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Lawyers
to man lower courts in Oyo
By Sola Shittu,
REPORTER, Ibadan
Governor Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State has
directed that all positions in the lower courts in the state be manned by
qualified lawyers.
Ladoja gave the directive in Ibadan on
Tuesday as the 50th Anniversary of the Nigerian bar Association, NBA Ibadan
runs into its second day.
While noting the role of lawyers as
beacons of hope, justice and rule of law, the governor said society looks up to
legal practitioners in its desire to achieve an egalitarian society where the
rule of law and justice prevail.
According to him, an individual lawyer is
invariably a leader in whatever community he finds himself, just as the NBA is
perceived as a leading body upon which the public reposes considerable confidence.
“It behooves the NBA to take its
rightful place in the scheme of things to justify this high expectation. There
is no other professional association that enjoys the special role accorded to
the NBA in the governance of this nation. By virtue of our constitution, the
supreme law of the land, attorneys-general both of the federation and the
states are appointed from the rank of lawyers”, he said.
He said the judiciary, as the third arm
of government, is supposed to be an instrument of good government and welfare
of all persons in the country on the principles of freedom, equality and
justice, and for the purpose of consolidating the unity of the people.
Ladoja added that the doctrine of the
rule of law and the independence of the judiciary are the twin pillars of
democracy and indeed good government and it is clear that one cannot exist
without the other.
However, Ladoja regretted that despite
their noble roles, lawyers still partly contribute to delay of justice in
Nigerian courts.
He then threw the challenge of advancing
the administration of justice to the lawyers saying justice delayed is justice
denied.
Similarly, the governor threw the
challenge of producing a constitution that is devoid of contradictions and
inconsistencies to the lawyers.
On professional discipline, Ladoja warned
that the temple of justice must never be desecrated because it is capable of
frustrating the country’s gains on all fronts.
He said his government has not only
increased recurrent expenditure for the judiciary in the state, capital grants
has also been provided to ensure that the judiciary is put in a comfortable
position to discharge its onerous duties.
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