Two separate religious programmes were held on Thursday by the Christian and Muslim members of the Osun State Judiciary to usher in another legal year.
The development said to have been caused by the seeming discord in the ranks of the judiciary in the state, did not however take shine off the ceremonies, as judicial officers and staff turned out in large number to grace the events held at venues less than two kilometres apart in Osogbo, the state capital.
In the past, judges usually attended prayer sessions at the mosque before proceeding to church for service, after which other ceremonies would be held in the premises of the High Court.
But for this year’s celebrations, Muslim judges were joined by the chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Osogbo branch, Hassan Agbelekale, who led lawyers that are Muslims to Osogbo Central Mosque, where prayers were offered by the Grand Imam of Osun State, Sheikh Musa Animasaun, for a successful legal year.
The state Chief Judge, Adepele Ojo, and the Attorney General, Femi Akande, and Christian judges were joined by the Deputy Governor, Benedict Alabi, at the Cathedral Church of All Saints, Balogun Agoro, Osogbo where special church programme was held to mark the commencement of 2022-2023 legal year.
In her address at the concluding ceremony for the annual event held at the premises of the Osun State High Court, Osogbo, Justice Ojo congratulated judges, legal practitioners and other stakeholders on the successful completion of the last Legal year and commencement of new one.
She further said, “We are, no doubt, fully replenished and rejuvenated after good relief from the stress of work and are now undoubtedly prepared to start afresh on another Legal Year with zeal and fervour to consolidate on our achievements in the outgone Legal Year and strive to attain better in this New Legal Year.
“The importance of this all-important ceremony cannot be overemphasised. It is, among other things, to reflect on the past year’s achievements, take stock of
the activities of that year with a view to identifying its ups and downs. This will stimulate us to harness and consolidate our achievements while we also get prepared with new strength to confront the challenges of the past year for optimal performances and better results in the New Legal Year.”
Efforts to get official the reaction of the High Court to the development failed as calls to the mobile line of the Chief Registrar, Mr. Adebayo Lasisi, did not go through, while reply to a text message sent to him by our correspondent for enquiry was still being expected as of the time of filing this report.
