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Tag: NBA

  • Nigeria courts lack basic working tools – NBA

    Nigeria courts lack basic working tools – NBA

    The President, Nigeria Bar Association, Mr. Okey Wali, has called for the use of automated recording system in courts to enhance speedy dispensation of justice.

    Wali, who made the call in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday, said that Nigerian courts did not belong to the present dispensation technologically.

    He reiterated the need for the judiciary to improve on court processes in order to meet up with the increasing number of court cases in the country.

    The NBA president pointed out that the use of automated recording system would assist in the quick dispensation of justice.

    He said, “Our courts technologically speaking do not belong to this century and our judges cannot do much in this circumstance.

    “We do not have the facilities in the courts, so you have a situation where in 2013 our judges still take down notes in long hands and that is horrible.

    “If you go outside this clime and you watch court proceedings, you would discover that the whole thing is being recorded.

    “We have to technologically update our courts. There must be automated recording system in the courts.

    “There must be a way that the judge doesn’t have to take down notes in long hands.”

    Wali called for prompt attention with regards to the equipping of courts to meet up with present trends.

     

  • NBA wants lawyers to handle criminal cases in courts

     

    The Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Ibadan Branch, Mr. Oluseun Abimbola, has reiterated the need for lawyers to take over the prosecution of criminal cases in magistrates’ courts to ensure speedy trials.

    Abimbola told the News Agency of Nigeria in Ibadan that the practice of police prosecution of cases was inherited from the colonialists.

    He, however, said the practice was inadequate to meet modern challenges of the criminal justice system in the country.

    “It is a lot of disservice to have prosecutors who are not lawyers handling criminal cases in the magistrates’ courts.

    “This does not happen in the higher courts because only a lawyer can plead before a judge.

    “For the purpose of a proper job being done in terms of not necessarily the skills alone, but speedy administration of justice, there is no reason why we should still have the police prosecuting,” he said.

    The NBA boss added that the police could prosecute where the counsel were qualified lawyers.

    “Let the police focus on law enforcement and let lawyers focus on prosecution.

    “However, if the police should prosecute, let the police prosecutor be a lawyer. I know that we have sufficient number of lawyers within the rank and file of the police,’’ he said.

    Abimbola urged the police authorities to recruit more lawyers and conduct periodic training to hone their capacity.

     

  • NBA, EFCC, NITDA, others support cyber crimes bill

    Stakeholders in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) have expressed optimism on the ability of the proposed amendment to the Criminal and Penal Codes Act, 2004 to curb cybercrime in the country.

    The amendment is seeking to provide for offences and penalties relating to computer misuse and cyber crimes.

    The stakeholders, at a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Justice yesterday, were unanimous in their support for the amendment. They said if not checked, cybercrime has the potential of affecting the country’s economy.

    According to the sponsor of the bill, Aisha Dahiru (PDP, Adamawa), the absence of cybercrime laws portrayed Nigeria as a porous nation for cybercrime, as it has become a well-organised and coordinated enterprise.

    She said the absence of cybercrime legislation has exposed sensitive economic, intelligence and security and sundry government outfits to hacking by cybercrime syndicates.

    Aisha Dahiru explained that the bill was not seeking the establishment of a separate agency to tackle the problem because of the cost implication and the time it would take to establish such a body.

    The Chairman of the committee, Ali Ahmad (PDP Kwara), said the activities of hackers and Internet fraudsters (otherwise known as yahoo boys) are assuming dangerous dimension, which have resulted in a loss of confidence in the electronic banking sub-sector.

  • Why court is helpless on corruption – Agbakoba

    Why court is helpless on corruption – Agbakoba

    Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) has blamed the inadequacy of existing laws for the seeming helplessness of the nation’s criminal justice system.

    He said the system seems to have been overwhelmed by the level of corruption in the country, because existing laws are old and weak.

    Agbakoba argued that the sentence handed to John Yusufu, the Police Pension Fund convict, which many found ridiculous, was because the nation’s criminal laws are old.

    He suggested a comprehensive overhaul of the nation’s laws to enable it cope with today’s reality.

    The former NBA chief spoke with journalists on Monday on the sideline of the Second Federal High Court Judges Forum organised in Lagos by the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON).

    He praised the initiative behind the forum, which was meant for the judges to closely examine the newly introduced AMCON Practice Direction 2013.

    The forum, he said, was part of effort to further educate the judges on ways to deal with AMCON cases and ensuring that they were speedily dealt with.

    Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, who unveiled the practice direction at the opening session of the forum, urged judges to treat AMCON and other related cases with dispatch.

    He said priority should be given to cases filed by AMCON as is being done to cases relating to fundamental rights, money laundering, rape and kidnapping because “they affect the life blood of the nation.”

    Auta, however, noted that the fact that AMCON was bankrolling the forum did not mean the judges should close their eyes to all that AMCON files.

    He said plan was on to ensure that cases filed by AMCON were sent to judges in other jurisdictions outside Abuja and Lagos, where the cases are currently concentrated.

     

  • Okah: NBA calls for overhauling of Nigeria’s justice system

    The Nigerian Bar Association on Monday called for the overhauling of Nigeria’s justice system in order to speed up the dispensation of criminal cases in the country.

    Chairman, NBA, Ikeja Branch, Mr. Onyekachi Ubani, made the call while reacting to the conviction of Nigerian militant leader, Henry Okah, by a South African Court, for acts of terrorism.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Okah was on Monday found guilty by the court of masterminding the 2010 Independent Day car bombing which killed 12 people in Abuja.

    He was convicted by a Johannesburg High Court Judge, Neels Claassen, on a 13-count charge of acts relating to terrorism.

    Ubani told NAN that the major lesson Nigeria should learn from Okah’s conviction was how to fast track the dispensation of justice in its legal system.

    He said the Nigeria justice system was slow, ineffective and inefficient to meet the wishes and aspirations of the Nigerian people.

    “Former Delta State governor, James Ibori, was jailed by a United Kingdom Court, whereas the crime was committed in Nigeria.

    “Now, Okah has been convicted by a South African Court for an offence also committed in Nigeria.

    “This shows that there is something fundamentally wrong with our criminal justice system and it needs to be overhauled,” Ubani said.

    He said had Okah been charged for the offence in Nigeria, the matter would not have gotten to conviction stage as at now.

    “His brother and some other persons were arrested and arraigned for the same offence in Nigeria but the matter is still proceeding at a very slow pace,” Ubani added.

    He, however, said Okah, who is the leader of the militant group, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), has the right to appeal the judgment.

    The NBA chairman also condemned the recent attack on the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, by some suspected terrorists.

     

  • NBA pledges to protect human rights

    NBA pledges to protect human rights

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has assured the three tiers of government and the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) of its commitment to the protection and promotion of the fundamental rights of every Nigerian.

    He stated this at Rockview Hotel, Abuja, during the International Human Rights Day’s celebration by the NBA.

    The United Nations Organisation has designated December 10 as the International Human Rights Day.

    Various human rights groups organised different programmes to commemorate that day.

    Consequently, the NBA organised a roundtable to mark it. The event was attended by lawyers from different parts of the country.

    Wali (SAN) said: “The Nigeria Bar Association assures the three tiers of government, and Civil Society Organisations of its willingness to collaborate on the implementation of any activity aimed at achieving protection of Human Right, promotion of Rule of Law, and sustainable reforms in the Administration of Justice in Nigeria

    “The NBA welcomes the commitment of the administration to the promotion and protection of the rights of all Nigerians irrespective of ethnic group, gender, economic status or any other attribute. President Jonathan’s commitment in this regards has been demonstrated by the signing of the National Human Right Commission Act and Freedom of Information Act. Both legislation will enhance further respect for the rights of Nigerians.

    “Given the eminence of Nigeria in regional and international affairs, given our desire for a permanent seat on the United Nation Security Council, the NBA believes that Nigeria’s human right record must at all times be seen to be a model for all necessary.

    “The NBA therefore urges the Federal government to direct an immediate review of Nigeria’s compliance with regional and international human right treaties. The NBA is specifically concerned that Nigeria is yet to ratify the ECOWAS protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. This was the basis of Nigeria’s intervention in Cote d’ Ivore, Guinea, Niger Republic, and Togo. In addition, since Nigeria went through the Universal Periodic Review process in the United Nations Human Right Council, the NBA is not aware of any intervention by the government of Nigeria to take forward several of the commitments Nigeria made to the body.

    On the NBA’s projection for the future, Wali (SAN) said: “The Nigerian Bar Association will be proactive and assertive in the protection and defence of the rights of the Nigerian people as enshrined in Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and the various International Covenants and Protocols. All the Human Rights Committees in the various branches will be energised and made more active through the NBA Human Right Institute and NBA National Human Right Committee. We will confront cases of human rights violations headlong and cooperate with the government when it makes efforts at protecting and defending the rights of the Nigerians”

     

    Speaking on the main theme at the roundtable, the guest speaker, Prof. Cyril Ndifon, said: “Basically it is to address the question of awareness and enforcement oh human rights in the country.

