THE Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen,
Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice,
Abubakar Malami (SAN), President of the Nigerian Bar Association
(NBA), Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN) and other legal luminaries on Tuesday
paid glowing tribute to the third female Justice of the Supreme
Court, Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, who bowed out of service
yesterday after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70 for
judges.
Meanwhile, the NBA President has charged the federal government
to facilitate the safe return of the110 school girls kidnapped from
the Government Girls Secondary and Technical School in Dapchi, Yobe
State.
Onnoghen and others spoke at a special Valedictory Court session
in honour of Justice Ogunbiyi at the Supreme Court in Abuja.
The CJN commended Ogunbiyi for her forthrightness, honesty and
dedication to the business of the court, adding that Ogunbiyi never
shirked her task nor wavered from the course of justice.
“I find that his Lordship’s use of clear legal reasoning is
complemented by the impeccable courtroom courtesy and decorum, with
which she addressed both the Bar and her colleagues.
“Her temperament endeared her to the court and her selflessness
often spoke volumes. I dare say that these twin virtues represent
the best of the legal profession and are indeed worthy of
acceptance and emulation by all members of the Bar and the Bench”,
Onnoghen said.
The CJN however, noted that the judiciary will miss her with her
measured and erudite contributions and her active advocacy of
women’s right, adding that her legacy will endure in the annals of
the jurisprudence of the nation.
Similarly, the AGF, while eulogizing Ogunbiyi for her track
records in the judiciary stated that the retired jurist would be
remembered for her immense contribution in the implementation of
the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
“I must, however, place on record her contribution to the
evolution of our vision of a fast and efficient Criminal Justice
system which abhor undue delays, through her lead ruling in the
Olisa Metuh matter where the applicant had sought to enforce a stay
of proceedings in his trial before the Federal High Court.
“Her Lordship, in her ruling, which was unanimously adopted by
her brother Justices on the panel clearly clarified that section
36(4) of the 1999 Constitution, section 306 of the Administration
of Criminal Justice Act and other relevant authorities all ‘mandate
and enjoin the trial court not to delay criminal cases’. In this
way, she firmly set the imprimatur of the Supreme Court on our
collective efforts to develop a criminal justice system which we
all can be proud of”, he said.
Meanwhile, the NBA, who spoke through its president at the
occasion condemned the abduction of the Dapchi School girls by yet
to be identified group.
Mahmoud advised both the State and Federal governments to
suspend boarding school system for girls in the region until the
safety of all schools can be fully guaranteed.
He lamented that the region as at today is one of the most
unsafe parts of the world for the education of female children.
Mahmoud eulogized Ogunbiyi for her brilliant judicial
pronouncements, which according to him had loosened womanhood from
the cultural bandage, particular her decision in Ukeje vs Ukeje
which gave female children right of inheritance to her deceased
father or husband property in Igbo land.
Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, JSC
In her valedictory speech, Justice Clara Ogunbiyi revealed that
there are numerous appeals that should never come to the Supreme
Court.
She noted that for the Apex court to achieve expected results,
it should not be overburdened with interlocutory appeals.
“Interlocutory appeals should all terminate at the Court of
Appeal domain. Supreme Court as the final court of the land should
perform at its best. If the justices are overburdened, they cannot
achieve their optimum”, she said.
Justice Ogunbiyi started her legal career as an Assistant
Registrar at the High Court of Justice, Maiduguri in 1971. After
her National Youth Service at the Ministry of Justice Kaduna State,
from July 1976 to July 1977, she returned to the Ministry of
Justice Borno State as a State Counsel, rising through the ranks to
the position of Senior State Counsel Grades 1& 11.
She was appointed Judge of the High Court of Borno State in
1987, making her the first female to be appointed a judge in the
history of the North East geopolitical zone of Nigeria.
However, Ogunbiyi was elevated to the apex court Bench on
July 13, 2012, after her sterling contributions at the Court of
Appeal.
She retired yesterday after reaching the age of 70.
