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There was a lull in the Ekiti State Judiciary headquarters in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday following the death of the state Chief Judge, Justice Oyewole Adeyeye.
Adeyeye, who was inaugurated as the Ekiti State Chief Judge on October 11, 2021, passed away on Monday at the age of 64.
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, also expressed condolences on Adeyeye’s demise.
Oyebanji, in a statement on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, described Adeyeye’s death as “heartrending and a colossal loss for the state.”
The governor said, “With the death of the late Justice Adeyeye, the Judiciary in Ekiti State, in particular, and Nigeria in general, has lost a great pillar and an asset whose worth is invaluable.”
Oyebanji described the late Chief Judge as a firm and forthright jurist who demonstrated an unwavering dedication to the principles of equity and justice.
He noted that Adeyeye worked hard for a vibrant and independent Judiciary in his lifetime, which allowed that arm of government to contribute to good governance and the defence of the rights of citizens.
The governor added that the late Justice Adeyeye did his best in advocating better welfare for judicial officers and staff members of the Ekiti State Judiciary to ensure effective service delivery and the smooth running of the justice sector.
He stated, “This is indeed a great loss to our dear state. On behalf of the government and people of Ekiti State, I commiserate with the family of the late Hon. Justice Adeyeye and pray that the good Lord will console and comfort them, and grant the dear departed eternal rest.”
The Chief Registrar of the Ekiti State Judiciary, Olanike Adegoke, described the late Chief Judge as “a respected jurist who dedicated his life to upholding the principles of fairness, equity, and justice.”
Adegoke, in a statement on Tuesday by the Public Relations Officer of the state Judiciary, Michael Oba, stated that the late Chief Judge’s “contribution to the development of the Judiciary and Ekiti State at large is immeasurable, and his legacy will be deeply missed.”
Also, the immediate past Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Ekiti State, Olawale Fapohunda SAN, expressed sadness over the Chief Judge’s “untimely death.”
Fapohunda said the Chief Judge’s death “is one of life’s cruel ironies that only a short while ago, we were celebrating his recovery from the injuries he sustained when a section of the state high court complex collapsed on him in his office in mid-2023. Now, shortly thereafter, we are mourning his passing.
“It seems inexplicable, but to the faithful, we are left to remember the profundity of the opening eight verses of chapter three of Ecclesiastes and accept the providence of a sovereign God.
“Those of us who knew Justice Adeyeye will remember his quiet dignity, his temperate disposition, and his humility in wearing the privilege and power of high judicial office without ever succumbing to pomposity or arrogance.
“May God bless John Oyewole Adeyeye, and may God bless Ekiti State, which he served so well,” Fapohunda said.
The late Chief Judge, who was born in 1960 in Araromi Ugbesi, Ekiti East Local Government Area, started his legal career after being called to the Nigerian Bar in 1986.
He escaped death by the whisker in July 2023 when a section of the state high court complex reportedly collapsed on him while he was in the office.
Adeyeye, who was flown overseas for medical attention, had since returned to his desk before his death on Monday, which the Chief Registrar said occurred during “a brief illness.”
