A former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd) on Thursday in Abuja paid glowing tributes to the late Justice Chike Idigbe at the centenary celebration of his life and times as quintessential nationalist and an eminent jurist.
Gowon, who was special guest of honour at the 15th edition of PUNUKA Annual Lecture and Symposium in honour of the founder of the law firm, Justice Chike Idigbe (1923-2023) that held at the Abuja Continental Hotel, was clear about his assignment on the occasion: “I am here to acknowledge and pay a deserving tribute to one of the learned jurists that ever served on the bench of Nigeria’s Supreme Court.”
He said what he had learnt of Justice Idigbe’s contributions to the rule of law in Nigeria could not be overemphasized.
Pointing out that Nigeria, as a nation, has come a long way since independence in 1960, he said that it was not a secret that the judiciary had played a vital role in nation-building and in uniting the nation.
According to him, the judiciary provided checks on the powers of the executive and the legislature and ensure the protection of rights of citizens through the instrumentality of the courts of law.
He stated that with the judiciary, our democracy was protected, adding that the judiciary was the beacon of democracy in Nigeria.
He said the judiciary underscored the importance of fairness and justice, declaring that that the late Justice Idigbe upheld these ideals and ensured that citizens were treated justly and fairly.
Gowon said that the late Justice Idigbe’s life was underscored by courage and fairness even as he demonstrated judicial activism and uncommon bravery through his judgments.
“The late Justice Idigbe did not only commend himself to Nigerians as a man of integrity only, but also as a firm believer in letting the rule of law have its full course,” he said.
In a goodwill message, Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba described the late Justice Chike Idigbe JSC, as a quintessential jurist and fearless advocate of the rule of law, who gave the best of legal interventions in all areas of human endeavour.
He said: ‘Justice Idigbe had the unique opportunity of bestriding the legal profession like a colossus and he is remembered not only as a jurist par excellence, but also as an advocate for equity, justice and the fair application of the rule of law.”
Agba stated that the centenary celebration of this legal sage was very appropriate, especially with the theme: “Honourable Justice Chike Idigbe JSC – through his judgments in present day Nigeria”, that looked at his remarkable contributions to the legal profession.
According to him: “He was renowned for his landmark judgments, which continue to benefit Nigeria’s jurisprudence to this day. I therefore take this opportunity to commend the organizers of this event.
“The government of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, is certain about the nexus between law and development and believes that law can be used as an instrument to promote economic and social development because economic development involves much more than a country’s adopting the appropriate growth-enhancing policies but the right application of the rule of law since the rule of law is a prerequisite to draw foreign investments and boost economic growth.
“The memorialization of Justice Chike Idigbe, JSC, is a worthy addition to remind us of the evergreen legacies of this great patriot and nationalist whose knowledge and application of the law have helped to promote and entrench progressive legal culture in Nigeria.
“I wish the late Justice Chike Idigbe’s family well and as we honour his memory, let us remember that the key to legal excellence in a globalized world is for lawyers to be prepared with the relevant skills, knowledge, technological sophistication, diligence and justice which are the very ethos that Justice Chike Idigbe spent his legal years espousing.”
The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fasola (SAN), who was one of the panelists on the occasion, said that four decades after leaving us (Justice Idigbe died in 1983), Justice Idigbe’s judgments continue to communicate to us the essence of justice, fairness and the rule of law.”
Stressing that the obligation of the courts was to do justice according to law, Fasola said that Justice Idigbe while on the Bench of the Supreme Court opened a new vista of substantial justice as against technical justice.
He said Idigbe demonstrated this with his intervention in a case of a family who appeared before the Supreme Court to challenge its own land lease because of Form 43b, in which case Idigbe was said to have averred that the law must be followed but that in a situation where we stood the risk of promoting injustice in genuflection to technicalities, we should stand up for justice by summoning equity to act.
Fasola said that even though Justice Idiigbe’s talent was prodigious, he submitted that talent alone was not enough, maintaining that there must be attitude, which he declared that Justice Idigbe had in their vast flourish.
The keynote speaker and senator-elect, Sampson Ekong described the late Justice Idigbe as an excellent jurist and a man of tradition.
In a welcome address, Managing Partner of PUNUKA Attorneys and Solicitors, Elizabeth Idigbe said that the objective of the symposium was to consider the landmark decisions of Hon Justice Idigbe and the impact of his pronouncements on “our present-day jurisprudence.”
“As we all know, the judiciary is a critical stakeholder in a democracy, and the role of judges in upholding the rule of law cannot be over-emphasized. Judges are the custodians of justice, and their decisions impact the lives of millions of people in our society.
“Therefore, it is essential that we set and maintain high standards for our judges to ensure that they posses the competence, integrity, and impartiality required to deliver justice fairly and efficiently. Indeed, the judiciary is the final hope for any society. The ability to do justice ensures that citizens have confidence in any system or society.
“In this regard, today’s lecture is particularly timely and relevant. We explore the concept of a ‘Gold Standard’ for judges in Nigeria, having as our guide the legacy of Justice Idigbe.
“Justice Idigbe was a man of exceptional talent and intellect, whose tireless dedication to the law and to the people of Nigeria made him a true icon of the legal profession.
“Throughout his illustrious career, Justice Idigbe served with distinction as a justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, where he earned a reputation for his keen insight, his unwavering integrity, attention to details and his steadfast commitment to justice and fairness.
“In many ways, Justice Idigbe set the standard for what it means to be a great judge. He was a jurist who understood the importance of impartiality, fairness, and objectivity, and he always sought to apply the law in a way that was consistent with these values.”
To commemorate his centenary celebration, PUNUKA Attorneys and Solicitors, which he founded and an enterprise on which his son, Chief Anthony Idigbe, SAN, PhD, has consolidated, has eye marked a few projects to further immortalize the late jurist and sage.
They include the inauguration of Justice Idigbe Faculty of Law at the Veritas University in Abuja, inauguration of PUNUKA Childcare Centre, and inauguration of PUNUKA new Head office in Lagos.
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