JUSTICE Okechukwu Okeke of the Federal High Court, Lagos yesterday heard the suit filed by an elder of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Prince Adepoju Arogundade, against the church leadership over succession right.
The subsequently fixed January 11, 23, and 24, 2013 as date for continuation of hearing in the case.
The case which was initially slated for November 26 was shifted to November 27 by an order of the trial judge.
At the resumed hearing of the case Tuesday, Counsel to the plaintiff Mr. Tunji Gomez informed the court of his readiness to proceed with the matter, stating that no remarkable progress had been made since the case was instituted three years ago.
He said the matter which had been before the court since 2009, had been saddled with unnecessary delays which he attributed to the lack of diligence on the part of defence counsel.
He therefore urged the court to go on with the case so as to make progress.
Justice Okeke however declined the request to proceed with the case, stating that defence counsel, Mr. Ade Okulaja, had submitted a letter of adjournment before the court, informing it of his absence from court owing to another matter at the Court of Appeal.
He therefore adjourned the matter at the instance of defence counsel.
Gomez had filed the case on behalf of the plaintiff, Arogundade before the court in February 2009.
The suit was to challenge the purported claim of the defendant, Mr. Adebola Adenuga as been the leader of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Nigeria.
The plaintiff had averred in his statement of claim that after the death of his father, he was supposed to become the next leader of the church as of right.
He stated that the C & S church which was founded in 1925 by Captain Emmanuel Abiodun and registered in 1930, had a constitution which clearly spelt out the mode of leadership succession.
He said that after the death of any leader, the eldest in the church was to assume the position of the next leader.
