The governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun has reiterated his commitment to the Rule of Law and other key principles of democracy while indicating his determination to serve the state diligently and sincerely.
Speaking, on Monday, at the commencement of new Legal Year, Governor Abiodun said the conduct of Omoluabi expected of Omo Teacher will always be found in him adding that he will always obey the Rule of Law.
“Our Administration will not engage in unnecessary vendetta or self-aggrandizement…
“Ours is an Administration that is irrevocably committed to good governance based on prudent public financial management towards providing conducive environment for individual prosperity of the people of Ogun State and the wholesome development of our dear State,” He stated.
In his speech, Governor Abiodun also noted that “the Judiciary has been a pillar for the survival of democratic principles and preserving the rights of the people, who are the sole essence of government.
He added that he has no iota of doubt in mind of the individual and collective capability of Members of the Judiciary of the State in carrying out their constitutional duties.
Read the full text below…
Protocols,
On behalf of the entire good people of our dear Ogun State, I congratulate the Chief Judge of Ogun State, Hon. Justice (Mrs) Mosunmola Arinola Dipeolu; Judges; Magistrates; the Chief Registrar and other Registrars; and, the entire members of the Ogun State Judiciary for the commencement of yet another Legal Year. The commencement of the new legal year offers us all yet another opportunity to re-affirm our individual and collective commitment to the cause of justice and the improvement of the sytem of administration of justice in our dear State.
In every democracy, and without prejudice to the other arms of government, the Judiciary has been a pillar for the survival of democratic principles and preserving the rights of the people, who are the sole essence of government. We saw clear examples of that both on Thursday, 12th September, 2019 and Saturday, 14th September, 2019 at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal and State Election PetitionTribunal, respectively.
Your Lordships, Members of the Bar, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, the maintenance of law and order and the administration of justice are inextricably tied together since both are key requirements for assuring the health of the body polity and for the attainment of the good society. Throughout the ages, scholars as well as spiritual and temporal authorities have recognised a critical symbiosis between efficient and effective administration of law, and justice. One point on which they all converge is that law must be an instrument for the attainment of justice. To that extent, law should not be seen an end in itself but as a means to an end that end being justice, fairness and equity.
We will all recall that at the Inauguration of our Administration on 29t h May, 2019, I made a solemn promise to the entire good people of our dear State that we will be fair, just, equitable, inclusive and we will always obey the rule of law. Towards the successful implementation of our Building our Future Together” Agenda, we appreciate the place of the Judiciary. And, if we will be successful in giving Ogun State a focused and qualitative governance and create the enabling environment for Public-Private Sector Partnership, which is fundamental to the creation of an enduring economic development and individual prosperity of the people of Ogun, it also means that we must ensure a viable system of law and justice which guarantees individual rights and assures our Development Partners of the sanctity of our pact with them.
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Let me say that I have no iota of doubt in mind of the individual and collective capability of Members of the Judiciary of our dear State in carrying out their constitutional duties. As a State, we are blessed with an array of the finest minds in different professional fields. In fact, we have also at different times exported our expertise to different nations and served in various capacities at the global level. The Law profession is not an exemption. This is the home State of late Ademola Adetokunbo, the first indigenous Chief Justice of Nigeria; late Rotimi Williams SAN; late Chief Godwin Olusegun Kolawole Ajayi SAN; H.E. Prince Bola Ajibola SAN, who was a Judge of the International Court of Justice; and, many others. As members of the Bench and Bar, you inherit from all these great men and women of reputable legal practice and jurists of Ogun State origin, a tradition of eminence which you must sustain. We are Ogun State. And, considering the sterling qualities of the leadership of Ogun State Judiciary under the capable hands of the Chief Judge of Ogun State, Hon. Justice (Mrs) Mosunmola Arinola Dipeolu, one could be rest assured that Ogun State is on the right tracks of continued development.
As I welcome our Honourable Judges back from their annual vacation and enter the new legal year, I urge you to return to your respective benches with renewed energy and vigour that comes from what must have been a very restful break. It is also important that as you go into the new Legal Year, that, as befits your sensitive position, you must strive always to live above board and to rekindle the faith of our people in the judiciary as the last hope of the common man. You should use the opportunity of this new beginning to ensure a more noble service to the bench, to our dear State and to humanity. In this new legal year, your credo should be as contained in the Magna Carta, that great and timeless document that forms the basis of English constitutional liberties, To none will we sell, to none deny or delay, right or justice.
As an Administration, we are irrevocably committed to providing a just, free and egalitarian society which guarantees a continued development of our dear State and a more abundant life for all our people and all those who have made our dear State their home irrespective of gender, geographical location, economic stratification, political or religious affiliation. As part of our commitment, we will continue to provide a conducive atmosphere for the rule of law and cooperate with the other arms of Government within the constitutional permission of our Separation of Powers between the three arms of Government in our democratic system.
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On a personal note, I acknowledge the hand of fate in that, one of the very first assignments I will perform after the validation of our electoral victory by the Ogun State Election Petition Tribunal – in fact just two days after – is addressing this gathering which marks the commencement of a new Legal Year in our dear State. At several occasions, I have been a beneficiary of the judicial system. And, coming to Public Service and as a Governor, I see my service as a calling to uphold the cause of justice and continued development of our dear State, in particular, and, humanity, in general. Let me use this opportunity to reaffirm my promise to the entire good people of Ogun State that:
You will always find in me conduct of Omoluabi expected of Omo Teacher!
I will govern with character!
I will serve you diligently and sincerely!
I will make your interests the core of governance!
I will neither personalize nor abuse the mandate!
I will not betray your trust!
I will obey the Rule of Law!
I will always ensure that Building the Future of our dear is always a e Task!
I urge all our people to continue to cooperate, support and pray for us unceasingly. Together we will walk this path to greatness and achieve the Ogun State of our collective dream.
Once again, I congratulate the Chief Judge of Ogun State, Hon. Justice (Mrs) Mosunmola Arinola Dipeolu; Judges; Magistrates; the Chief Registrar and other Registrars; and, the entire members of the Ogun State Judiciary for the commencement of yet another Legal Year. Also, I commend all those who have contributed to the hosting of this event.
Before I end tis address, let me say that I know that one piece of news that all members of the Bench and Bar are eagerly awaiting is when the Judiciary will finally move to its new Judicial Complex. We have promised that any inherited projects that have bearing and will impact the development of our dear State will not be abandoned. Let me therefore use this opportunity to reassure the people of Ogun State that our Administration will not engage in unnecessary vendetta or self-aggrandizement. Our Administration will complete all inherited projects that have the potentials to benefit our people. They are funded with the commonwealth of the people of Ogun State. Ours is an Administration that is irrevocably committed to good governance based on prudent public financial management towards providing conducive environment for individual prosperity of the people of Ogun State and the wholesome development of our dear State. Therefore, I assure all members of the Bench and Bar that we will accord the completion of the Judicial Complex and its furnishing the necessary attention within available means so that we move the Judiciary to its permanent location soonest.
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Furthermore, the Judiciary and system of *administration of justice in Ogun State will also benefit from our Administrations wave of effective and efficient adoption of Information Technology to ease the cumbersome tasks of the Judges and significantly improve on the administration of and course of justice.
Once again, I congratulate the Chief Judge of Ogun State, Hon. Justice (Mrs) Mosunmola Arinola Dipeolu; Judges; Magistrates; the Chief Registrar and other Registrars; and, the entire members of the Ogun State Judiciary for the commencement of yet another Legal Year.
I thank you all for listening and God bless you.
Prince Dapo Abiodun MFR
Governor of Ogun State, Nigeria.
Monday, 16th September, 2019
