The plan by Mrs. Taiwo Obasanjo, wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, to seek a court order stopping her son’s wedding has met a brickwall.
An Ikeja High Court, on Monday, dismissed the suit filed by Mrs. Obasanjo to stop the wedding planned for May 11 and prayed for its postponement to a further date.
The suit was dismissed by Justice Lateefa Okunnu on the grounds that the court lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate over a matter involving an adult. The groom, Olujonwo, is 33 years old.
“On March 27, I ordered counsel to direct me on whether the family court can hear a case where the child is an adult.
“Counsel have addressed me and I have read the processes before me.
“I have found to be very genuine, what the applicant said regarding performing her parental duties in paragraph 15 of her affidavit.
“The court, regrettably, lacks the competence to adjudicate this suit, the jurisdiction of the family court covers children under the age of 18 years.
“The respondent’s son is 33-years-old, this negates the ability of this court to entertain this suit.
“The proper order to give is one dismissing this suit in its entirety, I hereby dismiss this suit,” the judge said.
Former President Obasanjo and Sir Kessington Adebutu, the bride’s father and promoter of Premier Lotto known as Baba Ijebu are the respondents to the suit.
While Mrs. Obasanjo was present in the court, the respondents in the suit, Mr. Obasanjo and Sir Adebutu, were absent.
Mrs. Obasanjo, the groom’s mother, had earlier filed a suit on March 27, asking the court to postpone the wedding scheduled for 11 until a later date after June 1 when the groom turns 34.
Mrs. Obasanjo said her reason for requesting a postponement were as a result that she has not been properly involved in the wedding preparations as the mother of the groom and that she had received several warnings from spiritualists warning that a bad omen lies ahead if the son should have an elaborate celebration before his next birthday.
Mr. Bode Olanipekun, counsel to the two respondents, Obasanjo and Adebutu, had earlier during the court proceedings asked that the suit be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.
“We urge your Lordship to dismiss this suit based on jurisdictional challenges.
“Under Section 261 of the Child’s Act, this court has no jurisdiction because the child is above 18-years.
“The claimants have not disclosed a reasonable cause of action and no laws were cited in their address.
“I urge your Lordship to dismiss this suit,” Olanipekun said.