REMARKS BY THE NBA CHAIRMAN, IKERE-EKITI BRANCH

REMARKS BY THE NBA CHAIRMAN, IKERE-EKITI BRANCH, DR. MICHAEL SUNDAY AFOLAYAN AT THE COMMISSIONING OF THE ULTRA-MODERN HIGH COURT COMPLEX, IKERE-EKITI JUDICIAL DIVISION, DONATED BY CHIEF WOLE OLANIPEKUN, CFR, SAN ON THE 19TH JANUARY, 2023

Protocol

Introduction

Early in the morning of Saturday 29th September, 2022, I received a call from our (NBA Ikere Ekiti Branch) Grand Patron and Benefactor, Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN and towards the end of that call, he asked me ‘what is the current state of the High Court building at Ikere-Ekiti?’ My answer in summary was that the court structure was in a dilapidated state and I recounted the message I received from the Judge sitting at IkereEkiti Judicial Division in 2020, who incidentally, and as a result of the dilapidated structure, found a snake in his desk and informed the Bar of his intention to move the Court files to Ilawe-Ekiti unless something urgent was done to repair the disintegrated and falling structure. I further told our Grand Patron how the NBA Ikere-Ekiti Branch, through her leadership moved round to solicit intervention from many, including, Kabiyesi, the Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti, and that led to some forms of repairs being effected in the structure but that it was not yet in the best of shape. Chief simply replied me with a single word ‘okay’ and the rest is what we are here to witness its commissioning today; a Brand New Ultra-Modern High Court Complex, with all the modern states of the art facilities, an incredible replacement of the old, dilapidated structure! Glory be to Almighty God.

Chief Wole Olanipekun’s many Contributions to the Ikere Bar 

What we are here to celebrate today is one of the continual and sustained efforts of an individual, Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN to make this world a better place by deploying his substance and resources to the development of mankind in different aspects of life and all across the world. I will not belabour myself with the arduous and impossible task of mentioning the various philanthropic interventions of Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN in different and diverse areas but permit me to mention just few of what we have benefitted as Lawyers and members of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikere-Ekiti Branch from his kind gesture.

1. The Nigerian Bar Association, Ikere-Ekiti Branch is one of the 128 Branches of the NBA in Nigeria today and was inaugurated by our Past President, J. B. Daudu, SAN on the 22nd June, 2012 through the intervention and support of Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN.

2. In order to nurture and sustain this NBA Branch at the inception, Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN paid the Bar Practicing Fees of all members of the Branch for three years straight from 2013 till 2015. This gave the Branch the stability and growth you can see today as we currently have about 150 members in the Branch. 

3. The current and gigantic Chief Wole Olanipekun Bar Centre built and donated to the NBA Ikere Ekiti Branch in 2014, barely two years of the Branch’s establishment, was solely constructed and donated to enhance Bar activities and serve as a monument to the Ikere Ekiti Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association.

4. Since the Commissioning and transfer of the Bar Centre to NBA Ikere Ekiti Branch, Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN has always made it a point of duty to renovate the Building at least once in a year, and at a time, he had concluded plans and supplied all resources to fence the Bar Centre as a way of securing it and prevent intruders from gaining unauthorised access to the building.

5. In 2019, Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN procured for the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikere-Ekiti Branch, a White, Eighteen-Passenger, Brand New Nissan Bus to aid movement of members of the Branch. I am sure many of you have seen the Bus around today. He equally paid for a comprehensive insurance on the Bus.

6. It is needless to mention many and diverse financial interventions and contributions of Chief Wole Olanipekun CFR, SAN to the Branch’s activities, especially our annual Law Week during which we always have Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN Annual Lecture in Ikere Ekiti here.

7. Regular Hosting of the Branch Members and Leadership in Lagos, Abuja and many parts of the Country, especially during the Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association is another way in which Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN has always reached out to encourage and lend a helping hand to the Branch on a constant basis.

The instant contribution of Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN, of this gigantic, UltraModern High Court Complex to the Ekiti State Judiciary is equally a great service and contribution, not only to the Bench but also to the Bar in Ekiti State, especially the Ikere Ekiti Branch of the NBA. The Branch can now boast and beat her chest that we have the best Court in Nigeria! I have gone round this Court Building and discovered that many of the facilities are provided to make life easier for us Lawyers. From the Air Conditioned Courtrooms, well furnished with the best of Seats, Public Address System, Offices, Changing Room for Lawyers, up-to-date and well-stocked Library with ELibrary Facilities, Toilets, Conference Room, Pre-Trial Room, Exhibit Room, Holding Cell, and a general serene environment, just to mention a few, this edifice is a dream come true!