    “When the Universal Declaration on Human Rights was passed by the United Nations (UN) on this same day in 1948, these two items were firmly established and encouraged, that people should go ahead and ensure dissemination and enforcement of human rights, so that was the main theme of my paper. These same issues of awareness and enforcement still bedevil us till date.

     

    The international President of Global Association of Female Attorneys ‘GAFA’ Mrs. Chinelo Iriele, said: “I feel very happy because human rights issues are issues that are of utmost priority to us in GAFA both as individuals and the country at large I feel very happy that the NBA as an institution celebrated this day, this has never been done before.

    “I commend and NBA president, Okey Wali (SAN) for making this to happen and that is why I decided that, I must be here today, By the time we all recognise and begin to respect the human rights of everybody in this country, everything will be ok.”

    Festus Okoye said: “For me, there are two challenges in this respect, the first challenge relates to the issue of extra – judicial executions and torture that Nigeria has been going through.

    “The second challenge relate to the issue of discrimination, the problem of non inclusion especially in relation to persons with disability, especially these whole issues about settle and indigeneship in the country. So, these two issues are in the fire front of the issues bothering us as a country today.

    “I think that it is important for us as a people and as a nation to begin to deal with some of these issues. On the issue of extra-judicial killings, we are having a lot of challenges with the issue of militancy, insurgency. There are so many insurgents, so many militants have been killed and they have killed so may Nigerians. mindlessly and destroyed property worth several millions of naira. However, there are two issues involved here, one, while these people are violating the rights of innocent parties, the Nigerian nation cannot also involve in violating their own rights. Our constitution is based on the rule of law and due process.

    “If somebody is accused of having committed a criminal offence, our law demands that the person should be arrested, the person should be detained and be given his or her day in court. Therefore, a situation where agencies of government that are not even constitutionally or legally permitted to arrest, arrest and keep persons for more than one year without handing those persons over to the police is illegal. To keep persons for more than one year without giving such persons their due process in court is a gross violation of their fundamental rights.

    “The type of offence those people committed is immaterial because even those who were accused of committing culpable homicide punishable by death are given their rights in court. We cannot pretend as a people and as a nation that we are waiting for a particular law to be passed before we can give people their due process and rights. Our laws are not retroactive and to that particular extent every person or persons arrested for having committed and criminal offence should be taken to court.

    “On the issue of indigenes and non indigenes, I think that as a nation, we must be sincere with ourselves. If our Nigerian citizenship is being undermined on account of this whole issue of settlers and indigenes, we should be sincere enough to address it and address it properly.

    “We can insist that if a particular person has lived in a place continuously for 15 years, such a person should enjoy the rights of citizenship. We cannot use the whole issue of indigenship and citizenship for political purposes. This wholes issue of indigenship and settles is at the heart of the problems and challenges that we are having as a people and as a nation and that is what has really undermined the issue of national unity, I believe that we must confront it as we celebrate this international human rights day”.

    Country Vice-President, FIDA, Mrs. Hauwa Shekarau, said: “For us it is a very very important day particularly because of the them of this years’ Human Rights day which says “participation and inclusion. And you know, in Nigeria, women have not been fully involved in the happenings in this country.

    “I am talking about political participation, I am talking about decision making and all that. So, it is very very important and very key that women who constitute about 50 percent of the population of this country have the opportunity to participate fully at the decision making process and also in politics and if that is not done, it then means that about 50 percent of this country is alienated, and excluded in the decision making and governance process, that means we are not getting it right”.

    Chairman of NBA Human Rights committee, Osas Erhabor, said: “Well, the NBA president has given us a marching order, and we have heard from our colleagues; so, it is not going to be business as usual. We are going to reconstitute the human rights committees of our branches. Because of their spread, they are in a better position to handle local human right violations, we will partner with the branches, we will work them, we are planning to have a get together with the secretaries of the branch human rights committees, to empower them and get them to hit the ground running.”

  • Lawyers get disciplinary committees, appoints prosecutors

    Lawyers get disciplinary committees, appoints prosecutors

    THE Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) has constituted disciplinary committees in its effort to sanitise legal practice

    In his speech on the occasion, the NBA President, Okey Wali (SAN) said: “The maintenance of Professional Standards is the hallmark of the Legal Profession. It is part of the regulatory role the NBA plays in regulating the professional ethics of lawyers in Nigeria.

