LEGAL PRINCIPLE: CIVIL PROCEDURE – Cause of Action – Relationship to Civil Rights
PRINCIPLE STATEMENT
A cause of action is the question as to the civil rights and obligation of the plaintiff founding the action to be determined by the court in favour of one party against the other party.
RATIO DECIDENDI (SOURCE)
Per Ejiwunmi, JSC, quoting Obaseki, JSC, in Owodunni v. Registered Trustees of Celestial Church of Christ (2000) NLC-1261995(SC) at p. 42; Paras B–C.
"A cause of action is the question as to the civil rights and obligation of the plaintiff founding the action to be determined by the court in favour of one party against the other party."
EXPLANATION / SCOPE
A cause of action is fundamentally about civil rights and obligations—the legal basis upon which the plaintiff seeks judicial determination. It presents the question of whose rights prevail and what obligations exist between the parties. This perspective emphasizes that litigation resolves disputes over legal entitlements and duties. The cause of action must disclose a justiciable controversy concerning existing legal rights, not merely abstract questions. It frames the issues for adjudication and defines the scope of the court’s decision-making authority.