From Ene Asuquo, Calabar

The Cross River State Callywood Department seeks to partner with the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Cross River State Council, as part of efforts to promote the state’s film industry, through movies and documentaries.

Special Adviser to the Governor of Callywood, Hon.

Anderson explained that although Callywood had existed for years and had been led by two Directors General, the administration of Governor Bassey Otu is the first to establish it as a full department, with 15 filmmakers appointed to drive its activities.

He said the department had commenced efforts to build a sustainable film industry in the state, noting that it had trained and certified 212 people in partnership with the Office of the Chairman of the Youth Empowerment Scheme.

According to him, resource persons were drawn from Lagos as well as locally based professionals to equip participants with practical filmmaking skills.

Anderson disclosed that the department was also working towards establishing a Callywood Academy to sustain the training programme and develop a pool of skilled filmmakers and other professionals within the state.

He said Callywood had also initiated partnerships with security agencies and other relevant institutions to facilitate film production and storytelling, particularly stories that reflect Cross River’s history, culture and traditional values.

The Special Adviser said the department was currently in pre-production for its first feature film, titled Crackdown, which focuses on security issues, while another documentary, The Hunters, was also being produced to tell the story of an ageing retired official hunter whose experiences could inspire younger generations.

He stressed that Callywood was not established solely to produce films but would also serve as a platform for showcasing Cross River State to the world.

According to him, the department intends to use films and documentaries to highlight the state’s languages, people, tourist locations, culture and developmental achievements under the Otu administration.

He therefore appealed to the NUJ to partner with the department by helping to amplify its programmes and productions through professional journalism and media platforms.

He further disclosed that the department was exploring different revenue streams to make Callywood financially sustainable.

Anderson said it had developed a book on filmmaking, acting and content creation for senior secondary school students, which was undergoing review by the Ministry of Education.

He explained that upon approval, the books would be supplied to secondary schools across the state as part of the department’s revenue generation strategy.

He also revealed plans to invest in movie productions and collaborate with filmmakers by providing platforms for their works while generating revenue through mutually beneficial partnerships.

Responding, the Chairman of the NUJ, Cross River State Council, Comrade Archibong Bassey, congratulated Anderson on his appointment and expressed the council’s readiness to collaborate with Callywood in projecting Cross River State positively.

Bassey described Anderson as a professional with the requisite experience for the position, noting that both of them had roots in Diamond and had studied Theatre Arts.

She said the media had a critical role to play in promoting the programmes and achievements of the government, but noted that effective publicity required collaboration between government agencies and journalists.

From Ayinde Akintade, Osogbo

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke has tasked residents to report any suspicious movements or individuals in their areas or neighbourhood to security agencies without any delay.

The governor who made the appeal on Sunday in response to reported planned terrorist attacks on places of worship in Osun state called on the members of the public to alert security agencies if they notice an influx of strange faces especially across the border communities.

“We must provide the police and other security agencies with intelligence reports, with noticeable threats, in our communities.

“I commend the Department of State Service (DSS) for taking proactive measures to counter the threats. I charge other security agencies to review the situation and develop an action plan to strengthen security of lives and properties.

“I will soon convey the State Security Council meeting to assess the situation and the workability of our response plans. As residents of this state, we must collaborate with the security agencies through information sharing.

“We should be wary of people we host in our communities. On this note, I charge our royal fathers to also host their traditional council meetings on this development. We must nip in the bud the evil plans of enemies of public peace.

“Our administration is committed to post-election peace building and we must tighten state security to foil any attempt by terrorists and bandits to disrupt public peace”, Governor Adeleke was quoted as saying in the news release.

By David Torough, Abuja

The Lagos State High Court sitting in Lagos has set aside and nullified the purported installation and coronation of Ibrahim Adebowale Saliu as the Onise of Ise Kingdom in Lekki Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Epe Local Government Area, Lagos State.

The court also ordered the Lagos State Government to immediately withdraw the letter of appointment, staff of office and recognition granted to Saliu, following the installation and coronation conducted at the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Alausa, Ikeja, on August 21, 2026.

In a ruling delivered on Friday, September 11, 2026, by Justice Yetunde Adesola Adesanya of the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere, the court further ordered Saliu to surrender the letter of appointment, staff of office and other benefits of office obtained during the disputed installation.

The court also directed him to immediately stop parading or holding himself out as the Onise of Ise pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

The ruling arose from a Motion on Notice for Mandatory Injunction filed on August 24, 2026, by Alhaji Adeniyi Atere and Mrs Idowu Adebisi Lana, the claimants/applicants in Suit No. LD/0022PRA/2026.

The defendants/respondents in the suit include the Lagos State Governor, the Attorney-General of Lagos State, the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Epe Local Government Area, Lekki LCDA and four individuals identified as members of the selection process, while Saliu is the 11th defendant/respondent.

The dispute centres on the process that produced Saliu as the Oba-elect and subsequently led to his appointment and installation as Onise of Ise.

A key issue before the court was whether the August 21 installation could stand after an earlier interim injunction had been issued restraining the state government and other specified defendants from taking steps to appoint Saliu as Onise of Ise.

