities and errors of law in the original judgement. The disputed property, which houses the St. Charles Lwanga Parish and the St. John Vianney Minor Seminary, has been at the centre of a heated ownership tussle between the Church and the Lagos State Government for several years. The Lagos State Government had initially acquired the property in 1977, with the intention of using it for the construction of a public library. However, the Church contends that the sale was fraudulent and invalid, as the person who sold the land did not have the authority to do so. This latest legal action by the Catholic Archdiocese is significant, as it seeks to overturn the judgement of the Lagos State High Court and uphold the Church’s claim to the property. The Church’s legal team has argued that the original judgement was flawed due to the absence of critical evidence and the bias of the judge. The fate of the property, and the future of the St. Charles Lwanga Parish and the St. John Vianney Minor Seminary, now hangs in the balance, as the Court of Appeal prepares to hear the Church’s appeal. This dispute not only has implications for the Catholic Church, but also raises broader questions about property rights, government accountability, and the rule of law in Lagos State.
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