The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) and the former Director-General of Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), Prof Epiphany Azinge (SAN) are among dignitaries that will grace events to mark the centenary of former Justice of the Supreme Court, the late Chukwunweike Idigbe.
This was made known at the weekend by Nnamdi Oragwu, a Partner and Head of Litigation at PUNUKA Attorneys & Solicitors, a firm founded by late Justice Idigbe, while highlighting activities to mark the 100th anniversary events which he said will be year-long.
“Our late founder served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria from 1964 to 1967 and from 1975 to 1983. He is remembered as a distinguished jurist, a fearless advocate for justice, and a champion of the rule of law.
“He was renowned for his landmark judgments, which continue to shape the legal landscape of Nigeria to this day.
“Justice Idigbe epitomises the gold standard of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, several of his decisions remain a major point of reference in present day cases,” the statement said.
He added that tge CJN will launch the Justice Idigbe Faculty of Law in Veritas University in Abuja on May 3 while the Justice Idigbe Symposium, to be held on May 4, will feature frontburner discussions on landmark judgments of Justice Idigbe and his impact on present-day jurisprudence.
At the commissioning of Justice Idigbe Faculty of Law in Veritas University on May 3, Justice Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Mr Cosmas Enweluzo (SAN) and C.V.C. Ihekweazu (SAN) will also be speaking.
The speakers include Minister of Works Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Prof Abiola Sanni (SAN), Prof Obiora Okafor, Maikyau and Prof Azinge.
The keynote speaker, Mr Ekong Sampson, will speak on “The Life and Legacy of Honourable Justice Idigbe – 100 years of a Gold Standard for Judges in Nigeria.”
Other events include the commissioning of Punuka Childcare Centre by the Punuka Foundation on July 30, 2023 in Lagos.
A Public Lecture/ Valedictory Court Session will hold in Asaba, Delta State, on August 11, 2023 and will feature the commissioning of Justice Idigbe NBA ICT Centre.
The following day, a thanksgiving mass and commissioning of Justice Idigbe Museum, Library and Youth Centre will be held in Asaba and the events will culminate with the commissioning of PUNUKA Attorneys and Solicitor’s new head office in Lagos on December 7, 2023.
Ms. Isioma Idigbe, Partner and Head of Media, Entertainment, Intellectual Property and technology Law, Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors added that, “These events are designed to celebrate and immortalise the contributions of late Justice Idigbe to the development of the legal profession in Nigeria, and to inspire the next generation of legal professionals.
“This is a time of celebration and reflection. Whilst we honour and edify the heritage he left us, we must reflect on whether our lives and practice of the law are in step with his values of excellence, thoroughness, knowledge, diligence and justice which were things that made him one of the greatest legal minds Nigeria has ever seen,” she said.
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