Gboyega Oyetola, Osun state governor, has sworn in Justice Foluke Awolalu as President of the Customary Court of Appeal.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Awolalu was appointed following the death of the former court President, Justice Gloria Oladoke, in September 2019.
Oyetola urged Awolalu to continue from where her predecessor stopped by ‘upholding the tenets of her office and discharge her responsibilities with the highest level of integrity, equity, discipline and justice’.
The governor maintained that the best way to immortalise the late Oladoke was to continue to seek justice for the people. He described the deceased as ‘a Justice of Justices, who was an epitome of character, industry, professionalism and leadership’.
The governor was confident that Awolalu’s pedigree as incorruptible, fearless and courageous would help sustain the existing trust the people had in the judiciary as the purveyor of justice.
He said: “Justice Awolalu is coming into the office at a time when the state still remains the most peaceful, and when the three arms of government are enjoying peaceful coexistence without compromising their exclusive roles.
“It is also a time when the people have implicit confidence in the state judiciary, since the judiciary is described as the last hope of the common man.
“The President of the Customary Court of Appeal must, therefore, drive the court to perform its role with the highest level of responsibility and fairness to ensure justice and peace for the people.”
Justice Awolalu thanked the governor for approving her appointment, and promised to justify the confidence reposed in her by being fair and just in the adjudication of justice.
“I see this as an opportunity for me to build and consolidate on the work of my predecessors. I am committed to ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in the administration of justice. I will ensure that every man gets justice in accordance with the Constitution and judicial system,” she said.
NAN