The President of Ekiti State Customary Court of Appeal emphasised the significance of grassroot justice dispensation, calling on Ekiti communities to expedite action on building or renovation of their Customary Courts.
Speaking at the commissioning of the Imesi Ekiti Customary Court, President of the Ekiti State Customary Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Monisola Oluwatoyin Abodunde, stressed that the Customary Court remains essential to justice because of its proximity to the citizens.
Justice Abodunde listed cases handled by Customary Courts to include; “succession and inheritance under customary law, land and boundary disputes, rent, dissolution of customary marriages and related matrimonial issues, debt recovery, customary tenancy agreements and disputes, defamation and other personal actions within customary law, child custody and maintenance of children, criminal offences created by Local Government bye-laws, such as sanitation, environmental, and market-related infractions.”
My Lord consequently stated that, “It is therefore vital that the structures housing such courts are conducive and dignifying.”
Justice Abodunde expressed gratitude to Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dayo Apata, SAN, for their unwavering support in strengthening the Customary Court system which continues to serve as the closest avenue of justice delivery to our people at the grassroots.
Earlier, the Onimesi of Imesi Ekiti, Oba Festus Olatunji Olatunde, thanked Justice Abodunde for considering Imesi worthy for hosting the Customary Court.
The Monarch also praised the Ekiti State Government for the giant strides it has taken in revitalizing the traditional justice especially through the activation of palace courts.
According to Oba Olatunde; “The cumulative effect of this multi-level adjudication/structure is expected to decongest the higher courts and expedite the administration of justice across the state. Once these frameworks are fully in place and harmonized, the dangerous trend of resorting to self-help or jungle justice with all its attendant social and human costs will be greatly diminished, if not entirely eradicated.”
Kabiesi went further to state as following while praising one of their sons,“Permit me as well to place on record our sincere appreciation to one of our finest legal minds, Justice Lawrence Ojo, whose meticulous attention to detail and unwavering insistence on quality gave us what we proudly unveil today as one of the most beautiful and functional customary court facilities in Ekiti State.”
He concluded with this assurance: “Finally, let me assure Your Lordship and all relevant authorities that this Customary Court will receive the fullest cooperation and support from the Palace Grounds, which serve as its immediate neighbours. We consider this institution a symbol of justice, order, and peace and we are committed to its success.”
On his part, Chairman of Imesi Progressive Union, ably represented by Chief Dele Falana, expressed joy in the commissioning of the Customary court, while also appealing to sons and daughters of the town to cooperate with the management and the king in order to make their job easy.
