Appointment
Corruption: Retiring Judge proffers merit in appointment of Judicial officers
By Friday Idachaba
Retiring Kogi High Court Judge, Justice Olutimehin Samuel Obayomi has called for a return to the age long tradition of using merit, competences and good character as basis for appointments into the Judiciary.
Justice Obayomi made the call at a valedictory Court Session in his honour at retirement as Judge of Kogi State High Court in Lokoja.
He said that the quality of any Bench is a function of the quality of those appointed to operate it adding that it appeared that there have been a great departure from the recruitment processes in the past compared to what is currently happening.
He said that at every opportunity, stakeholders in the justice sector had decried the mode of appointment of persons to the Courts of Records.
“I wish to admonish that appointment to the higher Bench should be based on sound learning, good and unquestionable character and not as a political, ethnic or religious patronage.
“We should return to the age long tradition of using competence and good character among others as basis for appointments.
“The present trend of classifying some candidates as “anointed” or “preferred” is primitive in the 21st century. The yardstick that should make a candidate preferred or anointed should be his or her worth in all ramifications.
“I must say in all honesty that because a person is a Chief Magistrate/Magistrate/Legal Officer should not be the only reason for his or her appointment.
“Such a person must merit it. The appointment process must be transparent, open and competitive. As the Solicitor-General, I competed with others both at the private, public Bar and Magistracy”. he said.
Justice Obayomi also appealed State Executive governors to make implementation of financial autonomy for the Judiciary, a project that must not fail even as it is a constitutional requirement.
He urged the state governors not to entertain any fears in granting financial autonomy to the Judiciary as provided for in the Constitution as it would reduce the frequency of financial requests and demands on the government.
The state Chief Judge, Justice Josiah Majebi in his speech, said a judge was nothing in the absence of an independence of mind and judgement described Justice Obayomi as a firm but polite, penetrating but courteous and unfailing judge.
Majebi said the retiring judge over the years, exhibited great attributes including integrity, forthrightness, intelligence, hard work, intuition, humility, honesty of purpose, and dedication to duty and the work of God.
Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) branches in Kogi represented by Ibrahim Alhassan Esq. of Lokoja branch reiterated the the call for establishment of a division of Court of Appeal in Kogi.
Alhassan averred the 75 per cent of cases being handled by the Abuja Division of the Appeal Court were from Kogi and appealed to Kogi State government to help keep it’s side the bargain in providing for the accommodation and office complex for the court.
There were goodwill messages from Governor Yahaya Bello who was represented by the SSG, dr Folashade Arike Ayoade, Body of Senior Advocates, his brother Judges among others.
Platinum retired from service today in line with the compelling provision of section 291 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) which makes it mandatory for every Judicial Officer at the High Court or Court of coordinate jurisdiction to retire on attaining the age of sixty five (65) years. (Ends)
The Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has sent a message of felicitations to Dr. Tunde Olusunle, an accomplished journalist, on his birthday.
Tinubu’s message was contained in a statement issued by his Special Adviser Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale
The statement indicated that Olusunle joined the Daily Times conglomerate in Lagos in 1990 and rose to the membership of the Editorial Board of the media organization.
“He had stints in the Kogi State public service between 1992 and 1997 and was, at various times, information, public affairs, and media director to three chief executives of the state.
“The veteran journalist served in the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, all through his two terms in office, as Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties, (SSA-SD).
“He has published three successful poetry volumes: Fingermarks* (1996); Rhythm Of The Mortar (2001), and A Medley Of Echoes (2022). He equally has several volumes of essays to his name.
“He holds a doctorate degree in Media Arts and is a Member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, (NGE) and Fellow of the Association of Nigerian Authors, (ANA).”
The President wished Dr. Olusunle many more prosperous years in his endeavours.
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State has approved the appointment of Hon. Muktar Atimah as the new Executive Secretary of State Emergency and Management Agency (SEMA) among other appointments into various agencies of the state.
The appointments were announced by the Secretary to the Government of Kogi State (SSG), Dr (Mrs) Folashade Arike Ayoade on Tuesday in Lokoja.
According to the SSG, the appointment of Hon. Atimah, a journalist and former Correspondent of the Leadership Newspapers as well former Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) followed the disengagement of the former occupant of the office, Mr Kolade Isaac.
The SSG also announced the disengagement of Hajia Rekiya Onaivo Sanni as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Kogi Enterprise Development Agency (KEDA) and her replacement with with Hon. Kadiri Mohammed Okeji.
Other appointments approved and made by the governor include Christopher Ayo Olubunmi as Executive Chairman of Kogi State Christian Pilgrims Commission, with Steven Joseph, Barnabas Oyibo and Hinmikaye Joe-Dare Babajide as Permanent Members I, II and III respectively.
Additionally, Hon. Sariki Abdullahi Abdulkadir, Mohammed Yahaya Abubilat, and Haruna Dauda Okuku have been appointed as Permanent Members I, II, and III of the Kogi State Hajj Commission.
For the Kogi State Universal Basic Education Board, Alhassan Adakeke, Dauda Aliyu, and Abdulrahaman Aziz Obini have been appointed as Permanent Members I, II, and III.
The SSG further conveyed the approval of the Governor for the appointment of Zonal Security Advisers across the nine Federal Constituencies in the State.
She named Hon. Pius Kolawole, Hon. Abuh Odoma and Hon. Salami Omuya Joseph as Zonal Security Advisers for the various constituencies adding that all appointments and disengagements take immediate effect as directed by the Governor.
The SSG said that the changes were aimed at strengthening and improving the effectiveness of various government agencies in fulfilling their mandates. (Ends)
A renowned veterinary doctor and researcher, Dr Joachim Joseph Ajakaiye has been named the Overseeing Director of the Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis and Onchocerciasis Research (NITR), Kaduna.
By the appointment, which was approved by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, Dr Ajakaiye will, with immediate effect, oversee the office of the institute’s Director-General.
According to a letter dated March 5, 2024 and signed for the Minister by the Ministry’s Director of Human Resources Management, Alhaji Baba Ibrahim Hassan, the appointment followed the mandatory retirement of the previous holder of the post, Dr (Mrs.) Felicia Enwenzor.
Dr Ajakaiye, who holds the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Master of Science (Veterinary Physiology) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees began his career at NITR as a Veterinary Research Officer in 2006. He was promoted to the position of Director of Research in 2018.
A Fellow of the College of Veterinary Surgeons of Nigeria, Dr Ajakaiye is also a recipient of the Fellowship of the Cuban Academy of Science.
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