Ariwoola’s Appointment Has Rejuvenated Effective Judiciary, Legitimate Power Transfer – Adeolu Akande

The Chairman, Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), Prof. Adeolu Akande has described the appointment of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Kayode Ariwoola as a welcome development that will rejuvenate effective judicial system, as he called the CJN the hope two hundred million Nigerians for a legitimate transfer of power in 2023.

Akande said this on Saturday at a public lecture he delivered at Iseyin during the 2022 Pioneer Movement, Iseyin (PMI)’s week lecture in honor of Justice Kayode Ariwoola.

The lecture which held at the Queen Event Center, Iseyin had in attendance, Honorable Justice Adebayo Ganiyu as the representative of the CJN and Chairman of the occasion.

In the lecture titled ‘The Impact of Effective Judicial System on Community Development’, Akande, who was represented by Dr. Adekunle Ajisebiiyawo of the Igbinedion University, Okada, Benin, Edo State, said the duties of the judiciary are based on the components of rules and behavior so as to impact positively on the community and society at large, as the law exists to benefit humans and not the law officers.

He charged all legal stakeholders to see to the total independence of the judiciary for the benefit of the people and for a developed society, part of which he said the community comprised.

Speaking further about the need for an effective system of justice, Adeolu hinted that the hope for a new positive beginning was beamed with the recent appointment of Justice Kayode Ariwoola who he described as a jurist with a brilliant mind, unique history of delivering judgements as well as a law officer that make decisions with enormous clarity in his past landmark decisions.

“The argument in this lecture is that if the government is under a constitutional obligation to fulfill citizens’ rights to socioeconomic development and to provide an enabling environment for investors, even in rural communities, then there is need for effective system of justice administration and legal cum judicial framework that support equality, prevent arbitrariness, punish fraudulent or other limiting social vices so that people in communities can reach full potentials and develop holistically.

“More so, much of the problems facing Nigeria today, including economic underdevelopment and insecurity are associated with absence of retributive justice and lack of rule of law, especially by people in authority, however the hitherto elusive vision of raising a contemporaneously effective judiciary that is poised to turn the tide in the Nigerian justice system was rejuvenated with the appointment of the new CJN we are here today to celebrate.

“Honorable Justice Olukayode Ariwoola is a legal behemoth, a great jurist with brilliant mind with unique history of delivering judgements and making judicial decisions with enormous clarity which are often written in his characteristic flowery prose, his decisions, whether leading, concurring or dissenting, reflect the breadth of his knowledge and scholarship, he has participated in many landmark decisions that have defined our jurisprudence.

“As evidence of his brilliance and indication of landmark development that awaits the judiciary under him, during his confirmation hearing on the floor of the Nigerian Senate on Wednesday September 21st, 2022, Hon Justice Ariwoola entertained questions from distinguished senators in quite refreshing manner that behold public applause beyond the shores of Nigeria, with his immaculate style, he advanced a new vision of Nigerian judiciary where administration will be seamless, fast and just, his take on digitization of court procedures was a 21st century postulations, positioning the apex court as a potential beneficiary of donor-funded justice sector reform.

“The new CJN looks strongly like a thinker along a fast pace of court hearings even though he hinges his plan on judicial technological innovations and applications, he represents the hope of two hundred million Nigerians for a free, transparent and legitimate transfer of power to another democratically-elected government come 2023 and access to justice for this population as well as leaving legacies of irreversible judicial independence in Nigeria.”

The programme which include discussions among a panel consisting of the Chairman of the occasion, Justice Adebayo Ganiyu of the Alhaji Najimdeen Oyeshina Oyedeji (Oshine) and the Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Saki Branch.

There were presentation of fifty-six (56) scholarship awards and endowment to thirty-two (32) students of public secondary schools, five (5) teachers and thirteen (13) undergraduates.

There was also presentation of commendation awards to individuals that have distinguished themselves in serving humanity while some youths with skill capacity were empowered with funds and working tools.

In his speech, the President, Pioneer Movement, Iseyin (PMI), Barrister Abimbola Ojedokun said the 2022 edition of the movement’s week was dedicated to honoring the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kayode Ariwoola for being an inspiration and good role model for the teaming youths of Iseyin.

He said apart from the annual support for education development in the community through consistent scholarship awards, the group has also veered towards empowering some youths who excelled in vocational skills.

He used the moment to call on youths to see education as a genuine pathway to success.

Present at the event was the representative of the Iseyin local government traditional council, High Chief Ismail Odubiyi, Ikolaba of Iseyin, religious leaders, representatives of security agencies and other stakeholders.

Also in attendance was the Oyo State Deputy Chief Registrar and Secretary, Oyo State Judicial Service Commission, Alhaja Medinat Akanni, the former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Olanike Adeyemo, students and representatives of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (N.U.T).