INTRODUCTION
It is with great delight, privilege and rare pleasure for me to address your Lordships on behalf of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) at this auspicious, esteemed and special Court Session to send forth Honourable Justice Paul Idi Apollos from the Bench of the High Court of GombeState.
It is probably paradoxical that this may be the first time I am addressing your Lordships and last time for my lord Honourable justice Paul Idi Apollos as he honourably bows out of the Bench. I recall that in my entire practice, I appeared in my State High Court some years ago before the Honourable Justice Hamma Barka (as he then was) now Justice of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria as Counsel for a Claimant.
PREAMBLE:
This Special Court Session is an epochal event as it is coming at a time that Gombe State, being second to the last in the Federation has its own indigenous two Senior Advocates of Nigeria with me having the singular privilege of being the first and in which capacity I address you.
We are both mindful that our role as members of the Inner Bar is to also encourage, mentor, advice and support our younger colleagues to also attain the level of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria for as many as are willing and working towards it.
My lords, before I say just two things about my lord Honourable Justice Paul Idi Apollo in particular, let me also cease this opportunity to congratulate you on your seamless appointment as the Chief Judge of Gombe State.
We wish you on behalf of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria a successful tenure with expected innovations that will enhance the administration of justice in Gombe State and Nigeria.
ON THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY IN NIGERIA.
It is our humble view that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended and particularly Section 81(1), (2), (3) and (4) sufficiently provides for allocation of funds from the consolidated Revenue fund to the Independent National Electoral Commission, National Assembly and THE JUDICIARY.
It is further our opinion that the Executive order 10 which was fought and declared illegal was unnecessary in view of the above provisions of the constitution.
The uniform Retirement age Bill awaiting the President’s assent only seeks to bring the retirement age of High Court Judges to be at par with that of the Justices of the two appellate Courts namely the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
It is our humble submission that the infrastructure, funding and other allowances of judicial officers has remained static. My lords of what use is serving as a Judicial Officer for up to 70 years, if you will end up on crutches and be a liability to yourself and family?
HIS PERSONALITY AND CHARACTER.
Before I elucidate on my “thank you” and congratulations, I would like to say from a personal point of view that I have known my lord Honourable Justice Paul Idi Apollos for over Five (5) decades.
He is an ardent, God fearing personality, calm in spirit and disposition, a good listener endowed with God-given Capacity to work and succeed even under extremely difficult or pressured situations. A respected family, community and Christian leader and a brilliant, hardworking jurist of impeccable character and candor. I salute your courage, perseverance, resilience, sagacity and patience.
GRATITUDE.
I have found it necessary to register publicly, my gratitude to my Lord, Hon. Justice Paul Idi Apollos for the brotherly and fatherly encouragement he accorded and counseled me in my study of law thereby getting to where I am today.
My Lord will recall that when I arrived Kongo Campus of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria in October, 1980 I was late by some weeks when the Faculty’s critical orientation had been concluded.
As classes/lectures began I found it very difficult understanding citation such as Nigeria Law Report (NLR), Queens Bench (QB), Kings Bench (KB), West Africa Court of Appeal (WACA) etc and several Latin Maxims. I felt I was in the wrong Faculty and I thought to myself, after all, my family never wanted me to read law.
I laid my complain to my Lord Hon. Justice Paul Idi Apollos with a view to leaving the Law Faculty in search of more straightforward Courses. My Lord, you recall that you smiled, sat me down and advised me on how to overcome the Latin maxims and citation “palaver”after which I was able to proceed. Above that God Almighty helped me to journey to where I stand today.
My Lord, I thank you again and again for that meant a lot to me. I hope that young people especially my colleagues will be deliberate in their mentorship relationship and avoid taking either unilateral or irrational decisions that may affect their future adversely.
CONGRATULATIONS AND BOWING OUT
To Honourable Justice Paul Idi Apollos I salute you by saying thank you and congratulations for attaining the age of 65yrs on Monday the 15th May 2023 & today bowing out of your career as a judge without blemish and in relatively good health. May I say that whether you enjoyed the Bench or not, this is the time to bow out by God’s divine providence.
And talking about time Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 says:
1. To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5. A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embrace;
6. A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7. A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8. A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.” (KJV).
May I add “A time to seat as a judge, and a time to bow out”.
CONCLUSION
Finally my Lord, may I once again heartily congratulate you for a fruitful fulfilled career and pray for good health and continuous blessings as you bow out.
The prayer of Moses in Numbers 6:24-26 in apt to wit:-“24. The Lord bless thee, and keep thee;
25. the Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious to thee;
26. the Lord lift up His countenance upon thee and give thee peace”. (KJV).
We wish my lord and family well in all future endeavors.
