OYO JUDICIARY COMMENCES 2025/2026 LEGAL YEAR WITH CALL FOR INTEGRITY AND GODLY JUSTICE.

The Oyo State Judiciary formally opens its 2025/2026 Legal Year with a strong call for integrity, godliness, and renewed commitment to justice. The annual celebration, held simultaneously on Monday, October 6, 2025, at the Cathedral of Saint James, Oke-Bola, and the Oyo State Judiciary Mosque, Ring Road, brings together judges, magistrates, lawyers, and staff to seek divine guidance for the new legal year.

Speaking at the thanksgiving service, the Bishop of Ibadan Anglican Diocese, Most Rev. Joseph Akinfenwa, urges judicial officers to uphold righteousness and the fear of God in all their duties. In his sermon titled “The Role of Righteousness in Justice Administration,” the Bishop emphasizes that positions of authority are temporary and should be exercised with accountability and integrity.

Quoting from 1 Kings 10:1–9, he encourages the judiciary to emulate King Solomon in seeking divine wisdom for sound judgment. “See every position in life as a passage that you will leave one day,” he says. “Maintain your integrity and fear God because we all will give account one day. Always abide in God, remain focused, and refuse to be compromised.”

The Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, represented by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Abiodun Aikomo, reaffirms his administration’s commitment to justice and fairness, noting that peace and security thrive only where justice prevails. “When justice fails, peace and security are threatened,” he says, calling on all stakeholders to work together to sustain equity and peace in the state.

In her address, the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Hon. Justice Iyabo Yerima, highlights the judiciary’s progress in digital transformation and improved service delivery. “Our courts are now digitalised; it’s not the judiciary you used to know before,” she explains. “We have introduced e-affidavit filing and created a more conducive environment for judges and staff. We hope to achieve greater progress in this new legal year.”

At the special Muslim prayer session held at the High Court Mosque, Alhaji Muhibdeen Ismail, a lecturer at the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, delivers a sermon titled “Justice in Islam: A Divine Foundation for Legal and Judicial Integrity.” He reminds judicial officers that justice is both a divine command and a moral trust. “Justice is Islam, and Islam is justice,” he says. “Those entrusted with judgment must uphold truth and fairness, as every action today becomes history tomorrow.”

The celebration concludes with a colorful judges’ march-past, which adds excitement and joy to the solemn occasion, symbolizing unity, progress, and renewed dedication to the pursuit of justice in Oyo State.