Earlier court order

The ruling recalled that Justice S. I. Sonaike had, on August 13, 2026, issued an interim order restraining the first to fifth defendants from acting on a March 30, 2026 letter purportedly forwarding Saliu’s name as the Oba-elect of Ise Kingdom.

The order also restrained them from putting into effect any process aimed at appointing Saliu as Onise of Ise pursuant to the letter or instrument of nomination.

The court noted that the earlier order was made in the context of alleged non-compliance with the Obas and Chiefs of Lagos State Law, 2015, and the relevant Registered Declaration regulating the selection to the Onise of Ise stool.

According to the ruling, the interim injunction was to last for seven days unless renewed by the court, with August 20 fixed as the return date for a report of compliance and continuation of hearing.

The court further found that the enrolled order had been duly served on the relevant respondents and that there were acknowledged copies of the order in the court’s file.

Importantly, the ruling noted that the first to fourth respondents had themselves filed a motion dated August 18 seeking, among other things, an order discharging or setting aside the August 13 interim injunction or, alternatively, an order not to renew it.

Thus, the respondents were aware of the order and were actively challenging it through the judicial process.

Installation despite subsisting injunction

The claimants alleged that despite the service of the order, the state government proceeded with the installation on August 21.

The court recorded the allegation that the Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Dr Nurudeen Yekini Lanre Agbaje, handed over the letter of appointment and staff of office to Saliu at the ministry.

Photographs of the purported coronation and installation were also tendered as an exhibit before the court.

The court subsequently made a significant finding on the conduct complained of. It held that the evidence before it established an infringement of the earlier court order, stating:

The court’s finding is central to the judgment because the application was not merely seeking to prevent a future installation; the applicants were asking the court to reverse steps that had allegedly been taken while the interim order was still in force.

Court considers power to reverse completed act

Justice Adesanya considered the legal principles governing mandatory injunctions, noting that such an injunction is positive in nature because it requires a defendant to undo an act that has already been carried out.

The court reviewed several authorities, including CBN v. UTB (Nig.) Ltd., CBN v. Industrial Bank Ltd., Abubakar & 10 Ors. v. Jos Metropolitan & Anor., and H.R.H. Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari & Ors. v. Alhaji Saadu A.O. Bukola.

Of particular relevance was the Court of Appeal decision in the Sulu-Gambari chieftaincy case, which the applicants had relied upon.

In that case, the Court of Appeal held that although injunctions generally do not restrain completed acts, an exception could arise where a party deliberately proceeds with an act after becoming aware of an application seeking to restrain it.

The court quoted the appellate court as stating: “To condone such a situation amounts to encouraging ‘executive lawlessness’ which will only jeopardize the rule of law and civilized conduct.”

The Court of Appeal had consequently recognised that a restorative mandatory injunction could be used where a party deliberately acted in disregard of the authority of the court.

Justice Adesanya found that the principle was applicable to the circumstances before her.

Court orders reversal of installation

Having considered the processes, affidavits, exhibits and submissions of counsel, the court granted the application in full.

The first mandatory order compels the first to fourth defendants- comprising the Lagos State Governor, Attorney-General, the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, and the ministry, to withdraw the appointment letter, staff of office and recognition of Saliu as Onise of Ise.

The court’s order specifically relates to the appointment and recognition arising from the August 21 installation and coronation.

The second order compels Saliu himself to surrender the appointment letter, staff of office and other paraphernalia of office associated with the disputed stool.

The third order directs him to stop parading or holding himself out as the Onise of Ise pending the final determination of the substantive suit.

The court’s fourth and most consequential order expressly sets aside and nullifies the purported installation and coronation.

The ruling states: “An Order of This Honourable Court Setting Aside and Nullifying the purported installation and coronation of the 11th Defendant/Respondent as the Onise of Ise Kingdom…”

The court made clear, however, that the mandatory injunctions are interim orders and are not the final determination of the substantive chieftaincy dispute.

Court stresses obedience to its orders

The ruling also dealt extensively with the importance of compliance with subsisting court orders.

The applicants had argued that proceeding with the installation after service of the injunction amounted to executive lawlessness, self-help and an attempt to overreach the judicial process.

While those descriptions originated from the applicants’ grounds, the court’s decision ultimately accepted the central factual contention that the earlier order had been infringed and that mandatory relief was warranted.

The court also noted that the respondents, despite being aware of the proceedings and the interim order, did not proceed to have their pending August 18 motion determined before the disputed installation took place.

According to the ruling: “The Respondents being fully aware of the pendency of these proceedings and the Order of this court chose to stay away from the proceedings, failed to move their pending Motion on Notice dated 18th August 2026, or defend the instant application rather proceeded to flout the Interim Order of this Court.”

The court consequently concluded that the circumstances justified the exceptional remedy of a mandatory injunction to restore the position that existed before the disputed act.

It therefore ordered that the state government’s recognition and instruments of office be withdrawn and that Saliu cease to hold himself out as Onise of Ise while the substantive case remains pending.

The substantive suit will determine the underlying dispute over the lawful selection and appointment to the Onise of Ise stool.