K. ESO, JSC (Delivering the Leading Judgment): Because of the importance of this case, both in regard to the legal issues involved and the publicity that has attached to it, I will set out the facts of, the issues involved in and the legal submissions thereupon in the case in some considerable detail. I will start with the events that led to the litigation.
The Incident Previous to Litigation:
On 18th February, 1977, at about mid-day, one Segun Ademola, an employee of the 2nd Plaintiff, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, travelled in a landrover belonging to the 2nd Plaintiff, and driven by one Segun Adams along Agege Motor Road. At a point on the road, precisely at Ojuelegba, a military traffic policeman stopped these two people and questioned them as to why their vehicle failed to carry a plate number in the front. The two people told the military policeman that the vehicle had a plate number at the back, but the one which should have been in front was inside the vehicle, near the glass wind-shie…