Onnoghen to 19 new judges, take hard decisions, heaven won’t fall

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, on Friday charged 19 new judges of the National Industrial Court to take hard decisions when necessary because “heaven will not fall”.

He stated this while sweaing them in and called on them to adhere strictly to their oath of office as well as obey the rule of law while deciding cases brought before them.

According to the CJN, the only way the judiciary could checkmate impunity in Nigeria is by ensuring they themselves adhere to the law.

“When you need to take hard decisions, take it, heavens will not fall. Heaven has never fallen off anybody’s judgment.

“We can only checkmate impunity by adherence to the law.

“I want to advise judicial officers particularly those of you that just got sworn in to always be guided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the laws and your conscience.

“I assure you that as judicial officers, if you remain true to the oaths of your office, you have no problem; anything you need to function in that office is contained in the oath of office.

“If you allow yourself to be guided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the law, and your conscience, you can never go wrong.

“Two persons you cannot deceive – yourself and your God.”

Read also: Stop the fallacy, Nigeria’s unity is negotiable, Soyinka chides Osinbajo

The judges were sworn in after Acting President Yemi Osibanjo, SAN, appointed them as new NIC Judges, sequel to the recommendation by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

The 19 judges are Targema John Iorngee (Benue), Namtari Mahmood Abba (Adamawa), Nweneka Gerald Ikechi (Rivers), Kado Sanusi (Katsina), Adeniyi Sinmisola Oluyinka (Ogun), Abiola Adunola Adewemimo (Osun) Opeloye Ogunbowale (Lagos), Essien Isaac Jeremiah (Akwa-Ibom) and Elizabeth Ama Oji (Ebonyi) . Others were, Arowosegbe Olukayode Ojo (Ondo), Ogbuanya Nelson S. Chukwudi (Enugu), Bashir Zaynab Mohammed (Niger), Galadima Ibrahim Suleiman (Nasarawa), Bassi Paul Ahmed (Borno), Danjidda Salisu Hamisu (Kano), Hamman Idi Polycarp (Taraba), Damulak Kiyersohot Dashe (Plateau), Alkali Bashar Attahiru (Sokoto), and Mustapha Tijjani (Jigawa).

By Ebere Ndukwu . . .

 

RipplesNigeria ….without borders, without fears

Click here to download the Ripples Nigeria App for latest updates

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now