Alex Enumah in Abuja
Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, joined judges, lawyers, including Senior Advocates of Nigeria, to eulogise the late Court of Appeal judge, Justice Theresa Ngolika Orji-Abadua, who died in active service last month.
Speaking at a valedictory court session held in honour of the late Justice in Abuja, speaker after speaker remarked that her demise was a great loss to the appellate court, judiciary and the entire country.
Justice Theresa Ngolika Orji-Abadua, former Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Benin, passed away on March 8, 2024.
In his remarks, Fagbemi observed that Orji-Abadua was a legal luminary, whose wisdom, integrity and dedication to justice have no doubt, left an indelible mark on the nation’s jurisprudence.
“As we reflect on the life and times of the Honourable Justice Orji-Abadua, as well as her contributions to the pursuit of justice, equality, fairness and integrity, we must honour her memory by upholding these principles she so passionately advocated for throughout her distinguished career,” the minister said.
Fagbemi recalled how the late jurist commenced her professional legal practice as a private legal practitioner, navigating the intricate landscape of the Magistrate Court and High Courts with amiable determination and forthrightness.
According to the AGF, the ability of the late Justice to navigate the complexities of the legal system with precision and integrity “set her apart as a rising star in the legal community.”
Earlier, President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice, Monica Dongban-mensem, described her as “a jurist of unimpeachable character, who had a very simple and humble nature.”
Dongban-mensem, who was represented by Justice Hamma Akawu Barka observed that the late jurist was in the service of the Judiciary for twenty-seven (27) years, sixteen (16) of which were spent at the Court of Appeal.
Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Benin branch, Mr Nosa Francis Edo-Osagie, moved a motion seeking the release of the body of late Justice Orji-Abadua, from the appellate court to her final place of rest in Anambra state.