    “This is why over the years the NBA has continually restructured its regulatory process to protect the highest standards of our noble profession. Let me succinctly give you an insight of our efforts and where we are coming from.

    “The NBA used to have a singular disciplinary committee chaired by Chief Bandele Aiku SAN, a man of sterling quality and integrity. The committee was vested with the responsibility to investigate complaints of unethical behavior of our members. Over time, the process became slow and it became evident that a single committee could not handle the deluge of petitions that came into the NBA on a daily basis.

    “When Olisa Agbakoba SAN, came into office, it was imperative that more disciplinary committees needed to be created to meet the yearning for expeditious dispensation of petitions. He created the Regional Committees with two panels in Lagos, One in the South-South, one in the South east and one in the North. He created five committees in total. This however improved the process.

    “Building on this, the Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, administration created the State Disciplinary Committees to improve on the previous administration system. This new system became unwieldy and failed to achieve our set objective in respect of disciplinary matters.

    “Today, after a careful comparative analysis and statistical comparisons, this administration has decided to revert to the Zonal disciplinary process with some additional committees with the singular aim of improving the disciplinary process by ensuring expeditious handling of petitions. I therefore inaugurate the following nine committees:

    •Abuja Disciplinary Committee

    •Lagos Disciplinary Panel A

    •Lagos Disciplinary Panel B

    •Northcentral Disciplinary Committee

    •Northeast Zonal Disciplinary Committee

    •Northwest Zonal Disciplinary Committee

    •Southeast Zonal Disciplinary Committee

    •Southsouth Zonal Disciplinary Committee

    •Southwest Zonal Disciplinary Committee

    Names of the Zonal Committee members are as follows:

     

    ABUJA

    •Awa Kalu, SAN, -Chairman

    •P.O. Okolo Esq. -Member

    •Okey Ajunwa Esq. -Member

    •Muyiwa Akinboro Esq.

    -Member

    •Stella Peters(Ms) -Secretary

     

    LAGOS PANEL A

    •Rowland Otaru, SAN,

    Chairman

    •Nurudeen Ogbara, Esq,

    Member

    •Hon. Adetunji Orisalade, Member

    •Tola Rotimi(Ms), Member

    •Dave Adetumobi, Secretary

     

    LAGOS PANEL B

    •Babajide Koku, SAN,

    Chairman

    •Chief Chuks Ikoku, Member

    •Mrs. Muri Okunola, Member

    •Tayo. O. Fayemiwo,Esq,

    Member

    •S.B Onu, Secretary

     

    NORTHCENTRAL ZONE

    •Mike Mamman Osuman, SAN, Chairman

    •I.A Nomishan, Member

    •Omar Musa, Member

    •E. A Haruna, Member

    •Debo Adeyemo, Secretary

     

    NORTHEAST ZONE

    •N.A. Dammo, Chairman

    •M.A Galaya, Member

    •Bode Makinde, Member

    •Esther Tata(Ms), Member

    •Haruna Mohammed, Secretary

     

    NORTHWEST ZONE

    •Aliyu Umar, SAN, Chairman

    •S.H Garun-Gabas , Member

    •Sani Nassarawa , Member

    •Shuaibu Sule, Member

    •Tajudeen Oladoja, Member

    •L.S Wali Esq, Secretary

     

    SOUTHEAST ZONE

    1. Nnamdi Ibegbu SAN,

    Chairman

    •Emeka Nwagwu, Member

    •C.C Elele, Member

    •M.E Ezeh, Member

    •Esther Ajaero(Ms), Secretary

     

    SOUTHSOUTH ZONE

    •Omoruyi Omonuwa, SAN, Chairman

    •Joe Agi, SAN, Member

    •Wilcox Abereton, Member

    •Francis Ekanem, Member

    •Ben Oji, Secretary

     

    SOUTHWEST PANEL

    •Nathaniel O. Oke, SAN,

    Chairman

    •Chief C.J Aremu SAN,

    Member

    •Wale Omotosho, Member

    •Kemi Osisanya(Ms), Secretary

    The terms of reference, which are uniform include,

    1. To investigate complaints of unethical behavior by Legal Practitioners.

    2. To make findings of a prima facie case or otherwise.

    3. To dispense with petitions expeditiously

    4. And to do such other things the committee may deem necessary and incidental in the discharge of their duties.

  • ‘Eso was a man among men’

    ‘Eso was a man among men’

    • Soyinka, CJN, others extol jurist

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called for the amendment of the Federal Character provision that a married woman must continue to be regarded as being from her state of origin in national appointments.

