The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has warned Judges in the country against accepting juicy and irresistible gifts from corrupt people, especially politicians and business men, so as not to bring shame and disgrace to their families when caught.
The CJN gave the advice while swearing-in six new Judges of the National Industrial Court in Abuja.
Justice Ariwoola said that many high profile cases would definitely come before them in the course of discharging their duties in company of irresistible gifts, especially when they involve mouth-watery financial aid business transactions.
“I am making it clear to you now that you must flee from such disguised danger.”
The CJN told Judicial officers; “You must, against all odds, conduct your affairs within the ambit of the law and the oath that has just been administered on you.
If you were hitherto 50 percent under public scrutiny, I can confidently tell you now that it has automatically risen to 100 percent by virtue of this your appointment.”
Justice Ariwoola charged the Judges to redouble their efforts and dialogue with their conscience in order not to fall out of grace of God and the Nigerian people.
“It absolutely takes nothing.to join the crowd but it takes quite a lot to stand alone with good conscience.”
Justice Ariwoola enjoined the new Judges to fasten their belts and roll up their sleeves to face the challenges head- on adding that they must double their pace to catch up with expectations of litigants.
He said, as Judicial officers, they have a divine mandate to discharge their duties with honesty and sincerity.
“You must give good account of yourselves to justify your appointment. However, if you decide to do the contrary, the sledge hammer will, without hesitation, descend heavily on you.”
He said no judicial officer at any level the Courts would be allowed to drag the reputation of the Nigerian Judiciary into the mud.
“We cannot come this far to fail. Take heed of this admonition by working rightly towards occupying an enviable space in the annals of the Nigerian Judiciary,” he stated.
The six new Judges inaugurated were Justice Subilim Emmanuel Danjuma, Mohammad Adamu Hamza, Damachi-Onugba Joyce Agede, Hassan Mohammed Yakubu, Buhari Sami and Sanda Audu Yelwa.
Lateefah Ibrahim
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