21/07/2026
Edo: Court adjourns Ogba Zoo’s arbitration suit, orders service of hearing notice on defendants
By Suyi Ayodele
July 15, 2026
An Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City, on Tuesday, adjourned the arbitration settlement suit between the Edo State Government and Everal Services Ltd., the franchise owner of Ogba Zoo, to October 26, 2026, for continuation of hearing.
The adjournment came on the heels of the absence of the defendant, the Edo State Government, which was neither present in court nor was represented by a counsel when the matter came up for hearing before Justice P.A. Akhihiero.
The matter before the court in the suit marked B/2070S/2002, and filed by the claimant, Everal Services Ltd, franchise owner of Ogba Zoo, is seeking the enforcement of a N36.5 million arbitral award on November 3, 2016, against the Edo State Government.
The claimant’s counsel, Kingsley Obamogie (SAN), drew the attention of the court to the habitual absence of the defendant and its counsel, adding that it was the same posture the Edo State Government put up during the arbitration the two parties agreed to in 2016.
The senior advocate thereafter asked for adjournment to enable him to obtain the copy of the Originating Motion. The court subsequently adjourned the matter to October 26, 2026, for continuation of hearing, and ordered that the hearing notice be served on the defendant.
Speaking with journalists after the sitting, counsel to Everal Services Ltd, Kingsley Obamogie (SAN), said the company came to court, seeking the order of the court to enforce an arbitral award delivered on November 3, 2016, in its favour over the state government’s alleged breach of a lease agreement for the management of Ogba Zoo.
Obamogie explained that the sole arbitrator awarded approximately N36.5 million in damages to Everal Services and also issued directives aimed at safeguarding the future of Ogba Zoo, which he described as a national asset of immense value to Edo State in particular and Nigeria.
According to him, the arbitral award directed the Edo State Government to secure the zoo by constructing a perimeter fence, following years of alleged encroachment on the property by trespassers.
The senior advocate expressed regrets that, nearly a decade after the award was issued, neither the monetary compensation nor the preservation directives had been implemented.
Obamogie (SAN) attributed the delay largely to what he described as a lack of political will by the previous administration.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria disclosed that both parties had explored an out-of-court settlement, but the negotiations failed, leaving Everal Services with no option but to seek judicial enforcement of the arbitral award.
“The award is binding on all the parties, and that is why we have approached the court for its enforcement,” Obamogie reiterated.
He also observed that the government’s absence at the latest hearing mirrored its conduct during the arbitration proceedings, alleging that it similarly failed to actively participate before the sole arbitrator, which culminated in the award in favour of Everal Services.
Obamogie (SAN) further revealed that the court had ordered hearing notices to be served on the defendants and expressed confidence that the matter would proceed once service had been affected, regardless of whether the respondents appeared in court.
“The court does not wait endlessly for parties. Once they have been properly served, the matter can proceed,” Obamogie emphasised.
Source: Nigerian Tribune
