By Editor
The Ekiti State Ministry of Justice and the State High Court have held a valedictory court session in honour of the late Hon. Justice John Ojo Akinyede (Rtd.) at the State High Court premises, Ado-Ekiti.
The solemn session brought together eminent members of the Bar and the Bench, who paid glowing tributes to the late jurist for his invaluable contributions to the administration of justice in Ekiti State and the former Ondo State during the late 1980s and 1990s.
In his tribute, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Dayo Apata (SAN), described the life of late Justice Akinyede as one marked by discipline, moral courage, deep faith, and unwavering commitment to justice.
He noted that the retired judge was brilliant, diligent, and exemplary in character.
“Though we mourn, we also rejoice, for we are not here to lament a life cut short, but to honour a life well lived, fully spent, and nobly concluded,” Apata said.
He urged members of society to always contribute positively while alive so as to be remembered for good after their demise.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, the Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Hon. Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, lauded the late Justice Akinyede for his immense contributions to the development of the judiciary in the state.
He recalled his personal encounters with the late jurist while serving as a young prosecuting counsel posted to Ikole-Ekiti by the old Ondo State Ministry of Justice, noting that Justice Akinyede was then the presiding judge at the Ikole Division of the State High Court.
Justice Ogunmoye described the well-attended valedictory session as a befitting farewell to a jurist who made lasting impacts on the legal profession.
Also speaking, the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye who is Barrister at law, said although he did not personally know the deceased, he was deeply inspired by the testimonies of the Chief Judge, the Attorney General, and other speakers.
He emphasized that it is not the number of years lived that matters, but the number of lives positively touched.
Speaking on behalf of the Inner Bar, Mr. Olagoke O. Fakunle (SAN) said he first met Justice Akinyede in 1987 when His Lordship was newly introduced to the Bar as a judge at the Ondo State High Court. He described him as an outstanding jurist, mentor, and source of inspiration to many members of the legal profession.
Fakunle noted that the valedictory session was a celebration of the life, legacy, and enduring influence of Justice Akinyede, whose memory would continue to inspire generations.
He also advised the state judiciary to preserve landmark judgments delivered by jurists such as Justice Akinyede for future reference.
Late Justice John Ojo Akinyede was admitted to the English Bar at the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn, London, in 1961. Upon his return to Nigeria, he served in the Ondo State Judiciary, predominantly at the Ikole-Ekiti Judicial Division. He remained a presiding judge until the creation of Ekiti State and later retired from active service at the Ado-Ekiti High Court in 1998.
Dignitaries present at the event included the President of the Ekiti State Customary Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice M.O. Abodunde; Hon. Justice J.B.K. Aladejana; Mr. Adetunji Oso (SAN); the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ado-Ekiti Branch, Dr. Taiwo Omidoyin; and other senior members of the Bench and Bar.
