SENIOR Advocate of Nigeria, Yusuf Alli, has declared that the N110 billion budget for the National Judicial Commission is not enough, saying the Judiciary in Nigeria needs to be well funded.
Ali stated this on Saturday in Ibadan during a thanksgiving and prayer session to mark the retirement of Prof. Rasid Aderinoye from the University of Ibadan, organised by his children.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Aderinoye retired from the Department of Adult Education, University of Ibadan.
The senior advocate said that the judiciary must be well funded for it to be fair and independent and able to cater for its personnel and capital projects.
“Our court rooms are not as modern as they ought to be and with this pandemic, there is need for the Judiciary to invest massively in ICT so that it can leverage on the outcome of the pandemic.
“I believe quietly that the Judiciary will require more money than what it has been allocated in the budget,” Ali said.
While commenting on the retired professor, he described Aderinoye as an inspirator and disciplinarian whom everyone looked up to.
Also speaking, Prof. Ojokheta Kester, Head of Department, Adult Education, University of Ibadan, said Aderinoye played a tremendous role in his life while in service.
Kester called on Aderinoye’s children to think of what they could do to immortalise their father in the Department of Adult Education.
In his remark, the retiring professor described the life enjoyed in the institution in the past, in terms of feeding and hostel accommodation, as the best compared to what is presently the case.
Aderinoye called on the Federal Government to address the infrastructural decay in Nigerian universities as well as welfare of lecturers.
He urged universities in the country to be accountable with the little allocation they were given, while calling on students to be more discplined.
Other dignitaries who spoke on the good deeds of Aderinoye at the event included the Vice Chancellor, Osun State University, Prof. Labo Popoola, Prof. Wahab Egbewole (SAN), and Prof. Abeedeen Aderinto.
– NAN
