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Victory At Last: Nigerian Lecturer Victimised For 24 Years Secures Final Victory

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A lecturer, Inih Ebong, unjustly sacked by the University of Uyo (Uniuyo) over 22 years ago, has won a final victory against the university at the Court of Appeal, Calabar, Cross River State.

The appellate court, on Tuesday, dismissed an appeal filed by the University of Uyo for a stay of the execution of a 2020 judgement of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, which ordered the university to reinstate Mr Ebong and pay him all his entitlements and damages.

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“It’s all over. It’s all over. Everything is over,” said Mr Ebong’s lawyer, Nse William, who confirmed the development to PREMIUM TIMES Tuesday afternoon.

“We give glory to God,” he added.

“You know, wherever there’s a wrong, there’s always a remedy,” Mr William said, adding that he was happy that the lecturer was alive to witness the victory.

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‘It has been so long’

An elated Mr Ebong spoke with our reporter on Tuesday about his legal victory.

“I feel very happy,” he said.

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“The road is now as clear as the apian way for me to enforce that judgment (of the industrial court). Whether the vice-chancellor likes it or not, he must pay that money. It is his karma.”

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Lagos Orders Evacuation Of Police Barracks Over Imminent Collapse

The lecturer thanked Nigerians who stood by him throughout his travail.

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He thanked the Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedola, who sponsored his medical treatment, and a human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, for travelling from Lagos to Uyo to visit him and for speaking out against the injustice meted out to him.

Mr Ebong’s wife, Uduak, expressed her happiness about the court victory.

“It has been so long,” she said.

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“The whole thing started when I gave birth to my first daughter. All my three children were born into the struggle. Today, my first daughter is 21 years old and is in the university.

“Our kids have been our great supporters.”

Uduak narrated how, on Sunday, they were thinking about where to get money for the lawyer’s transport fare to Calabar for the Appeal Court judgment. Then, out of the blue, Mr Ebong’s former schoolmate at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, credited her husband’s account with N20,000.

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“We have been so blessed to receive support from kind Nigerians,” she said.

False accusations
Mr Ebong was an associate professor at the theatre arts department when Uniuyo unjustly sacked him in 2002 over a false accusation that he abandoned his duty.

The lecturer was reputed for his resistance to and criticism of maladministration, mismanagement and corruption in the university.

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READ ALSO: ‘It’s A Clear Set Up’ – Court Says, Discharges UNIBEN Lecturer, Dr. Ekundayo, Of Alleged Rape, Three Years After

Akpan Ekpo, a recently retired professor of economics, was the vice-chancellor of the university when authorities moved unjustly against the lecturer. A certain Peter Effiong was the registrar during the period.

PREMIUM TIMES, in October, published an investigative report on how Uniuyo ruined Mr Ebong’s career with unproven sexual assault allegations.

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The 73-year-old lecturer had been diagnosed with cardiac failure in October 2020 and was dying before Mr Otedola, stepped in to take care of his medical treatment, following a PREMIUM TIMES report.

Being out of a job for several years, Mr Ebong could hardly feed himself and his family, let alone take care of his medical treatment.

Shortly after his sacking in 2002, Uniuyo published a disclaimer on Mr Ebong in Punch newspaper, apparently to get other potential employers to avoid him.

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Industrial court judgment
Since 2002, when his appointment was terminated, Mr Ebong has won several court cases against the University of Uyo.

The outstanding victory was the January 2020 judgment of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, which ordered the university to reinstate the lecturer and pay him compensation.

“The stoppage of the Claimant’s salary, the indefinite suspension of him from duties, and the purported termination of his appointment by the Defendants without due process were malicious, ultra vires, and unlawful, and therefore null, void and of no effect whatsoever,” Justice M. A. Namtari declared in his judgment in the case instituted by Mr Ebong in 2017.

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READ ALSO: Sex Tape: Uniport Reacts To Lecturer S3xually Harassing Students

The court ordered Uniuyo to withdraw the termination letter, reinstate Mr Ebong, and pay all his salaries, allowances, and entitlements that would have accrued to him since 1 August 2001, when his salary was stopped, and from 28 March 2002, when his appointment was wrongfully and unlawfully terminated.

