The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has observed that the challenges facing the nation’s judiciary are not insurmountable, as the leadership is working hard to change the situation.
She was speaking at a valedictory court session in honour of a late Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Emmanuel Obioma Ogwuegbu, who died on October 28, 2024, at the age of 91.
“This moment of tribute is also a moment of reflection. The challenges facing our judiciary- delays in justice delivery, dwindling public confidence, and resource constraints are not insurmountable. We are currently working very hard to make a change”, Kekere-Ekun said.
She added that the life of the late Justice offers the judiciary a blueprint for renewal, integrity, learning, service, and courage.
While calling for the honour of his memory, not only with words but with a renewed commitment to the ideals he so nobly upheld, the CJN disclosed that the late Justice’s life enriched Nigerian law with experience, compassion and wisdom.
Kekere-Ekun further stated that his contributions will continue to illuminate the courts and his legacy remains embedded in the moral and legal consciousness of the nation.
“Throughout his illustrious judicial career, he brought to bear a rare combination of erudition, clarity and compassion. He was a jurist who wrote with precision, reasoned with rigour and adjudicated with fairness.
“As a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, His Lordship contributed significantly to the shaping of our modern legal landscape. His Lordship’s deep insight and fearless reasoning were particularly evident in cases that advanced constitutional governance, individual liberties and the devolution of powers “, the CJN stated.
She said, “Justice Ogwuegbu was not just a judge; he was a torchbearer of justice whose career spanned more than four decades of unwavering dedication to the bench.
“His Lordship’s life’s work was defined by a fierce loyalty to the Constitution, an abiding respect for the rule of law, and an unshakeable belief in the power of justice to uphold society’s most sacred values.
“Throughout his illustrious judicial career, he brought to bear a rare combination of erudition, clarity, and compassion. He was a jurist who wrote with precision, reasoned with rigour, and adjudicated with fairness.
“His judgments did not merely resolve disputes—they elevated our jurisprudence, speaking to the conscience of a nation and strengthening the pillars upon which our democracy rests”, the CJN said.
In his tribute, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN charged judicial officers to live up to expectation.
The AGF stressed the need for judges to administer justice without fear or favour and paid glowing tribute to the late Justice of the Supreme Court.
In a message to the valedictory session, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Afam Osigwe (SAN) said a true measure of a judge is not in the length of tenure or the number of cases adjudicated, but in the debt of impact and integrity of decisions.
By this measure, the NBA President said Justice Ogwuegbu was a judicial titan, “He rendered our laws clearer, our institutions stronger and our democracy more stable.
“In an age where judicial courage is often tempered by politics or public pressure, His Lordship exemplified a rare independence of thought, tempered only by the boundaries of justice and the letter of the law”, the NBA boss stated.
Alex Enumah @ThisDay
