…As Justice Tobe Charges Judicial Officers To Promote Justice
The Permanent Secretary, Delta State Ministry of Environment and the Coordinator of Oseji Foundation for Transparency and Community Development, Dr. (Mrs.) Minnie Oseji has described the demise of the founder of the foundation and her husband Hon. Justice Samuel Oseji (JSC) as a sojourn to the heavenly kingdom.
Oseji made this known in her welcome address on the occasion of the public lecture in honour of Hon. Justice Samuel Oseji (JSC) on Friday, June 2, 2022 in Asaba, Delta State.
She said as a family they have come to terms that late Oseji has move to a heavenly mansion in the heavenly kingdom.
According to her it was the second annual lecture in honour of her husband which would have been his 69th birthday, if he had not departed.
While advising families to fear and keep God’s commandments, she described her life with Honourable Justice Oseji as a fairy tale.
According to her, “God honoured our faith in Him by giving us the grace to surmount a myriad of challenges that have destroyed many other homes”.
She said the first Annual Public Lecture would have been held on 2nd June 2022 but we moved it to 28th September 2022 to coincide with the first memorial event, as advised by the committee of friends of their Patriarch. The family however, prefers to celebrate his birth rather than his departure hence they have chosen his birthday for the subsequent Annual Public Lectures.
IWhile speaking on the guest speaker, Hon. Justice Ebiowei Tobi, she said, he is not only a seasoned Jurist, but a family friend, Christian brother who provided succour to the Oseji family during our challenging times and an illustrious son of the legendary Honourable Justice Niki Tobi (JSC).
According to her, the title of the lecture: “Judicial Role and Responsibility – A Divine Mandate” is apt for the times we are living in presently. We have no doubt he will do justice to the topic.
Expressing gratitude to God for what he has used The Oseji Foundation for Transparency and Community Development to accomplish in the last 10 years, the Coordinator said their latest activity was to provide support for an Essay Competition on Raising Nigerian Youths With A Vision organised by Public Health Impact Research Centre in collaboration with Delta State Law Students Association of Nigeria.
She added that the Foundation in the year, intends to distribute to all Universities with Law Faculties the book titled “A dove on the Bench” which was a compilation of selected judgements of Justice Oseji, compiled in his honour by the Learned Silk Chike Onyemenam (SAN) and his indefatigable team.
Highlighting other events to mark the 69th Birthday of the Patriarch, Hon. Justice Samuel Oseji, she said would include presentation of prizes to best performing pupils and students in Idumuje-Unor, donation of Biology Laboratory equipment to Idumuje-Unor Mixed Secondary School; free Health Insurance for 20 indigenes of Idumuje-Unor and a night vigil on June 2nd and 3rd, 2023.
While speaking on the topic, “judicial role and responsibility – a divine mandate”, Hon. Justice Ebiowei Tobi (JCA) said judgement was incomplete without justice, adding that, that was what the late Justice stood for and was known for.
Justice Tobe described him as a man of God, who understood that adjudication was more than a career; that after his time on earth, he will stand before God, the judge of all judges, a man of transparency who understood divine mandate, hence the need for the topic.
He charged judicial officers to be conscious of the fact that their role and responsibility were not from man but from God.
He advised them to always promote justice when interpreting the law, as no law was written for the sake of injustice.
On his part, the Chairman of the occasion, Hon. Justice Jonah Adah (PJCA), represented by Justice Abimbola O. Obaseki- Adejumo (JCA), described Late Oseji as a righteous, upright, disciplined judge and Mr. Fix-it who was good at his career.
While commending the founder’s initiative of putting up a foundation as such, said the legacies would live after Oseji was gone.
The Chairman commended Dr. Mrs Oseji for finding it in her heart, to actually fulfill the covenant, keeping covenant with her loved one, and prayed God to always uphold her.
Goodwill messages were presented by the Obi of Idumuje – unor, His Royal Majesty Obi Charles Chukwunwike Anyasi III, JP; Chief Justice of the state, Hon. Justice Tessy Diai, represented by Honourable Justice Godwin Briki-Okolosi, Chief Abel Oseji among others.
A highpoint of the event was the exhortation by Pastor Anyasi Enuemenem.