All I have come to say this moment is to appreciate God in the life of Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN. On behalf of the Bar, especially, the Ikere Bar, I thank you sir. May God Almighty replenish you in multiple folds. May you continually find favour in the sight of God. God has lifted you high amongst all men, you will never fall by the special Grace of Almighty God. Amen. Let me equally use this opportunity to notify our Grand Patron that Ikere-Ekiti Branch of the NBA is your Baby and we are resolutely behind you sir. I have the resolution and mandate of the Branch to further inform the whole world that Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN remains our standard bearer, leader and moral ambassador. NBA Ikere Ekiti Branch, will therefore, never be a part to any agenda to rubbish, witch-hunt or label this icon any name which is intended to lower his reputation in the legal profession.

Call on Other Well-Meaning Ekiti Indigenes to Assist the Judiciary

I want to use this medium to call on other well-meaning Ekiti Indigenes and Residents, with the wherewithal to equally come to the aid of the Judiciary in Ekiti State by replicating something similar to this in their areas. Many Courtrooms outside Ado-Ekiti and Ikere-Ekiti Judicial Divisions are equally in old, dilapidated structure and calling for similar interventions like we have seen Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN done today. Though it may be the primary duty of the Government to do this, we cannot leave everything in the hands of the Government, especially things requiring such urgent intervention like we have seen today. Having modern Courtrooms in Ido-Ekiti Judicial Division, Ikole-Ekiti Judicial Division, Omuo-Ekiti Judicial Division, Ijero Ekiti Judicial Division, Ise-Ekiti Judicial Division, Emure-Ekiti Judicial Division and Efon Ekiti Judicial Division, and so on will go a long way to make the process of dispensing justice faster and more efficient.

Our Request to His Excellency, The Executive Governor of Ekiti State

Let me first congratulate our amiable Executive Governor of Ekiti State, His Excellency, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji for this great achievement at this early stage of his tenure. Having the likes of Chief Wole Olanipekun to complement the efforts of Government in providing infrastructural facilities like this, is indeed, a plus to any Governor or Government. However, as part of the responsibility and objectives of the Nigerian Bar Association, while trusting God to help the administration of His Excellency to achieve multiple folds of what his predecessor has achieved in office, we urge His Excellency to urgently attend to the following requests;

1. To urgently rebuild, or in the interim, renovate courtrooms especially those outside of Ado Ekiti and Ikere-Ekiti. It is worthy of note that many Courts and Courtrooms outside of Ado-Ekiti and Ikere-Ekiti are in deplorable conditions. 

A visit to Courts in these other Judicial Divisions will reveal that the structure housing most of the High Courts and the Magistrate Courts were not purpose built for use as courtrooms. It is more pathetic that most of these buildings are equally in state of disrepair. This was the similar case of Ikere Ekiti Judicial Division until Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN rescued us today. 

2. Presentation of Cars to High Court Judges. It is important that our High Court Judges in Ekiti State are presented with befitting cars periodically to ease their movement to and from courtroom. This is to avoid delay of cases and subjecting our High Court Judges through harrowing condition and experiences. It is highly undignifying for a High Court Judge to frequent Mechanics Workshop because they drive old cars in state of disrepair. The cars which most of our High Court Judges are using now, except those who were recently appointed, were presented to them since 2012. It is high time the Government do the needful by presenting them cars.

3. Presentation of cars to Magistrates of all cadres and Presidents of Customary Courts in Ekiti State. Since over 7 years ago when some Magistrates were presented with Ford Cars, many who were appointed after that time have been going to courts in public transport- an abominable act which exposes our Magistrates and Customary Courts Presidents to vulnerabilities of the public, litigants and precipitates insecurity to these officers.

4. Creation of pay-points at every Court in Ekiti State to ease payment of Courtfees and boost Internally Generated Revenue. The idea of having to shuttle between Oke-Ori-Omi Revenue Office and Courts within and outside AdoEkiti is not good enough and encouraging to our people and Lawyers having needs to pay courts and filing fees.

Appreciation

Once again, I appreciate our Grand Patron and Benefactor, Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN for this laudable achievement and beautiful gift to the Judiciary and the

Bar in Ekiti State. I equally appreciate our amiable Governor, His Excellency, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji for graciously attending this event to Commission the beautiful edifice. I congratulate and appreciate My Lord, the Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Hon. Justice John O. Adeyeye on this feat and for your cooperation with the Bar at all times. I thank all Judges, Magistrates, Customary Court Presidents, all the Judiciary Staff and distinguished guests present here today. I deeply appreciate all members of the NBA Ikere Ekiti Branch, and other Branches for your support and for coming. A special thanks to our Patroness in the Ikere Ekiti Branch, Olori (Princess) Olufunmilayo Nejo-Oluyede who is present here today, for always identifying with us. I thank you all.