By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko
The Supervising Bishop of Ibadan Anglican Diocese, Rt. Rev. Titus Olayinka, has urged judges and lawyers in Oyo State to make their legal profession a blessing to society.
Olayinka, also the Lord Bishop of Ogbomosho Diocese, gave the charge at the service marking the opening of the Oyo State 2026/2027 Legal Year.
The service was held on Monday at the Cathedral of St. James the Great, Oke-Bola, Ibadan.
The cleric, who spoke on the theme “Let your legal profession be a blessing to society”, took his text from Matthew 5:16.
He urged lawyers, judges and the entire judiciary to let the light of God shine in and through them.
“When the light of God shines in and through you, you will become a blessing to society,” he said.
Olayinka described the legal profession as a global calling and position of great trust that must positively impact society.
He said their lives were expected to bring justice, light and peace to society and outshine every darkness in the nation.
“Protect lives and resolve justice peacefully; let your legal knowledge serve justice, not injustice,” he said.
He described anyone who knows what is right but changes it as an agent of destruction.
Olayinka enjoined the judiciary to emulate Job in the Bible and make integrity the foundation of their practice.
According to him, integrity gives the profession credibility, adding that their names should also be associated with truth and fairness.
“Our judiciary must not become a toothless dog and must not be compromised,” he said.
The bishop queried the continued delay of cases in courts and the overpopulation of inmates in correctional centres.
Also, the Chief Judge (CJ) of Oyo State, Justice Iyabo Yerima, thanked God for the success recorded in the judiciary since she resumed office.
She appreciated the other judges for their cooperation and Gov. Seyi Makinde for supporting the judiciary.
She said the support, especially on infrastructure, had given all courts in the state a new look.
Yerima said that with more judges, justice has been dispensed more quickly, reducing the number of piled-up cases.
The CJ said the Oyo State Multi-Door Courthouse was also helping with mediation to prevent prolonged cases.
She advised lawyers to be more efficient and stop asking for unnecessary adjournments.
“When you come to court, and you are ready with your case, the judges are also ready,” she said.
In his remarks, the Deputy Chancellor of the Ibadan Anglican Diocese, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, said the tradition of opening the legal year with prayers remained sacrosanct.
Ayorinde, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who said he had attended the service for 40 years, called for the independence of the judiciary despite government support.
“They will get the support, but the support must be limited so that they don’t lose their independence,” he said.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ibadan Branch, Mr Adekola Kareem, and other executives were not present.
The association had earlier announced a boycott of all activities for the legal year, citing the exclusion of the chairman’s address from the event’s programme.
The branch, however, held its legal year celebration at the Bar Centre, Ibadan.
NAN
