Oba Of Benin Tasks Govs On Autonomy Of Judiciary

Oba of Benin, HRM Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II on Thursday called on governors of the 36 states of the federation through Nigeria’s Governors Forum to ensure autonomy for the judiciary in line with the constitution.

The royal father stated this when the outgoing chief judge of Edo State, Hon Justice Esther Edigin led top members of the bench alongside her husband to formally inform the Oba of her disengagement from service.

The Oba said that no society would be corruption-free in the absence of financial freedom for the judicial arm of government.

He said: “For equity and true justice to prevail in the country, the judiciary should not be intimidated or subjected to all kinds of ill-treatment before approving fund for its operation, because the country cannot move forward without full financial autonomy for the judicial arm of government.”

Earlier, Justice Edigin had informed the monarch of her official disengagement from active service, attributing her success in office to the prayers of the Oba.

She hailed the Oba’s fatherly roles in repositioning the Benin kingdom.