The Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola on Tuesday swore in six new High Court Judges as he urged the six new sworn-in High Court Judges to uphold the nation’s judiciary and take the lead in restoring law and order in the country by cleansing itself and charting the new way forward.
The new Judges, who were sworn in at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium in Alausa, included, Justice Folashade Janet Bankole Oki, Justice Michael Akintunde Savage, Justice Oyindanmola Ogala, Justice Ganiyu Ali Safari, Justice Sedoten Ogunsanya and Justice Wasiu Animahun.
Addressing the capacity audience comprising, the Deputy Governor, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Phillips, other legal luminaries, judicial officers, serving and retired judges and Members of the Bar and Bench, among others, Governor Fashola said the responsibility of rescuing the country from her gradual slip into anarchy rested squarely on the Judiciary.
Expressing dismay that the nation seems to be slipping into a state of lawlessness, Governor Fashola said unless the Judiciary takes the lead in re-establishing law and order in the country, the nation’s democracy would be lost.
He also cited electoral malpractices and inability to prosecute and punish proven cases of the ill as some of the evidence of breakdown of law and order adding, “These have cascaded down to smaller crimes such as traffic violations, breaches of sanitation regulations and so on that we now take for granted and many of which having become so widespread and commonplace, we no longer recognize them as criminal conduct”.
Governor Fashola said the on-going Judicial reforms embarked upon by his administration, including the appointment of efficient judicial personnel, was in line with his commitment at his inauguration to pursue the enthronement of law and order in the State adding that it was the only means to achieve prosperity and the fulfilment of the promises he made to the people of Lagos State.
Governor Fashola told the newly appointed Judges that their role is that of a leadership responsibility that was assumed today as judges of our High Courts. An urgent return to the basics is therefore essential this time, not only for the nation’s Judiciary but also for the legal practitioners, the security agencies and the bureaucracy.
“Our judges must bear the responsibility of rebuilding the system that is theirs, the Judicial Institution. They will bear the responsibility of returning that institution to respectability; they will bear the responsibility for 21 million people in Lagos who look up to you and I to protect them” Fashola said.
Congratulating the Judges and wishing them a successful tenure, Governor Fashola declared, “Being invested with so much discretionary powers, I think the Judiciary must take the lead and cleanse itself and now show us the new way forward. This is the time for Judges who will declare above board, Judges who will demonstrate a clear understanding of the law and apply it in the best interest of the society”.
Present at the occasion were the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ade Ipaiye who presented the newly appointed Judges to the Governor for swearing-in, his immediate predecessor in office, Mr. Olasupo Shasore, Speaker of the State House of Assembly represented by Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, Hon. Samotu Agunbiade, legal luminaries both serving and retired as well as families and friends of the newly appointed Judges.
