My lords, distinguished gentlemen of the Bar andBench, another opportunityhas come for us tobring our sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord. God has been good to us. He made us to see the end of the outgone legal year. He also preserved our lives to witness the commencement of the 2011/2012 Legal Year. To Him be praise forever. We have also corne to commit our ways unto the Lord, knowing that in Him we live and rnove and have our being, and without Him we can do but nothing.This is the first commencement of the legal year under the new political dispensation in Oyo State. The government of Senator Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi is just a few months old, and it is our hope that in this state, as we have witnessed tranquillity in executive-legislature relationships, same shall be extended to the judiciary as well. If there is peace in and between the arms of government, an enabling environment is created for society to flourish and develop.My lords, gentlemen of the Bar and Bench, many waters have passed under the bridge, but it has pleased the Lord to make us overcomers. At both national and state levels, the 2010/2011 Legal Year was a year to remember. Being an election year, the Judiciary came under intense pressure. We are encouraged by the fact that your institution, despite its many limitations, helped to steer Nigeria to a successful civilian to civilian transition on May 29, 2011. What pains us, however, is that the internal workings of the Judiciary, especially at the national level, has had to come under public scrutiny because of a number of indiscretions for about a year now. The Judiciary was a subject of public rididcule a number of times, not essentially because of what politicians did to it, but what she did to herself. We understand that cases are in court, and would be careful not to make comments that are sub judice. However, we like to remind all parties that those who live in a glass house should not throw stones. The recent events at the national level of the Nigerian Judiciary teach us a very important lesson - in settling personal scores, it is not good to compromise the institutions that nourished us and gave us the pedestals on which we stand. When we do these, everyone is a loser in the end.We are entering another year in which the courage of the Judiciary to assert itself as an independent arm of a democratic government shall be tried severally. You still have the unenviable job of deciding on many critical political or electoral cases. Our prayers for you is that God will grant you needed wisdom and courage to stand on the side of justice. Let us add that you need to take bold steps to prevent a delay of justice (which in fact is equal to denial of justice) at all times. It is common for interested parties to introduce bottlenecks in cases so that the litigation can drag endlessly. We pray our judges to invoke all powers within their reach to prevent or control this. And we say so, not only for political cases, but even in civil and criminal cases.My lords, ladies and gentlemen, we have often been told that the law is blind. Yes, the law should be blind to the status of men; the law should be blind to sentiments and human biases. But in 2011/2012, do not let the law be blind to the legitimate yearnings of the common man. Both the Bar and the Bench should remain focused on bestowing to society a just and equitable societal order. While we recognize that Law, like other professions, have technicalities which guide or determine judicial outcomes, we like to remind you of the burden of Law also, which in our layman's understanding is the defence or protection of public morality. As we progress in our various cases this year, even though we have our commercial interests to pursue as professionals, let us be concerned also about the protection of public morality. As judges and as lawyers, let us stand by the truth.We also need the wisdom of God. Many of the issues that confront us are complex and confusing. However, by the wisdom of God, we shall always make right judgments, notwithstand the complexity of the issues before us.The three Hebrew boys - Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego - in the book of Daniel agree upon a path of honour for their lives. They stood for what they believed, and this offended their detractors, who were actually enemies of righteousness in the land. In plotting their downfall, these detractors sought to exploit their life principles. The three of them had opted to worship only the living God, and not to bow down to any idol. Even though this was contrary to the spirit of the age, and the wish of their benefactor Nebuchadnezzar, they stood for sound principle and refused to shift ground. The decisive moment came for them when they were accosted and taken to king Nebuchadnezzar; the very king who appointed them to high office. This is what they said to Nebuchadnezzar:O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. see Daniel 3:16-18.Of course, a travail followed this decision. But they prevailed in the end. Is anyone here today, or out there in the Nigerian Judiciary enduring travails of persecution today because of your belief in sound principles' Please endure. You shall pravail in the end. Falsehood may run ahead for twenty years; on the first day that truth takes off, it shall overtake falsehood. That is why scripture says in,Psalms 125:1 that 'They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever.We must avoid abuse of office. Samuel the Judge had served Israel for several decades. At a turning point in the history of the nation, he called the entire nation to witness against him if he had abused his office in any way. The people admitted that he had not used his privileged position to defraud, oppress or exploit them in any way. Thus, Samuel had both legal and moral right to proclaim and enforce the will of God in the land. His heart was clean; his hands unsoiled - so he could confidently speak as the oracle of God. And the people had to listen. Personal integrity also qualified him for a happy retirement. That is a great lesson for our judges.Maybe people are confident to defy us because they have evidence to prove that our hearts are not pure and our hands are not clean. It is time to change for the better.In the statutes handed down to Israel through Moses the man of God, it was written in:Deuteronomy 16:18-20 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment. Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.Today I like to repeat our appeal to the Chief Judge of the Federation to condiser the possibility of arranging nationwide speedy trials of minor civil and criminal cases that have dragged unduly in our courts due to endless adjournments. Our work involves visits to prisons and pastoral care of prisoners, and we are saddened that up till now - Year 2011, there are people in our prisons who should have been out long before; even if they were convicted of the offences for which they are standing trial. One phrase has become popular in Nigeria - state of emergency. Can we declare a sort of 'state of emergency' in court trials, and within the period attempt to decongest our prisons by giving accelerated hearing to all minor civil and criminal cases in our courts' Doing this will go a long way to decongest our prisons, improve conditions and to put smiles on the face of several helpless, innocent citizens who are presently suffering unjustly in our various prisons.The recent experience that we had in Oyo State reminds us of the issue of security and welfare of our judges. We have said it before that Government owes it a duty at all times to ensure the welfare and security of our judges, so that they can concentrate on their important duty. That phrase, 'at all times' as we have seen, now includes after they retire. Thus, we appeal to Government to improve the security provisions for judges, especially judges at the lower courts. If we strengthen the Judiciary, it is for the common good of all of us; whether now or in time to come. And if we weaken the Judiciary, we shall all bear the brunt.My lords, gentlemen of the Bar and Bench, as we go into this 2011/2012 Legal Year trusting the Lord, I like to assure that He will not disappoint you. Next year, when we shall gather like this again to offer thanks, you shall not be found wanting.This year, the Lord shall greatly bless you, so that you shall come with testimonies to thank Him in the year to come.Other Prayers'Those who know their God shall be strong and do great Exploits.'Most Revd Joseph Akinfenwa, is the Archbishop of Ibadan Province (Anglican Communion).
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