    NBA President Okey Wali (SAN) made the call during a special court session in honour of the late Kayode Eso by the Supreme Court. “The NBA calls on the National Assembly to as a matter of urgent National importance effect amendment of Paragraph 2 of Part II of the Federal Character Commission (Establishment, e.t.c.) Act Subsidiary Legislation,” Wali said.

    The paragraph states: “A married woman shall continue to lay claim to her state of origin for the purpose of implementation of the Federal Character Formulae at the national level’’.

    Wali said the provision is against equity, good conscience and natural justice to expect a woman who has been married for decades to get national appointment from her state of birth, called her state of origin, by this Act.

    He faulted the National Assembly for asking Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Maryam Mukhtar to swear in Justice Ifeoma Jombo-Ofo.

    She was not sworn in because her place of origin (Anambra) is different from her husband’s state (Abia) where she had been serving as a judge.

    Wali said the lawmakers’ “directive” to the CJN was a “mis-step” which would be forgiven for its good intentions though ill-informed.

    According to him, the CJN acted in accordance with the law when she did not swear in Jombo-Ofo.

    Wali said: “Rather than, the last mis-step in issuing directives to the judiciary, which we excuse, as we believe that they were motivated by the best of intentions, but apparently without information, we urge the National Assembly to amend the law.

    “It would be most sacrilegious to expect the Chief justice of Nigeria, to act in breach of the law, against her oath of office to uphold the constitution and laws of the land.”

    Wali described Eso as an apostle of true federalism, regretting that Nigeria was still far from getting it right.

    “Nigerian federalism has been diluted to the point of being unrecognisable as a federal system.

    “Following the unified command structure of the military, military regimes in Nigeria, while retaining the names Federal Republic of Nigeria and Federal Government of Nigeria frankly ran Nigeria as a unitary state.

    “Yet, even under those coercive and dictatorial regimes, Kayode Eso was able to insist that ‘the bedrock of federalism lies in each tier of government being a master in it’s domain’

    “Under the freshly installed civilian Shagari Administration, Kayode Eso wrote in Attorney General of Ogun State v Attorney-General of the Federation: ‘Each of the States Legislative Assemblies and the National Assembly is sovereign in its House.’”

    Wali re-iterated his stance that one area which has witnessed serial violations of the rights of the Nigerian people is in the area of internal security.

    He said: “Thousands of persons have lost their lives on account of bombings and destruction associated with the current insurgency in Nigeria.

    “Thousands of persons have been displaced and properties worth billions of naira destroyed.

    “We now have more orphans and widows who cannot explain the offence their loved ones committed that led to their death.

    “Insurgents with no clearly defined mission and ideology have unleashed mindless destruction of innocent lives and property and the situation does not seem to be abating.

    “We call on all individuals and organisations with any form of grievance to table those grievances for public discussion.

    “Targeting innocent persons and their properties in a mindless orgy of violence can only create a lawless society and can never lead to political and economic progress.

    “On the other hand, hundreds of insurgents have been extra judicially executed.

    “Hundreds of insurgents have been detained for over one year in various detention centres operated by the Military, the State Security Service and other military and paramilitary formations with no prospect of a trial.

    “It seems therefore that while the insurgents are violating the rights of the Nigerian people through extra-judicial executions and mindless bombings, the security agencies have also been engaged in extra judicial executions and unlawful and unconstitutional detention of insurgents.”

    Wali said even the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mohammed Adoke (SAN) had expressed his anxieties about extra-judicial killings and flagrant violation of rights of citizens.

    The NBA President said: “The NBA hereby calls on the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation, to please take the next necessary step of ensuring the investigation of all allegations of extra-judicial executions and torture levelled against the various branches of the security agencies, and ensure prosecution of culprits.

    “Our country must at all times be a country built on Rule of Law and due process.

    “We assure the AGF of the co-operation of the NBA in this exercise.

    “The NBA also calls on the National Assembly to expedite action on the passage of pending criminal justice bills at the National Assembly, particularly the amendment to the Terrorism Act.

    “It must be hands on for all concerned. As our contribution to finding solution to the problems of insecurity in our country, the NBA Summit on peace and security is slated for the 30th and 31st of January, 2013.”

    Wali said the association is in support of Justice Mukhtar with regards to her abiding by the law as regards the swearing in of Justice Jombo-Ofo.

    “The NBA congratulates, commends and stands in support of His Lordship the CJN for upholding the laws of the land.

