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Fashola Charges Nigerian Judiciary To Emulate Good Qualities Of Retiring Court Of Appeal President

Nov 3, 2009 - Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Tuesday charged members of the Nigerian Bar and Bench to hold high the torch of good values which the retiring President of the Court of Appeal, Mr. Justice Umaru Faruk Abdullahi (CON) represents.

According to Governor Fashola who spoke during a reception organized for the retiring President of the Court of Appeal at the Sheraton Hotel Ikeja, the question that each member of the Bar and the Bench should ponder over is what contribution has each one made to ensure a speedy dispensation of justice.

Governor Fashola added that Justice Abdullahi is a judge who was not reluctant to adopt best practices wherever he found it, just as he found the Lagos rules of procedure very useful and adopted it.

He explained that he has proved to be a social engineer through law as several of the reforms he championed have yielded fruits, adding that one of the reforms allows lawyers to frontload cases in election petition cases with little stress.

He said Justice Abdullahi represents the best of values that are in dire need in Nigeria of today, describing him as a good reformist with great humility.

The Lagos State Governor said the high number and caliber of people who graced the reception is a vote for integrity and patriotism and that the Nigerian society can inspire judges that it has not lost value for integrity and honesty.

He advised the retiring Justice to consider writing his memoirs as a means of inspiring many generations after.

Also speaking, former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu congratulated retiring Justice Abdullahi for leaving lasting impressions on the sands of time.

He described him as a man of character who has been able steer the ship of the Court of Appeal successfully with integrity.

Earlier in her address of welcome, the Chief Judge of Lagos, Justice Inumidun Akande congratulated the retiring Justice Abdulahi, adding that the members of the Lagos State Judiciary consider it a privilege to have been associated with him in service.

Later in his remarks, the retiring Chief Justice Abdullahi thanked the Lagos Judiciary for considering it worthy to honour him, adding that he feels humbled by the caliber of people at the reception.

He added that the love shown to him by all those present is a great lesson which will remain evergreen to him, adding that where he feels that there are rooms for improvement he will do same.

The event was attended by the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, RT Hon Adeyemi Ikuforiji, members of the State Executive Council, retired Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Muhammed Lawal Uwais and many senior members of the Bar and the Bench.