By: Vitalis Ugoh, Calabar
Cross River State governor, Sen. Prince Bassey Otu, has charged the newly appointed Justice of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Jane Inyang, JCA, to be fair to all while discharging her duties.
The governor who was represented by his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey, during the reception that followed the swearing-in said that Justice Inyang had distinguished herself over the years through her dedication to her job while on the Federal High Court Bench.
Hon. Odey extended the governor’s apologies for his inability to attend the event and disclosed that plans were underway to hold a reception in her honour soon in Calabar.
Hon. Odey, urged Justice Inyang to conduct her affairs with the fear of God, adding that “lawyers are the mirror of society and their conduct will always be observed and emulated by the society.”
Speaking earlier at the event, Justice Emmanuel Agim, JSC, admonished Justice Inyang, JCA, to be upright and just in her dealings with litigants as the promotion from God is better and more rewarding than any wealth one may acquire through subverting justice.
Justice Agim who shared several personal experiences with the audience, encouraged the newly sworn-in Justice to be hardworking and to give as many judgements as possible so that more people will read her work and speak about her.
According to him, “lawyers always talk about judges whether for good or for bad”.
The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice John Terhemba Tsoho, endorsed the character of Justice Jane Inyang, JCA, having worked with her.
He said the elevation of Justice Inyang to the Court of Appeal was a lesson to those who have the tendency of looking down on the young but assured her that he was happy to have tutored her until she had risen beyond him.
Responding, Justice Inyang, said she was overcome with emotions because of the show of love and the opportunity she had been given to serve.
She promised not to disappoint those whose faith had been placed on her.
Justice Inyang is the only Cross Riverian appointed with eight other Justices to the bench of the Court of Appeal and hails from Ikoneto in Odukpani local government area.
She had served as a Judge of the Federal High Court since 2015. Within this period, she recorded a number of remarkable and high profile convictions while serving in Bayelsa, Kano and Delta and other jurisdictions.
