The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has pledged the sum of N25 million to the Justice Esohe Ikponmwen Scholarship Programme to train female lawyers in the state.
The governor stated this at the 1st Public Lecture of the Faculty of Law, Benson Idahosa University, held at the institution in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
The Lecture entitled “The Art and Essentials of Judgement Writing: A Critical Appraisal of the Judgement of Pontius Pilate” was delivered by the Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Esohe Ikponmwen.
Obaseki said the Board of Trustees of Ikponmwen Foundation would come up with modalities on how the female beneficiaries would emerge as well as the higher institutions they would attend.
He said Justice Ikponmwen has stood out as a prolific judicial officer and her tenure as the Chief Judge of the State has helped to strengthen the judiciary in the state.
“We appreciate the strides you have made and the aura you have brought to the state judiciary system,” he said.
The governor noted that his administration places a high premium on the state’s judicial system, revealing that the state’s 2019 budget for the judiciary would include packages to improve the welfare of judge.
“We are working to complete the new High Court Complex and will refurbish our magistrate courts. The 2019 budget will make provision for the building of befitting accommodation for retired and serving judges, review of health insurance packages for judges, among others,” the governor said.
Delivering the lecture, Justice Ikponmwen said the record and trial in the case of Jesus Christ demonstrated apparent perversity and gross injustice from a case actuated by malice and bad blood.
“It was a desperate situation which was a travesty of justice, which needed to be overturned and of course this was done after Jesus Christ cried to His Father from the cross of calvary,” she said.