    “May that day never come, when we will be at liberty to pick between good and bad laws to be obeyed or flouted.

    “All laws of the land are to be obeyed, unless and until amended or repealed.”

    The association condolled with the Eso family.

    Wali said: “I titled my speech ‘Kayode Eso- Nothing to Add’ because the jurist we celebrate today never needed prefixes or suffixes to his name to underline his importance. His name was always enough.

    “He was Honourable Justice Kayode Eso JSC, but if you called his name without the prefix and suffix, you did him no harm.

    “He was Kayode Eso LLD, but

    just say the name without those honorary letters.

    “He was Dr Kayode Eso, but he never used that prefix. His name was always enough.

    “His name alone evoked honour and learning. His name drew standing ovations wherever he went.

    “I give the condolences of the NBA, to his widow, his immediate and extended families.

    “The NBA mourned Kayode Eso with these words, ‘‘He would be remembered as the man who not only brought courage, judicial activism and fearlessness upon his job as Judicial Officer, but also as the man who placed the legal profession on a pedestal of integrity and dignity.

    “This is indeed a great loss, to the legal profession and the country, but we must thank God for his gift, and worthy life.

    “The challenge is for us to sustain his legacy.

    “Wole Soyinka, another Nigerian whose name is enough, mourned Kayode Eso with these words: ‘At the feast of afterlife . . . Kayode Eso will be seated, in a place of high honour.’

    “Wole Soyinka and Kayode Eso were related, in the Emersonian sense.

    “Like Denning, Soyinka met Eso in court. Unlike Denning, Soyinka did not sit with Eso as a brother judge. Soyinka stood upright in the dock.

    “Eso sat upright on the bench. Eso looked into Soyinka’s soul. Soyinka stared at the bench, taking the measure of the jurist.

    “The mystery gunman and the mystery lawman gazed at each other. Neither blinked. They were related- they were fearless souls.

    “Soyinka was the mystery gunman defendant in a criminal trial over which Eso presided.

    “They recognised in each other an

    indefatigable compatriot determined to advance their nation’s march to civilisation.

    “Soyinka saw in Eso an incorruptible judge, an upright judge who rejected compromise and pursued justice.

    “Wole Soyinka’s intellectual forerunner, William Shakespeare, /prefigured Kayode Eso when he wrote: ‘His life was gentle; and the elements So mixed in him, that Nature might stand up And say to all the world, THIS WAS A MAN!

     

  • Supreme Court, NBA, Aregbesola honour Eso at valedictory session

    Supreme Court, NBA, Aregbesola honour Eso at valedictory session

    There were encomiums galore for the late Justice Kayode

    Eso at the valedictory session organized by the Supreme Court yesterday in Abuja.

    Appointed to the apex court in 1978, Eso retired at the age of 65 in 1990.

    The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, said Eso “symbolizes the characteristics of a thorough-bred Nigerian with the capacity to reside in any part of the country freely and contributing immensely to the development of any community he found himself.

    She recalled that various committees chaired by Eso at different times recommended the establishment of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the National Judicial Council (NJC).

    Mukhtar described him as a “perfect and very principled gentleman, a legal icon of international repute whose legal and judicial sojourn on earth has left an enduring footprints in the Nigerian Judiciary.

    “No doubt Justice Kayode Eso contributed immensely to the development of the Nigerian judiciary , the country and indeed the whole world. It is my firm belief that be judicial colossus has gone to rest with the lord and the saints that have in the past transited beyond”, she added.

    The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), said Eso was an amiable gentleman of remarkable achievements, a statesman and great jurist.

    “ By dint of hard work, courage, characteristic candour, commitment and selflessness, he impacted positively on our individual lives, the profession and the nation.

    According to the Nigerian BarAssociation (NBA) President Okey Wali, SAN, Eso delivered a total of 463 judgments, 390 of which were concurring judgments, 69 lead judgments and four dissenting judgments.

    He said: “Eso epitomised the golden era of the Nigerian judiciary”, adding that he was an “apostle of true federalism”.

    At the event were Osun Governor Rauf Aregbesola; former CJNs-Lawal Uwais, Salihu Belgore and Dahiru Musdapher; retired Justice Kalgo, Justice Gabriel Kolawole and Chief Bode George.

    Others included former NBA spokesman, Muritala Rasheed, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladoja, Niyi Akintola (SAN), Damian Dodo (SAN), Chief G.O.K. Ajayi (SAN), Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George (SAN), Gboyega Awomolo (SAN) and Ade Okeya-Inneh (SAN), among others.