Justice Kayode Eso: An Appreciation

[Robot]

Justice Kayode Eso: An Appreciation ByReuben Abati Onmy way to Ibadan for this event in honour of the Honourable Justice Mr Samuel Kayode Eso, retired justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Commander of the Order of the Niger, a Nigerian icon, distinguished jurist, man, legend and a colossus, a good friend had advised me rather prosaically that a dinner speech is meant to be like a lady’s skirt, short enough to be elegant, and long enough to cover all the essential aspects. I have given that advice some thought so I do not end up like that proverbial Professor who was invited to give a speech, and not minding the demands of etiquette and decorum decided to deliver a long lecture in which he was so absorbed that he did not notice when his audience melted away one by one. By the time he looked up from the lectern, there was only one man left in the hall - it was the janitor who...Read the full article.

[Willy]

Need a warning signal that ours is a aggressive society that thrives only on extremes with scant regards for moderation?

Read a Nigerian journalist label dissenting opinion as "tiny, insignificant minority."

Fast forward to the main article and the first paragraph tells you that the subject is a legend, colossus, icon, etc....

Our police, politicians, bankers, teachers, journalists, you, and me are all products of our society, and we are little deserving of a different one

[tonsoyo]

Thank you Abati. Justice Kayode Eso is no doubt one of the best legal minds and Jurists ever produced by Nigeria. He has been as consistent as ever. Great man indeed.

BTW he is also very correct about Ijesha people they are stubbornly and arrogantly truthful.

[ajimoh]

Some things are difficult to equal, talk less of surpassing; nothing can be too much in eulogising the great qualities of this venerable, gifted, legend, bestowed to Nigeria. As the Yoruba would say, “Ẹni tí ó so ìlẹ̀kẹ̀-ẹ́ parí eṣọ́; ẹni tó fúnni lọ́mọ-ọ́ parí oore”, (certain gestures cannot be surpassed). The excellence personified by Justice Eso is a rarity to be aspired to and admired.

The delivery of this deserved encomium will be equally hard to surpass; thank you Reuben Abati.

[emenanjo]

Apart from his legal achievements, his ability to remain firm and maintain a personality, comportment, honesty, principles and conscience in an overly corrupt society with a 'jagara-jagara' judiciary stands him out. If only 50% of Nigerians would follow such footsteps, the country should have been a better place. The man, like my own father, is living a carefully chosen simple philosophy of life.

[FoxCatcher]

Justice Kayode Eso is an embodiment of all that is positive in our Judicial system. His judicial opinions and pronouncements have always been well reasoned and form a benchmark of justice delivery in our national legal history.

The fact that this remarkable career spanned a period of military adventurism and oppression highlights the courage and passion of this man in opting to stand on the side of justice over oppression and rule of law over rule of force in his over 30 years on the Nigerian Bench.

His stint at the Supreme Court with the likes of Justice Oputa, Aniagolu, Karybi-White et al remains a bright light in the gathering gloom of our legal/political development/retrogression as a nation.

I salute his continued sagacity, courage and principled integrity. 19 years after departing the hallowed halls of the Judiciary, he continues to show that though retired, he is definitely not tired.

May God grant you many more years to continue inspiring your admirers and confounding your critics.

Ciao