Opinion
Onnoghen And The Joy Of Positive History
By Isaiah Osifo
If it were possible for a man to live forever, the lessons of history would have been irrelevant by the pre-occupation of man with the continuous events of the moment. It is not possible for anybody to live forever.
The event of today will become the history of tomorrow. The conviction of Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen, the removed Chief Justice of Nigeria, (CJN) by the Nigeria Code of Conduct Tribunal, (CCT) on Thursday, 18th April 2019 will become the history of tomorrow.
In any society, great minds are conscious of the lessons of history and they strive in their conducts to be on the positive side of history. Small minds are driven by hedonism, seeking political power for personal pleasure, consumed in momentary merriment and careless about his place in history.
Justice Walter Onnoghen will be discussed in Jurisprudence, and he will be discussed in Democracy. His place in history will be positive. He will have the joy of a positive history until we are taught, know and accept that there are-:
1. A provision in the constitution and laws of Nigeria that authorises an elected president to suspend the Chief Justice of Nigeria,(CJN).
2. A provision of the constitution and laws of Nigeria that permit the CCT to issue an order for the suspension of the CJN.
3. A provision of the laws, constitution or precedent that allows the assumption of office by an acting CJN or a Chief Judge of a state when the removal from office of the substantive officeholder is not in compliance with the known laws or procedure.
Those that persecuted Chief Obafemi Awolowo without recourse to the laws and constitution of Nigeria ended up in disgrace. Awolowo will always be on the positive history of Nigeria.
MKO Abiola was persecuted, and his election as the president of Nigeria was annulled in obedience to a criminal court order. The lessons of history validated his presidential election and his name printed on the positive side of history.
Every reasonable Nigerian can see through the persecution of Justice Walter Onnoghen, and it is only those that are excited with the political power and merry of the moment that will not realise the joy of Justice Onnoghen because his name is already on the positive side of history in Nigeria.
Dr. Isaiah Osifo, University Teacher/Farmer served as chief of staff to Prof. Osehreinmen Osunbor as governor of Edo State between 2007 and 2008
And For More Nigerian News Visit GWG.NG
