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From Godwin Tsa Abuja
At a solemn ceremony, yesterday, in Abuja, the legal community paid glowing tribute to Theresa Ngolika Orji-Abadua, the presiding justice of the Benin division of the Court of Appeal who died at the age of 64.
Led at a valedictory court session by the President of the Court of Appeal, Monica Dongban-Mensem, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, the Chairman, Body of Benchers (BOB), Adegboyega Awomolo; the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN), Paul Usoro and other senior lawyers, described Orji-Abadua as a “jurist of impeachable character who had a very simple and humble nature,” whose contributions to the development of the law will continue to shape the nation’s legal jurisprudence.
Dongban-Mensem, who gave a brief history of her late colleague, said she will be deeply missed by the legal profession and her immediate family as well as staff and friends of the Court of Appeal.
In his tribute, Fagbemi described the late jurist as “a legal luminary, whose wisdom, integrity and dedication to justice have no doubt left an indelible mark on our national jurisprudence.
“As we the living continue to navigate the jurisprudential challenges ahead, we will carry forward her unique commitment, preserving her memory through our actions and the principles she so steadfastly stood for.
“Indeed, for a life as consummate and accomplished as that of the Orji-Abadua, it is impossible to chronicle all the good things we want to say about or concerning our beloved jurist in an occasion of two hours like this.
Fagbemi said throughout her professional journey, she not only achieved brilliant success, but also served as a beacon of inspiration for her aspiring legal professionals in her exceptional demonstration of the importance of integrity, diligence, and unwavering dedication to the pursuit of justice.
“Her contributions to the judiciary, at different levels of the Nigeria judicature, indeed stands as a testament to her exceptional legal prowess and unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law,” Fagbemi said.
In equal measures, both Awomolo and Usoro took their turns in pouring encomium on the late jurist as a quintessential jurist who transverse the length and breadth of the nation’s judicature without blemishes.
Other senior lawyers at the valedictory session were former attorney general of Imo State, Chukwuma-MaChukwu Ume, Emeka Ngige, and Chris Uche among others.
Born on October 15, 1959, in Onitsha, Anambra State, Orji-Abadua commenced her legal career in 1984 as National Youth Service Corps state counsel in the Ministry of Justice, Yola, Adamawa State and rose to the bench of the Court of Appeal on February 15, 2008.
She died on March 8, 2024, while in active service.
