The Chief Judge of Oyo state, Justice Muntar Abimbola, on Friday, stated that he was shocked when he saw the letter written by Hon. Justice Misitura Agbaje-Oladeinde, intimating that she wanted to voluntarily bow out of service two years earlier than the expected statutory retirement age provided by the rule, adding that his questions concerning the early exit remains unanswered. “It was a letter written by My Lord addressed to His Excellency about an early voluntary exit. To say the least, I was shocked. All questions as to why such step is deemed necessary were unanswered till date. After much discussions and persuasions which are in effective, I gave up and did as requested.”
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These were the words of Justice Abimbola during his opening speech at a special valedictory court session held in Court 1 of the State High Court, Ring road, Ibadan, in honor of Justice Agbaje-Oladeinde, who took a bow out of service on the occasion of her birthday.
According to the Chief Judge, during their discussions, he looked at the composure, gait temperance and composure of Justice Agbaje-Oladeinde and he realized that she is not tired, adding that, “the question as to why the decision is made will remain a puzzle and in the realm of guess until she gives the answer (maybe today).
“By that decision, we are today bidding farewell to a partner together with whom we traversed the judicial terra cotta the past 18 years, we started the judicial journey when we were sworn in on the 30th of January, 1997 by Col. Ahmed Usman at the Parliament Building, Secretariat, Ibadan.
“May I have the honour on behalf of the other remaining partner, My Lord Hon. Justice S.A. Akinteye and my other brother judges to pay this tribute to your dedication to duty, your commitment, your mentoring, sisterly and motherly role in this past 18 years.
“I have my Lords’ authority to express our feelings of friendship and how you will be missed. We wish you a long and happy life and fulfilling life beyond the bench. A chapter ends but new horizons beacons and await you,” Justice Abimbola stated.
In her reply, Justice Agbaje-Oladeinde stated that her 36 years of service both in the Ministry of Justice and on the High Court bench was due to the help of God and her late father, who was the first Ibadan lawyer, adding that her greatest regret is that her father did not live to see her qualify as a lawyer.
Justice Agbaje-Oladeinde also observed that in the past, hierarchy of judges was based on seniority at the bar, adding that the system worked very well until it was jettisoned for no reason.
“I am of the view that when new judges are appointed, their age at the bar should always be the criterion on which the hierarchy should be built so that it will not breed bad blood among judges appointed together. A minute’s seniority matters in our noble profession,” she said.
Speaking on why she retired before the statutory retirement age, Justice Agbaje-Oladeinde said, “I will not say much but I shall sum up the reasons in three Yoruba proverbs; Iku to pa Ojugba eni, owe nla lo npa fun ni, Bi enia ba pe lori imi, esin kesin lo ma ba nibe, ki oju ma ribi, gbogbo ara ni ogun e. I intend to write a book of my 19 years on the bench, then the proverbs above will become meaningful.”
