Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State on Tuesday said it would be difficult for nations to attain meaningful development in the absence of law and order. The governor made the remark while inaugurating a 22-room magistrate court in Ogba area of the state. The court was named after retired Justice Samuel Ilori, a former Chief Judge of the state. Fashola said law and order remained the most important agenda any nation could pursue, pointing out that without it, nothing could be achieved.
“So it is important to pay attention to those who will have the responsibility to enforce the law and those who have the responsibility to administer laws. ” Because the greatest civilizations have been those founded and nurtured on the basis of law and order,” he said. The governor said the delivery of the court was a demonstration of the government’s commitment to deepen the rule of law and widen access to justice.According to him, Nigeria will be a better place if things are always done in accordance with the rule of law. “Law and order remains the most single important agenda that I think any nation can really pursue. “A nation that pursues law and order will achieve everything. And no matter the buildings we build, the roads, if we choose to live outside of the law, our society will not progress.
He expressed the belief that the new court would not only help to enhance justice dispensation, but would also maintain order through conflict resolution.
The governor said his administration had built some new courts across the state to enhance justice delivery and a number of others were at different stages of completion. Fashola praised the state’s judiciary for its role in promoting development, saying the strides of his administration could not be divorced from the great work of that arm of government. He urged the judiciary to continue to justify the confidence reposed in it through efficient service delivery and promotion of democracy.
“I want to express my gratitude to the state’s Chief Judge, the judges of the Lagos High Court and the entire officers and men and women of the state’s judiciary for the support given to my administration. ” Our time is winding down, but the challenge of running Lagos continues and I can only appeal to you to give the same massive support to the next administration, “he said. On the naming of the court after Ilori, Fashola said the gesture was in recognition of his contributions to the state’s judiciary.
He said similar courts had been named after illustrious legal practitioners in the state to inspire others to contribute to the state’s development. The governor said the task of promoting the state’s development rested on the shoulders of everyone and urged all residents to contribute their quota to it. Earlier, Mr Ade Ipaye ,Commissioner for Justice, said that the new courthouse would promote law and order like similar ones built in Epe, Ikeja, Ikorodu and Lagos Island.
He said all the courts were fitted with the right equipment and facilities to ease delivery of justice. In her speech, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade, Chief Judge of the State, thanked Fashola for his massive investment in the judiciary. She said that his interventions had helped to strengthen the arm of government. Atilade said the provision of the latest court and the others already provided would help boost access to justice.
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