The court also ordered the university to pay Mr Ebong the equivalent of his full annual salaries and allowances for the 2001/2002, 2007/2008, and 2014/2015 academic years he should have gone on sabbatical leave in accordance with the terms and conditions of his employment if his appointment had not been unlawfully suspended and later terminated.

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The university, in addition, was ordered to pay Mr Ebong N10 million as damages.

Uniuyo had filed three separate applications at the Court of Appeal against Mr Ebong’s victory at the industrial court. The appellate court struck out two of them, remaining the last one, which the court has dismissed.

Since all cases from the Industrial Court end at the Court of Appeal, the management of the University of Uyo is now expected to implement the judgement of the Industrial Court.

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When contacted on Tuesday, Fidelis Iteshi, Uniuyo’s lawyer, declined comment on the matter.

“I can’t say anything until I get a copy of the judgment,” he said.
PREMIUM TIMES

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I Lost My Wealth, Became Security Guard After My Wife Cursed Me, Man Tells Court

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GRADE A Customary Court sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has heard the prayer of a man, Friday, who dragged his wife, Dinah, to court for divorce.

Friday, in his evidence, said his wife was in the habit of fighting him both at home and in public and later took to threatening him with a knife.

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He added that she stopped cooking for him for three years and later abandoned him for 12 years.

Friday, in his evidence, further pleaded for their children’s custody, while he requested an order restricting his wife from threatening and interfering with his private life.

READ ALSO:My Wife Abandoned Me, Deserted Home For Three Months —Husband

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According to Nigerian Tribune, Dinah was in court on the day the case was mentioned, and she denied all the allegations brought against her.

She also refused that her husband had custody of their children.

The defendant refused to make an appearance on subsequent adjourned dates. Friday, in his testimony, said, “My wife is responsible for my ruin.

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“She has a caustic tongue, while she is also fetish.

“She cursed me until my once lucrative business collapsed, and I had no other choice but to take up a job as a security guard.

READ ALSO:My Wife Poisoned My Food, Attempted To Kill Me ‘Cos I Planned To Marry Another Wife —Husband

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“Dinah treated me with disregard and refused that I have a say in the home.

“She disobeyed my rules and regulations and would end up fighting me.

“My wife not only fought me at home, but also in the public thus embarrassing me.

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“My wife did the worst when she started threatening me with knife any time we had a misunderstanding.

“She stopped cooking for me for about three years and later abandoned me for 12 years.

READ ALSO:My Husband Threw Me Out, Now Lives In A Room With Our Female Children —Wife

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“She took our children to her sister, who has failed to give them adequate care. “My lord, I entreat this honourable court to also grant me custody of our children so that I can give them proper care.

“I, in addition, plead for an order restraining my wife from threatening and interfering with my private life.”

The court president, Mrs S.M Akintayo, giving her judgment after she had heard the plaintiff, stated that the defendant was given ample opportunity to defend herself after her first appearance in court but that she decided not to make further appearance.

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Ruling, Akintayo stated that there was no marriage to be dissolved because no customary marriage held between both parties.

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My Wife Is Promiscuous, Sleeps With My Close Friend — Husband

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It is true, but I feed him, pay our children’s fees from the proceeds —Wife

GRADE A Customary Court, Court 2, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has given judgment on a divorce suit brought before it by a man, Ridwan, against his wife, Bosede, whom he accused of being defiant and promiscuous.

He added that she later took to threatening his life.

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Ridwan stated that Bosede neglected him and their children and cared less about their welfare.

He also said that his wife was not only stubborn but also defiant.

According to Ridwan, Bosede never listened to his counsel while she flouted his orders at will.

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The plaintiff said that the defendant ran a hotel business against his will and this later had a negative influence on their son.

Ridwan added that Bosede also hopped from bed to bed.

The plaintiff stated that the defendant was presently having an affair with one of his close friends.

