Anglican Communion News Service - Digest News

By communications staff of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion

Rev Majekodunmi has said that justice belongs to God and judges should not be afraid of any man but act in any given situation and decide cases as God would do were he to be sitting.

The Rev Olusegun Majekodunmi of the Cathedral Church of Advent diocese of Abuja, Anglican Communion, said this in his message at the service marking the beginning of the 2010/2011 legal year of the federal capital territory (FCT) judiciary at the national Christian centre Abuja.

He said judges are deliverers, mediators and providers of right and peace as God’s representatives in the secular world and would give account of their stewardship when Jesus mounts the throne of judgment.

The preacher who took his text from the gospel according to saint Luke chapter 18 verse 2-8 said majority of our people are crying for justice because they are being ridiculed, abused, harassed, persecuted, ignored, injured and are being discriminated against.

Rev Majekodunmi commended the performance of the judiciary but said that because of the exigencies of the time, the judiciary cannot afford to relent in their noble effort because according to him, they remain the last hope of the common man.

He referred and applauded many landmark judgments especially in the election tribunal cases that have been decided which he described as high profile cases and urged the judiciary to listen to the cries of the low profile cases too especially in the plight of the common man in the issue of awaiting trial inmates because as he said justice delayed is justice denied.

He said according to reports, a lot of many young able bodied Nigerians have flooded our prisons even though they are innocent of the purported offences committed while thousands are in the custody over bailable offences.

He said that of the two hundred and twenty eight prisons built across the country, a disturbing percentage of awaiting trial Inmates are crying for justice adding that any society that exploits the poor, the defenseless, or hates the truth is bent on destroying itself.

Rev Majekodunmi said it will be appreciated if Christian judges and lawyers can rise up to the challenge of granting justice to the poor like that of the defenseless widow in the bible who persistently cried for justice and got it.

Talking about the forthcoming 2011 general elections, the cleric urged the executives, the legislature and the judiciary to allow the votes to count and grant speedy disposal of electoral cases noting that up till now cases of electoral fraud committed in 2007 are still very much in our courts.

He opined that if the unjust judge in the bible could realize that it is important to give justice to the oppressed, then the Christian gentle men on the bench and at the bar, should appreciate it better adding that they must do it right.

He quoted profusely from the scriptures and pointed to landmark cases in bible, examples of Gideon, Deborah, Othniel and others who allowed justice to roll like rivers and righteousness like a never failing stream. Quoting Amos chapter 5 verse 22-24.

He said God will not regard fellowship offerings nor listen to the music from people’s hearts except when people, placed in a high pedestal positions of authority would create a Nigeria where fairness, justice and peace shall reign.

High points of the service include worship songs of praise, bible reading, taken by Honorable Justices S.E Aladetoyinbo and Justice Balami Wanda. Prayers of thanksgiving for the nation and the judiciary with prophetic declarations was given by the Revd Canon Foluso Taiwo of the Cathedral church of the Advent life camp Abuja who conducted the service.

Christian judges and lawyers trooped to the ultra modern national Christian center as early as eight in the morning dressed elegantly in their regalia wig and gown of different shapes and sizes with their families and well wishers.

Their Moslem counterpart had earlier held a similar service at the national mosque in a Jumat service on Friday 15 October.

ENDS