Ogun State Judiciary @ 50 - Reflections of a Bar mind
By Ridwan Tejideen Let me start by warmly congratulating the Ogun State judiciary on clocking its golden status. It is often said that when a man clocks the age of
By Ridwan Tejideen
Let me start by warmly congratulating the Ogun State judiciary on clocking its golden status. It is often said that when a man clocks the age of 50, he should, by all ramifications, be recognised as having come of age. So it is with our Judiciary.
Going down the lane of brilliant minds that have sat on its bench—minds like the late Justice Dahunsi O. Coker (who retired as a Supreme Court Judge), the late Justice O.O. Odunlami OFR (the first indigenous Chief Judge of the state), Late Justice O. Kolawole, Justice Olopade (CJN), Justice S.A. Oduwole (JCA), Late Justice Lokulo Sodipe (JCA), Justice G.A.A. Bakre OON—their purposive, robust, and penetrating decisions, planted in the Ogun State Law Reports and elsewhere, still germinate bountifully for practitioners and jurists within the state and beyond to consume.
For instance, the late Justice Odunlami was among the first set of jurists in Atobajaiye v Adeoye to stretch the fine principle enunciated in Kojo v Bonsie: that evidence of recent acts on land ownership can only come into play where the Court is unable to distinguish which of the two contending disputants’ traditional history is more probable.
It was Justice Lokulo Sodipe who had the courage, in the face of military might, to pronounce the Military Government's takeover of land outside of public purpose as illegal in Fatai Alani Matanmi v Governor of Ogun State, underscoring the unique intellectual characteristic of the State.
Over the years, and as a demonstration of its leaps and bounds, the Court’s territorial divisions have gradually expanded from just the Abeokuta Territorial Division. Within the South West region, it rivals only Oyo State in the number of higher territorial divisions, surpassing neighbouring Lagos, Ondo, and Osun states. Efforts are now visible in the bench's digitalization drive, with recording gadgets deployed in most courtrooms, showing a strong drive toward digitalization.
True, as it is often said, when a man hits 50, his immediate proper thinking is to look forward and fashion out how his future will be better than his past. Yet, it may also be prescient for him to glance at his past and take stock, perhaps to guide him on how best to navigate future endeavours. It is in that frame that it may well come in handy for the Judiciary to reminisce about where it is coming from and how far it has fared in recent times, particularly regarding the recognition of its jurists outside the Gateway State.
On Wednesday, the 25th February 2026, the CJN swore in Justice Oyewole as a Justice of the Supreme Court. It ensured that the Lagos contingent of the Apex Court rose to three. Justice Oyewole complemented Justice Adewale Abiru and the CJN as justices who had served at the Lagos High Court and were elevated to the Supreme Court.
In attributing this gesture to the fine foresight of the current President, a former Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary of the state at the time, Mr. Fola Arthur Worrey, pointed out that it was President Tinubu who presciently, as Governor of Lagos State, ensured that younger judges were appointed to the bench. He observed that Northern jurists’ dominance at the appellate court then was because they were much younger upon appointment to the lower bench, which ensured that when they got elevated, time was still on their side.
Indeed, as was well known, Justice Oyewole and Justice Abiru were among the 21 famous and bold appointments made by the State Government at the time in 2001. This ensured, and is part of the reason why Lagos State's status remained unmatched. Yet, if we want to overlook Lagos for the Mega City it is, our Oyo neighbours are not lagging. Justice Ariwoola, the immediate past Chief Justice of the Federation, is a product of the Oyo Judiciary, with at least two current serving Justices of the Court of Appeal representing the Oyo Judiciary. Ondo Judiciary similarly has two contingents at the appellate court, with Ogun State Judiciary rivalling low-budgeted Ekiti and Osun State at one each. Even at that, their date of appointment ranks higher than that of the Ogun State counterpart.
Indeed, if State representation at the appellate court in the South West is put in its proper context in the last 15 years, Ogun State would comfortably sit at the bottom. This certainly calls for deep introspection. Why has the Gateway State in recent years not lived up to its judicatory heights? Certainly, this is not for want of brilliance or influence. The Government of the state and indeed the Judiciary must question and work on why her judex are being shunned at the higher bench.
If Ogun State is doing well in its revenue drive and has a budget sum that sits 4th among the entire states of the federation, it has no reason to have such low representation of jurists at the higher level. Many brilliant legal minds have been known to have been sourced from the state. So what is happening? The solution to this poor turnout must be inward. As they say, “if a baby does not lift his hand, the mother might not be bothered about lifting him.”
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One such solution could be the fast-tracking of justice delivery in the state. Generally, it is acknowledged that the administration of justice in the country is slow. But if Ogun State is to be recognised and regarded among its peers, particularly for higher appointments, then it must figure out ways in which the dispensation of justice is accelerated. As it is said, a car in the rear that aims to catch up with other cars towards the same destination has to double its speed to actualise that. If across the country justice administration is generally seen as slow and drab, Ogun State has to stand out as the gateway to quick and effective justice delivery.
Another obvious solution would be having a Government with the will and courage that President Tinubu envisioned and actualised in 2001, by appointing younger legal minds to the Bench. The reward that Lagos State is reaping was planted by one man’s courage and action. Ogun State helmsmen hopefully will take a cue.
Finally, but not least, the welfare of its staff has to be strengthened. A motivated workforce necessarily helps in the speedy dispensation of justice, which in effect contributes to boosting the image of the State’s judex.
Thankfully, the Governor of the State stated that the Federal Government has approved the sighting of a division of the Court of Appeal in the state. The infrastructure and commencement date for sittings have to be accelerated. It is no gainsaying that having an appellate court in one’s domain certainly enhances the recognition for the appointment of our State Judges to the higher bench. Anyone who aims to fly via airplane would certainly boost their chances of doing so by stationing a functional airport in their backyard. Long live Ogun State Judiciary.
