If you were looking for a Nigerian celestial drama, sorry—this is the UK, not Abuja High Court. The English courtroom in Tali Shani v Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome (SAN) isn’t where you’ll find angels fluttering around dispensing justice with wings and haloes. No, here we get something far juicier: legal gladiators in agbadas, egos the size of Third Mainland Bridge, and enough backstory to fill a Nollywood legal thriller.
Act 1: Enter the Characters—No Halos in Sight
On one side, we have Tali Shani, the aggrieved, marching into court like a determined litigant on a mission. On the other, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, legal luminary, activist, orator, and part-time thunderstorm. This is the man who can quote the Constitution from memory while simultaneously delivering a lecture on colonial legal legacies—with flourish.
You might expect a courtroom full of solemn legal minds humming hymns of justice. Instead, imagine a theatre with two seasoned performers, each convinced the spotlight was made for them.
Act 2: Allegations, Counter-Allegations, and National Popcorn Time
The details of the case (which, let’s be honest, most Nigerians only half-follow between traffic jams and PHCN outages) are spicy enough to keep even your nosy auntie interested. Accusations fly, responses are issued, press releases are fired off like campaign posters during election season. Nevertheless, see below for the outline of the matter.
Both camps seem determined to prove one thing: that morality is not a prerequisite for litigation over Nigeria matters. One shouts “justice,” the other shouts “defamation,” and Nigerians on social media shout “who get gist?”
Act 3: Angels Wanted, But Nigeria Said ‘Unavailable’
At this point, an innocent observer might be tempted to ask, “So who is the angel here?”
Ah. Bless your naïve soul. In Nigerian legal and political disputes, angels are like constant electricity supply—theoretically possible, but practically unavailable. Everyone has a motive, a network, and a strategy that involves public sympathy, legal gymnastics, and well-timed interviews on Channels TV.
The plaintiff may not be a saint. The defendant is certainly no cherub. And the commentators? Half are part-time prophets, the other half are lawyers in WhatsApp groups armed with Google PDFs of the Evidence Act.
Act 4: Moral of the Story—Bring Popcorn, Not Halos
By the time the case winds its way through the labyrinth of adjournments, counterclaims, motions, and the inevitable “matter adjourned sine die,” one thing will be clear: Nigeria is not a place where angels litigate.
Instead, it’s a stage where everyone is auditioning for the role of Chief Victim or Grand Crusader, depending on which side of the press release you read.
If justice were a soap opera, Tali Shani v Ozekhome would be one of those long-running seasons where you forget who was suing whom, but you keep watching anyway because the drama is too entertaining to miss.
Epilogue: Nigerian Angels—Please Report to Court
So, dear reader, next time someone says “Let justice be done,” smile knowingly. In Nigeria, justice often arrives late, slightly confused, and without angelic backup. As this case shows, we don’t have angels in our courtrooms—just humans, lawyers, and the occasional SAN with a flair for theatrics.
The matter at hand
Tali Shani v Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome (SAN) was a property dispute in the UK First-tier Tribunal that centered on allegations of fraud and forged identities concerning a London house. The case ultimately revealed that a fictitious identity, “Tali Shani,” was used to conceal the true ownership of the property by the late Nigerian general, Jeremiah Useni.
Background of the case
The property: At the heart of the dispute was a house at 79 Randall Avenue, Neasden, London, that was purchased in 1993 and registered under the name “Tali Shani”.
Competing claims: The legal battle arose after prominent Nigerian lawyer Mike Ozekhome applied in 2021 to register the property in his name, claiming it was transferred to him as payment for legal services from a “Mr. Tali Shani”. This was opposed by representatives of a “Ms. Tali Shani,” who claimed to be the rightful owner and the victim of a fraudulent transfer.
Discovery of fabricated identity: The UK First-tier Tribunal found that neither Ozekhome nor the supposed “Ms. Shani” was the rightful owner. The tribunal discovered that General Jeremiah Useni, who died in January 2025, had purchased the property in 1993 but registered it under the false identity of “Tali Shani” to hide his ownership.
Tribunal’s findings and verdict
In September 2025, the tribunal, led by Judge Ewan Paton, made the following rulings:
Ozekhome’s claim was dismissed: The tribunal dismissed Ozekhome’s claim to ownership, finding his explanation to be “contrived and invented” and based on fraud and forged documents. The judgment blocked the transfer of the property to Ozekhome.
Both parties lose: Neither Ozekhome nor the individuals claiming to represent Tali Shani were granted ownership. The tribunal struck out the claims from both sides, concluding that the entire matter was an abuse of the judicial process built on a network of fraud.
No costs ordered: Neither party was awarded costs, meaning they each bore their own legal expenses.
Property title: The property’s title currently remains under the name “Tali Shani.” The tribunal’s findings indicate that the house is now legally part of the General Useni’s estate.
Aftermath and further investigation
Following the judgment, the case prompted wider repercussions in Nigeria:
ICPC investigation: The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) petitioned Nigeria’s Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate Mike Ozekhome and his son over alleged fraud and forgery revealed by the UK tribunal.
Nigerian Bar Association review: The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) launched a probe into the matter, which the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Anti-Corruption Committee has supported. The NBA is looking into the roles of the Nigerian lawyers involved.
Identity document fraud: The investigation also uncovered that a Nigerian National Identity Number (NIN) used in the scheme was fraudulently created remotely.
Centre for Nigeria Progress 