Adesanya-Davies Hails Kwara State Governor for Hosting the Delegation of ECOWAS Court of Justice -By Nuhu Agwom

– Lauds choice of Kwara State for Court’s sensitisation programme

A frontline presidential aspirant, the only Amazon in the 2023 race on the PDP platform and the Country President of United Nations Positive Livelihood Award Centre (UN-POLAC) International Peace Advocates, Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies hails her State of origin, Kwara State, says, “Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Kwara government have done well by hosting the delegation of ECOWAS Court of Justice in the state.”

Adesanya-Davies, speaking to our correspondent, added that, “her major aim for contesting the presidential position in 2023 as a technocrat is towards the emergence of a New Nigeria on the platform of equal rights, justice, fairness, parity and equity.

This would serve to correct the menace of injustice, inequality, nepotism, tribalism, religious intolerance, lopsided appointments and corruption which has held sway and forcefully eaten deep into the fabric of our society and has engulfed the nation in the hands of the current APC-led government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

My Agenda is “The PMA Advanced Restructuring Agenda’”. The ECOWAS Court of Justice happening in this capacity at this time as such, is quite a welcome development in the state and nation.”

The ECOWAS Court of Justice is an organ of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a regional integration community of 15 member states in Western Africa. It was created pursuant to the provisions of Articles 6 and 15 of the Revised Treaty of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Her body where serves as the Country President, POLAC was established as an International autonomous institution in 2001 with the UN and UNESCO following General Assembly resolution, declaring 2001 – 2010 as a decade of peace and non-violence. POLAC’s mandate is to enhance the effectiveness of the UN millennium development goals and UNESCO Culture of Peace Programme particularly the maintenance of peace and security and the restoration of human dignity.

KWSG Declares Open ECOWAS Court Of Justice on February 22, 2022 in a report by Lekan Abdul, “Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq today declared open a week-long sensitisation mission of the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Ilorin, Kwara State. Governor AbdulRazaq explained that bringing the Court to the general public is commendable as it would enhance public awareness of its activities. He added that the court would boost the Rule of Law in the West African sub-region.

Represented by his Deputy, Mr Kayode Alabi, Governor AbdulRazaq noted that the ECOWAS Court of Justice must continue to play a significant role in cementing the legal regime for the development of the ECOWAS region through its adjudicatory mandate in settlement of disputes. This, he added, is particularly important as the concept of one market and free trade continues to gain ground across not only the subregions but also across all of the African continent.

‘There is no doubt that the justice system must be fully involved in this sociopolitical evolution. To that extent, we are building infrastructure to support trade and strengthen regional ties. An example is an international market we are building in Gbugbu, which will attract people from across Nigeria and West African subregion’ he said. Governor AbdulRazaq noted that his administration upholds the rule of law and protection of the rights of citizens. which has led to achievements in the two years of the Administration.

Governor AbdulRazaq also recognised a member of the ECOWAS delegation, Hon. Justice Dupe Atoki, as a proud daughter of the old Kwara State. He recalled that Justice Atoki was the first Nigerian woman to head an organ of the African Union, commending her for keeping the flag flying.

In his opening address, the president of the ECOWAS court of justice, Honorable Justice Edward Amoako Asante, explained that the essence of the sensitisation program is to create awareness about the court, its mandate, jurisdiction among member states of ECOWAS. Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladı observed that the judiciary is the last hope of a common man, and the 9th assembly in the state has continued to protect and strengthen it.

The Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq later hosted the delegation of ECOWAS Court of Justice to a dinner on Friday, following the full events, appreciating the Court for picking Kwara as the venue for the International engagement in the North central region, as reported by Rafiu Ajakaye, the Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor on February 26, 2022.

“The delegation of the 15-member state ECOWAS Court of Justice had arrived Ilorin on Monday for a week-long sensitisation for members of the judiciary in the state on the procedures for engaging services of the Court. From the report received (from the sensitisation), it has all been good. A lot of information has passed from your side to our side, and we now know a lot more about how to engage the court,” the Governor said at the dinner.

“As you have noticed, the economy of the state has grown tremendously. When this administration was inaugurated two and half years ago we only had one or two airlines coming into the state. Now, we have four airlines and about eight flights to and from Ilorin a day. Kwara is also the safest state in Nigeria. People are relocating here to do their businesses peacefully.

“You have also come to a state with a rich history of strong presence of members of the bench and the bar. So many of our parents ended up (as judges) in the Supreme Court and as Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs). Therefore, the legal profession is strongly rooted in Kwara State. People would not be surprised when they heard you came here because they know it is a home for the bar and bench.

“On our part, we are doing our best to support the judiciary. We also do not interfere in what they do Abdulrazaq said the administration is also implementing many programmes and infrastructural projects to improve the standing of the state and the wellbeing of its people.

The dinner was attended by the Speaker Kwara State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Yakubu Salihu Danladi; State Chief Judge Justice Durosinlohun Kawu; Acting Grand Kadi Shariah Court of Appeal Justice Abdullateef Kamaldeen; Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Salman Jawondo (SAN); Special Adviser on Legal Matters Murtala Sambo; Kwara APC Chairman Prince Sunday Fagbemi; APC Secretary Mustapha Isowo; and Chairman of NBA Ilorin branch Abdulganiyu Bello; among other dignitaries.

Vice President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice and the team lead, Rt. Hon. Justice Gberi-be Quattara, appreciated the Governor for his patriotic commitments that are transforming the state to a vibrant commercial city. “The good work that the current Governor, His Excellency AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, is doing to keep the flag flying is highly commendable,” he said.

He added, “Having said that, I want to also say that on behalf of the President (of ECOWAS Court of Justice), we are very glad that the government of kwara state has made herself available to receive us with a very enabling facility. Of course, the Court is an international court. Nigeria is just privileged to host the Court. It could have been Mali, or Burkina Faso, or any other West African countries. And for that purpose we were quick to take advantage of the location of the Court to sensitize as much as possible the citizens of Nigeria.”

Justice Quattara said the Court will replicate the same session in other geo-political zones of the Country, saying what had been held in Ilorin was for the North Central geopolitical zone.

“Usually, we carry out this mission in a state capital but as you have very well known that Nigeria is so large to have a singular region to benefit from this. So we decided to carry out this sensitisation in at least one state of the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. And for the North Central, we chose Kwara State. We are progressing gradually, having earlier held that of the South West and South East in Lagos and Enugu states,” he added.

He thanked AbdulRazaq and the State Chief Judge Durosinlohun Kawu for providing enablement for a lot of judges to attend the interactive session. He further explained, “As a specialized court as it is, many people are not aware of the statues, much less the procedures of how to access the Court and I think by now Kwarans have taken advantage of this and have been well enlightened.”

Prof. Adesanya-Davies says, welcome to Kwara State of harmony and kudos to both the Kwara state Governor, government who acted as facilitators and the delegation of ECOWAS Court of Justice for this outstanding co-operation and great outing; she prays may this endeavour of Justice mark a good beginning and be successful all the way.