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Lawyers Eulogise Retired Edo CJ, Give Award In Her Honour

Published

3 years ago

May 18, 2021

A Benin based fiery lawyer and philanthropist, Olayiwola Afolabi, Esq, has established an annual award titled Justice Esther Edigin Law Award to be given to three law students for the next four years in honour of the immediate past Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice (Mrs) Esther Edigin (rtd).

He said the award was for the fact that she retired from the Bench unblemished and as result of a judgement the she passed in favour of his chamber despite having a case against her where he had earlier crossed examined her.

He stated that, ordinarily, he ought to have lost the case having tackled the Justice before another Judge in a case that had to do with her father’s estate but she never pervert justice nor being sentimental.

While stating that integrity is Justice Edigin’s watch word, Olayiwola said she does not bring sentiment when it comes to law.

“She filed a case against some persons over her father’s estate and I happened to be counsel to these people. And because of the case, I cross examined Justice Esther Edigin before another judge. Meanwhile we had another case before justice Edigin this same period, so we made up our minds that we had already lost the case but we were shocked when Justice Edigin ruled in our favour.

Beneficiaries of the Justice Esther Edigin Law Award.

“Justice Edigin knew when she appeared in the court and I cross examined her, it is law not sentiment and when that case got to the Court of Appeal, the panelists commended her for the ruling,” he said.

Giving the award to the first beneficiaries made up of Samuel Eromosele, Benedita Osunde and Elizabeth Eromosele all drawn from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Afolabi described her as incorruptible, calm and fearless, just as he poured eulogies on her.

He said the beneficiaries of the award are not just going home with law gowns and wigs alone, but they are giving half bag of rice each for them to feed well and do well in their studies and careers.

Also speaking, Osamudiame Anthony Osula, an Associate Counsel at Oloyiwola Afolabi and Co Chambers, described Justice Edigin as Judge who does not pervert justice, stressing that it’s very rare a superior court upturns any ruling by the retired judge.

He said throughout her career as a judge, not a single case of corruption was leveled against her though many judges are being accused of collecting bribe from politicians to manipulate election petition result but Justice Edigin case was not such.

Osula who said the retired CJ does not descend to the erana of conflict in her court, commended her for retiring from the noble profession unblemished.

“To me, her greatest achievement is her calmness and incorruptibility, a very rare virtue of Nigerians of today,” he said.

On his part, Mr President Aigbokhan, Esq. who wished the retired CJ well in her future endeavours, described Afolabi who instituted the award as a giver that is always willing to promote the well being of people around him.

While commending Afolabi for always being the vanguard of the downtrodden, he said, “he is never careful in spending just to make an impact in the lives of others.”

The beneficiaries thanked Olayiwola Afolabi chambers for the honour done on them, saying the law materials given to them will go a long way in assisting them in their career.

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Man, 38 Escapes Assassination Attempt In Benin

Published

9 months ago

July 22, 2023

Editor

Innocent Omoruyi

By Omokha Andrew

A 38-year-old activist, Innocent Omoruyi, narrowly escaped assassination in the early hours of Wednesday, July 19, 2023 as his residence at Obe Community,Sapele Road in Benin city was attacked by yet to be identified gun men.

The attack which eye witnesses say was viciously executed on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 bore the markings of a dreaded cult group terrorizing Benin City, the state capital.

The Obe, Sapale Road incident, it was learnt, happened soon after Omoruyi left the house to attend to matters of interest some few metres away from his home.

The assailants were said to have shot sporadically in their frustration as residents scampered for safety.

However, Omoruyi escaped unharmed.

One of the eye witnesses who craved anonymity said: “The felons apparently went for the kill, weilding guns and other dangerous weapons. “We are shocked that they didn’t see Innocent Omoruyi who was just some few metres away from home when they arrived”.

“How that happened, only God knows and it was obvious that it wasn’t his time to die yet and just before that not long ago his business place on Lagos Street, Benin City was burnt down in the middle of the night by unknown arsonists.

“This sequence of events is not ordinary. We know it’s politically motivated due to the role he played in the last general elections. He has been advised to go into hiding at the moment for his personal safety”, he concluded.

When contacted, the police Public Relations Officer Chidi Nwabuzor said he was yet to get any information as regards the latest incident. He promised to feed our correspondent with relevant details as soon as they become handy.

Our information source however revealed that the matter has already been incidented at the Love World Police station on Sapele Road, Benin city.

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Nigeria To Earn Over $4bn Revenue As FEC Okays Concession Of Abuja, Kano Airports

Published

11 months ago

May 18, 2023

Editor

Nigeria will earn over $4 billion in nominal revenue as the Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Wednesday okayed the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, to the Corporacion American Airport Consortium, a Luxembourg-based company.

James Odaudu, the Special Assistant on Public Affairs to the Minister of Aviation, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

According to him, the Council also approved that the Federal Ministry of Aviation would be renamed the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace.

The statement noted that the company would make combined upfront payments of $8.5 million for the concession of NAIA and MAKIA.

He added that the development would spur evidential growth within the Nigerian aviation industry.

“In alignment with the Aviation Roadmap, approved by Mr President on 18th October 2016, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace is delighted to inform all stakeholders, both local and international, and the media, that the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano has been approved by the Federal Executive Council,” the statement said.

In December 2022 and January 2023, Corporacion American Airport Consortium was announced as the preferred bidder for the airport’s concession after scaling through a series of evaluations of technical and financial bids.

Nominal revenues mean income not adjusted for inflation and decreasing purchasing power.

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Russia Expelled From Council Of Europe Amid War With Ukraine

Published

2 years ago

March 16, 2022

Editor

The Council of Europe says it has expelled Russia with immediate effect after 26 years of membership because of the Ukraine war.

The Committee of Ministers took the decision in a special session, the rights body announced in the French city of Strasbourg on Wednesday.

Earlier, Russia had already declared its withdrawal from the Council of Europe after it had taken steps to exclude it.

On Tuesday evening, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe voted unanimously in favour of Russia’s exclusion.

Russia joined the Council of Europe on Feb. 28, 1996.

Together with the formal notification of the withdrawal, the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe also received information from the Russian Federation on Tuesday about its intention to denounce the European Convention on Human Rights.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, the leaders of the Council of Europe once again condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

They expressed their solidarity with the Russian people, who continue to belong to the European family and share its values.

The body said it would continue to stand by Ukraine in the fight against the aggressor.

The Council of Europe monitors the observance of human rights in its 46 member states and is not part of the European Union.

The body reacted to the Russian invasion of Ukraine two weeks ago by suspending Russia’s membership, this decision was considered historic.