OLOKODE & ORS
V.
IJAOLA & ORS

KUMAI BAYANG AKAAHS, J.C.A.(Delivering the Leading Judgment): The crisis which led to the institution of this suit now on appeal is whether the position of Iya Oja i.e woman leader of Olorunsogo market in Lagos State is by appointment under Yoruba native law and custom as contended by the Plaintiffs or that such a custom does not exist and that the post is an elective one as put forward by the Defendants. All the parties to the suit are traders at Olorunsogo Market, Oshodi,Lagos State. Prior to the establishment of the market at the present site, the traders were carrying out their trading activities at Railway Line, Oshodi. Due to the persistent raiding and disturbances meted out on the traders by the Lagos State task force at the Railway Line (which was considered as an illegal market) the traders staged a peaceful demonstration to the office of the Military Governor. On hearing their complaints the then Military Governor Col.Raji Rasaki yielded to the request of the traders by relo…