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Ridwan told the court that Bosede took to threatening his life after he demanded the documents of his landed property in her possession.

Ridwan told the court that he was tired of his wife’s recalcitrant and immoral behaviour and thus pleaded for divorce.

READ ALSO:I Will Not Move Out Of My Husband’s House, Divorced Woman Tells Court

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The plaintiff also pleaded for their children’s custody.

Ridwan, in addition, requested an order restraining his wife from threatening and interfering with his private life.

Bosede agreed to divorce but refused that her husband had custody of their children.

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The defendant did not also deny the accusation of infidelity laid against her by her husband.

Bosede rather stated that she used the proceeds from her immoral act to feed her family and pay their children’s school fees.

Ridwan, in his testimony, said, “My Lord, I came to court today because I want my wife out of my life.

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“Bosede and I met in 2000, and we started living together.

“We carried out no marital rites, and I did not pay her bride price.

READ ALSO:‘My Wife Denied Me Sex, Sent Sexy Messages To Other Men’ – Husband

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“My wife constantly neglected me and failed to look after my welfare.

“She extended this attitude to our children when we started having them.

“Our children constantly looked unfed and unkempt.

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“Bosede is stubborn and always loves to have her way.

“She, therefore, refuses to listen to my advice.

“My wife is also recalcitrant. She refuses that I had a say in our home and flouts my orders at will.

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“I no longer trust my wife because she is promiscuous.

“Bosede hops from bed to bed and she is presently sleeping with one of my close friends.

“This is one of the reasons I want her out of my house. A wife who does this can kill.

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“My wife runs a hotel against my will and this unfortunately is having a negative influence on our children. He suddenly started having erotic feelings towards the opposite sex while he also took to smoking cigarettes.

READ ALSO:My Wife Poisoned My Food, Attempted To Kill Me ‘Cos I Planned To Marry Another Wife —Husband

“My wife, of recent, started fighting me over my property.

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“She has the documents of my landed property in her possession, and she has refused to release them.

“She presently stays in my two-bedroom bungalow.

“I pray this honourable court to order my wife to vacate my house.

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“I also plead for our children’s custody.

“I further request an order restraining her from threatening and interfering with my private life.

Bosede in her response said, “My lord, I am also tired of my husband. I agree that the court rules that we go our different ways.

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“He did not pay a dime as my bride price. I moved in with him, and we started living together as husband and wife.

“I am surprised that my husband could accuse me of infidelity.

“I feed him and our children and also attend to other needs in the home from the money I make from this trade.

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READ ALSO:My Wife Abandoned Me, Deserted Home For Three Months —Husband

He once took our children to his village to stay with his mother.

“These children were not enrolled in school.

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“I brought them back to the city and took up the challenge of paying their fees.

“He still appealed to me last week to pay for the collection of our son’s JSS3 Leaving Certificate.

“My lord, I do not agree that my husband have custody of our children because I have been the one fending for them all these years.”

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Giving her judgment after she had heard both parties, the court president, Mrs O.E Owoseni, stated that there was no marriage to be dissolved because no Customary marriage held between both parties and no bride price was paid.
(TRIBUNE)

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My Husband Grabs, Squeezes My Breasts Any Time He Wants Sex — Wife

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She is a liar — Husband

A mother of four, Zainab Buhari, has dragged her husband, Babangida Ibrahim before a Sharia Court sitting at Rigasa, Kaduna , Kaduna State, for subjecting her to dehumanising treatment.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Zainab told the court that her husband always beat her and leave her and their children with no food.

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He grabs my neck tro suffocate me, squeezes my breast hard and demand for sex.

READ ALSO:My Husband Leaves Home Whenever We Have Misunderstanding, Woman Tells Court

“I take care of our children’s school fees, feeding, clothing and other needs.

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“Whenever I run to my parents, they begs me to return to my matrimonial home,” she said.

The defendant denied all the allegations brought against him.

The judge, Malam Salisu Abubakar Tureta, ordered Zainab to present her witnesses in court.

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He thus adjourned the case for further hearing.

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