The Senate has ordered the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mariam Aloma-Mukhtar to immediately swear in an Appeal Court Judge, Justice Ifeoma Jombo-Ofo, whom she declined to swear in with the rest of her colleagues on Monday.
Justice Jombo-Ofo, who was appointed a High Court judge on November 4, 1998 following her call to Bar in 1979, was on the initial list of the 12 released by the apex court for the swearing ceremony, but a controversial petition protesting against her taking Abia State's slot caused the jurist's name to be struck out. According to the petition, Jombo-Ofo did not disclose the truth of her state of origin. She is originally from Anambra, but subsequently transferred her service to her husband's state (Abia) upon marriage.
Leading the debate on the motion, Deputy Senate president Ike Ekweremadu said it was unfortunate that an issue as trivial as state of origin should be used to deny a competent career woman of her elevation in her chosen career.
Senator Uche Chukwumerije in his reaction said it is an ironic twist that this form of discrimination was happening under the captainship of a woman as the CJN.
"It is to me an ironic twist, that under the captainship of a female CJN, this is happening, the cause of women is suffering this fate."
Senate President David Mark in his ruling said this action should not be encouraged.
"The sanctity of marriage will be destroyed by this act if we allow it to go. I believe that we want to encourage professional women to maintain their profession and keep their marriages.
It is very unfortunate because they have all gone through the whole process of promotion, there is nothing left again, the swearing in is just a mere ceremony. And if this issue was not raised before until the point of swearing in, whether it intends to appease those who have petitioned, or whether it was done because she is not from her husband's state of origin is immaterial. I think she ought to have been sworn in.
I think the CJN is simply crying louder than the bereaved, because Abia state is not complaining. They submitted her name and the Governor was even there. So why should anyone accuse her of taking up Abia's slot?"
Last Wednesday during the valedictory court session for Justice Olufunlola Adekeye on her retirement from the Supreme Court, Justice Adekeye had begged the CJN, Chief Judges, Judicial Service Commission and National Judicial Council to review the policy that married women cannot reach the apogee of their careers in their husbands' states of origin.
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I guess that Nigeria unity might have a chance of survival. David Mark, is the architect of "state of origin" policy through the Abandoned Property Agency of Gowon regime. Now "Major David Mark" is a champion against the use of "State of origin" as a yardstick for major decisions in Nigeria affairs. God is great.
I am ashamed to belong with a people who are deciding that a woman is not entitled to claim her husband's home state as her state of origin. Yet, as Christians we claim that a man and a woman legally and lawfully married are now one in God.
This is symptomatic of a failed state like Nigeria and Abia State in particular. We were here when Daisy Danjuma and several other women left their husband's home states and went to their parents' home states to contest elections as their own state of origin. This is insane. It should stop.
If Justice Jombo-Ojo is qualified to be a judge of the Court of Appeal, she should be sworn in without further delay.
For the first time in my reckoning, the docile reactive Nigerian Senate has made a wise resolution.
My reaction to decision reached by all political and citizen persuation in this unfortunate abaration is, to use the modest expression , Excellent . I hope this collective spirit can become a regular vehicle to help our sick regime find ways back to political reality. It is important to reconize that while our women have played significant and recovery role from the Aba riot against British Government imposition of unfair tax on menfolk, we probaly have different breed of them in todays political dispensation . It is hard to think that many of Nigerian women have same character quality comparable to those selfless cream that stood side by side with the menfolk during the colonial days . A walk to our Tin Can Island Customs and Excise Port at Apapa will tell you that in case u're unaware of the extent we have culturally become consumed by corrupt culture. This explain why family background can be part of criteria for recuitment and probity . I will Vote for female leadership in selecting Nigeria's leader anyday, we're safer and the nation can move forward if we have one like Madam Ngozi-Okonji and the current Supreme court Judge that is bowing out from that institution . I'll love to read her should she opt to write on her experience as Supreme Court Judge of Nigeria
I do not come from Nigeria but please permit me to ask. "If the Nigerian head of state is accepted by all Nigerians as their leader irrespective of his/her state of origin, what is wrong in appointing a woman who qualifies as Appeal Court Judge in a state that is not her state of origin?" Until recently the Gambian Chief Justice was a nigerian, but Gambia was not his state of origin.
This mess which Muktar is raising simply indicates that it is time to constitutionally address the State of Origin issue once and for all. Given the complexity caused by marriage, actual places of origin, and places of residence, there should be enough flexibility in the constitution to account for all these without jeopardizing the rights of anyone.
David Mark is a lawyer and there are several constitutional lawyers both the Senate and the House. This should not be a hard task to accomplish.
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