Elevate Justice Ajileye to the Court of Appeal – NBA President pleads

The President of the Nigerian Bar Association YC Maikyau, OON, SAN has pleaded that all efforts be made by the relevant authorities to ensure that Justice Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye of the Kogi State Judiciary be elevated to the Court of Appeal before 15th February, 2023, the date of his retirement, so the Nigeria, and the Judiciary in particular will not be robbed of the depth of his knowledge in electronic evidence.

“This is part of the retirement process of my lord in the Kogi Bench, but I pray that my lord is elevated to the court of appeal between now and the 15th of February so that we would not be robbed of the knowledge we get from his experience in electronic evidence. The help of God is not far from you and all of this is a show of grace of God in your life.”

He made the plea in a goodwill message he delivered at the Public Lecture organized by the Rule of Law Development Foundation (ROLDF), in honour of Hon. Justice Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye PhD.

“Let me bring my felicitations on behalf of the NBA, I acknowledge Hon Justice Fabiyi Rtd, the Chief Judge of FCT, I appreciate the Rule of Law Development Foundation founded by my big brother J. B Daudu SAN Past President NBA, I first met my lord Ajileye in 2015 at a training. The humility and simplicity of his lordship struck me and since then I became his younger brother. I sat beside my lord at the training but it took me two days to know that he was a judge of the High Court. I realized that with the depth of knowledge my lord possessed, he should have been the resource person in my view, I recall the book my lord wrote on electronic evidence and I made a comment on it as providing the required refreshment to the fundamentals of the law of electronic evidence. I am sure the refreshment was present today when my lord delivered his talk on electronic evidence.”

He noted how the celebrant, Hon Justice Alaba Omolaye has applied the law in judgements delivered and commended his sense of justice. “We have to share the knowledge in the work that my lord has brought to improve on the administration of justice.”

He charged legal practitioners not to denigrate judges in their comments.

“A legal practitioner lives for the advancement of his people and course of this nation. Our reputation as lawyers is motivated by the fees we charge and that is why we have failed in providing the leadership this nation requires. “ my charge to all members of the legal profession is to stand for our course. If we lose the confidence of the public in the administration of justice, we will not have a nation. “

He noted that the judiciary has some fine jurists. That calling the judiciary names will not remedy the challenges. When we talk about failure, I don’t exclude myself as President of NBA.

Prof Ernest Ojukwu SAN appreciated the President of NBA for honouring their classmate who is retiring. He has contributed to the legal profession in the aspect which he specialized on being the electronic evidence. Prof Ojukwu said he actually pushed him to do the 2nd edition of his book within weeks of publishing the first book. I told him, section 84 of the Evidence Act, 2011 has created more problems than it has solved.
Our regret is that my lord has not been elevated to the Court of Appeal. But we will still benefit from him despite his retirement. He referenced my Lord Justice Fabiyi JSC Rtd and himself who retired as Lecturer.

The chairman of the event Hon Justice H. B. Yusuf, CJ FCT High Court gave his closing remark and in doing so he acknowledged all persons who participated in the program and thanked them all for the special interest shown in abandoning other engagements.

The chairman also offered the closing prayer.