THE Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen,
Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice,
Abubakar Malami (SAN), President of the Nigerian Bar Association
(NBA), Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN) and other legal luminaries on Tuesday
paid glowing tribute to the third female Justice of the Supreme
Court, Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, who bowed out of service
yesterday after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70 for
judges.
Meanwhile, the NBA President has charged the federal government
to facilitate the safe return of the110 school girls kidnapped from
the Government Girls Secondary and Technical School in Dapchi, Yobe
State.
Onnoghen and others spoke at a special Valedictory Court session
in honour of Justice Ogunbiyi at the Supreme Court in Abuja.
The CJN commended Ogunbiyi for her forthrightness, honesty and
dedication to the business of the court, adding that Ogunbiyi never
shirked her task nor wavered from the course of justice.
“I find that his Lordship’s use of clear legal reasoning is
complemented by the impeccable courtroom courtesy and decorum, with
which she addressed both the Bar and her colleagues.
“Her temperament endeared her to the court and her selflessness
often spoke volumes. I dare say that these twin virtues represent
the best of the legal profession and are indeed worthy of
acceptance and emulation by all members of the Bar and the Bench”,
Onnoghen said.
The CJN however, noted that the judiciary will miss her with her
measured and erudite contributions and her active advocacy of
women’s right, adding that her legacy will endure in the annals of
the jurisprudence of the nation.
Similarly, the AGF, while eulogizing Ogunbiyi for her track
records in the judiciary stated that the retired jurist would be
remembered for her immense contribution in the implementation of
the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
“I must, however, place on record her contribution to the
evolution of our vision of a fast and efficient Criminal Justice
system which abhor undue delays, through her lead ruling in the
Olisa Metuh matter where the applicant had sought to enforce a stay
of proceedings in his trial before the Federal High Court.
“Her Lordship, in her ruling, which was unanimously adopted by
her brother Justices on the panel clearly clarified that section
36(4) of the 1999 Constitution, section 306 of the Administration
of Criminal Justice Act and other relevant authorities all ‘mandate
and enjoin the trial court not to delay criminal cases’. In this
way, she firmly set the imprimatur of the Supreme Court on our
collective efforts to develop a criminal justice system which we
all can be proud of”, he said.
Meanwhile, the NBA, who spoke through its president at the
occasion condemned the abduction of the Dapchi School girls by yet
to be identified group.
Mahmoud advised both the State and Federal governments to
suspend boarding school system for girls in the region until the
safety of all schools can be fully guaranteed.
He lamented that the region as at today is one of the most
unsafe parts of the world for the education of female children.
Mahmoud eulogized Ogunbiyi for her brilliant judicial
pronouncements, which according to him had loosened womanhood from
the cultural bandage, particular her decision in Ukeje vs Ukeje
which gave female children right of inheritance to her deceased
father or husband property in Igbo land.
Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, JSC
In her valedictory speech, Justice Clara Ogunbiyi revealed that
there are numerous appeals that should never come to the Supreme
Court.
She noted that for the Apex court to achieve expected results,
it should not be overburdened with interlocutory appeals.
“Interlocutory appeals should all terminate at the Court of
Appeal domain. Supreme Court as the final court of the land should
perform at its best. If the justices are overburdened, they cannot
achieve their optimum”, she said.
Justice Ogunbiyi started her legal career as an Assistant
Registrar at the High Court of Justice, Maiduguri in 1971. After
her National Youth Service at the Ministry of Justice Kaduna State,
from July 1976 to July 1977, she returned to the Ministry of
Justice Borno State as a State Counsel, rising through the ranks to
the position of Senior State Counsel Grades 1& 11.
She was appointed Judge of the High Court of Borno State in
1987, making her the first female to be appointed a judge in the
history of the North East geopolitical zone of Nigeria.
However, Ogunbiyi was elevated to the apex court Bench on
July 13, 2012, after her sterling contributions at the Court of
Appeal.
She retired yesterday after reaching the age of 70.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/cjn-agf-others-praise-retired-female-justice-of-supreme-court/