Atiku, Oyedepo, Others Eulogise Oguntade At Book Launch

Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the Presiding Bishop of the Living Faith World Outreach a.k.a Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, were among dignitaries that praised the forthrightness of the retired Supreme Court Judge, Justice George Oguntade, at a book launch in Lagos on Friday.

At the presentation of the book titled ‘The Force of Justice‘, a review of leading and dissenting judgments of Justice Oguntade during his career on the Bench, Atiku described the retired Supreme Court Justice as ”a courageous jurist and a pacesetter, who never compromised honesty and integrity.”

The former vice president said, ”It is difficult to highlight honesty and integrity in an epoch when cowards are kings; it is difficult to promote courage when charlatans bestride the land in their borrowed robes.

”It is difficult to see the value of borrowed pride in a period when lying has become pastime of some people in power; it is very hard to understand why honesty can be the best policy. In an era when many people believe that justice can be bought and sold, it is perplexing that people would gather in Lagos, of all places, to celebrate a man who could not be bought.”

In his remarks, Bishop Oyedepo said the judiciary had a great role to play in moving the nation forward, adding that the future of the nation was largely dependent on the quality of the judiciary.

He expressed the hope that the coming elections will succeed and make the votes of the people count, warning however, that until that was done, there would be no hope for democracy.

Also among the dignitaries was the former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, who stirred the hornets‘ nest when he said during his remark that Atiku ”initiated most cases at the Supreme Court.”

On this, Atiku said he went to the courts because Babangida disqualified him ”not once, not twice and eventually banned me from contesting election during his transition to democracy.”

While thanking everybody for attending the book launch, Justice Oguntade stressed the need to entrench rule of law in the country, saying without it, there would be no progress.

He observed that presently some influential people were getting away with so many things because of their status in the society, warning that there would be no progress until there was equality before the law.

Other dignitaries at the occasion included the former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha; Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu; Ewi of Ado, Oba Rufus Adejugbe Aladesanmi III; President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN; Solicitor-General of Lagos State, Mr Lawal Pedro, SAN, who represented Governor Babatunde Fashola; former NBA President, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN; Editor-in-Chief of the book, Mr. Dele Adesina, SAN, and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Marvel Akpoyibo.
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