Being the Remarks by His Excellency Seyi Makinde, Executive Governor of Oyo State at the Swearing-In Ceremony of the Newly Appointed Judges of the High Court of Justice of Oyo State and the Customary Court of Appeal of Oyo State on Thursday, 5 December 2024
It is always a pleasure to be with you learned people.
Less than a month ago, the National Judicial Council (NJC) approved the appointment of eight (8) High Court judges and two (2) Customary Court of Appeal judges for Oyo State. And so today, we have held the swearing-in of these newly appointed judges of the High Court of Justice of Oyo State and the Customary Court of Appeal of Oyo State. This is in accordance with Sections 271 and 281 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
This swearing-in of judges which we just held again reminds us how democracy works and the checks and balances between the three arms of government. As you know, the Legislature makes the laws, the Judiciary interprets it and the Executive enforces. When these three arms work together, you have a more progressive society.
And this is what has been happening in Oyo State. In the last five and a half years since we assumed office, the three arms of government have worked together to ensure that we deliver the true dividends of democracy to our people. And with the appointment of these 10 judges, we are assured of the further strengthening of the judiciary.
Let me state here that the judiciary is also going to have a particularly strong impact on the implementation of one aspect of our Oyo State Roadmap for Sustainable Development 2023-2027. For a while now, we have been talking about the Rule of Law. We have taken time the past 18 months or so to sensitise our people about the importance of maintaining law and order. We know that changing mindsets is a very slow process. One of the key ways to accomplish a change in mindset in the shortest possible time is through law enforcement.
And so about seven months ago, working with the legislature, we established the Rule of Law Enforcement Authority. And as we take the next step of enforcement, the judiciary will be playing a crucial role in implementation as they carry out their judicial functions of interpreting, adjudicating and upholding the law.
Let me once again congratulate the newly appointed judges and urge you to carry out your duties with all sense of responsibility. The NJC in approving your appointments, have conducted due diligence and certified you as being worthy of your roles. Your duty is to live up to the expectations of the office you occupy. The people will be looking up to you to protect their rights.
Do not disappoint them.
On our part, we will continue to ensure that you have the right environment to carry out your duties without interference.
Thank you and God bless you.
Seyi Makinde
5 December 2024