EndSars: Okitipupa rehabilitation Committee hands over newly built High Court to Ondo State CJ.
– Steve Ovirih.
Okitipupa , the headquarters of Okitipupa Local Government Council played host to the Ondo State Chief Judge, Her Lordship, Justice Akeredolu and other members of the Judiciary yesterday, Thursday, the 17th June, 2021 at the handing over ceremony of a modern High Court Complex built by the Ikale stakeholders Rehabilitation Committee under the Chairmanship of Gen. Olu Bajowa (RTD).
The High Court in Okitipupa was one of the many Public facilities burnt by hoodlums and irate youths who hijacked the EndSars protest in Okitipupa late last year.
Ikale Royal fathers who came together to seek a major solution to the destruction of public facilities in Okitipupa and its environ during the EndSars protest constituted the Rehabilitation Committee and charged the Jagunmolu of Ikaleland and Ojagbulegun of the Source, Gen. Dr. Prince Oluyemi Bajowa with the mandate of helping alongside other members of a special committee on rehabilitation of the public facilities in the town of Okitipupa and its environ which were touched by the arsonists. A major success of the committee is the rebuilding of the High Court in Okitipupa as the Ondo State Judiciary had already relocated the Okitipupa High Court Division to Ondo since there was no longer a Court room in Okitipupa, no thanks to the misguided action of the unruly youths who hijacked the EndSars protest in Okitipupa town.
Barr. Morebise , Secretary of the Rehabilitation Committee, who stood in for the Chairman of the Committee, Gen. Olu Bajowa at the official handing over ceremony of the High Court, while giving an insight into the rebuilding of the High Court in a chat with thepolity.net said it became imperative to promptly rebuild the High Court lest the Okitipupa High Court Division suffer the challenge of losing the High Court in the town to another Community.
He said both lawyers and their clients will have to travel outside Okitipupa to as far as Ondo for their matters and the inconvenience is avoidable , stressing that the leadership of Ondo State Judiciary had stated emphatically that the High Court will be relocated to Okitipupa when there is a court facility to that effect.
Barr. Morebise who thanked Gen. Bajowa for his commitment to the success of the prompt rebuilding of the High Court said the rehabilitation Committee has shown their belief in the need for the Okitipupa High Court Division to be domiciled in Okitipupa town and not elsewhere.
Ondo State Chief Judge congratulated the Committee and the stakeholders for righting the wrongs of the EndSars protest by the completion of the Rehabilitation of the High Court. Justice Akeredolu also congratulated the Okitipupa NBA Branch , charging the stakeholders to continue to re orientate youths to avoid tendencies that can lead to the destruction of public facilities as such draws back development in the society.
It will be recalled that the Ikale stakeholders Rehabilitation Committee headed by Gen. Bajowa had swung into action immediately after the committee was convened as several meetings were held at the Igbotako country home of the Chairman as well as virtual Conferences where the committee interfaced with concerned sons and daughters of Ikaleland both in Nigeria and in The Diaspora on the need to raise funds towards the rebuilding of the public assets touched during the ill fated EndSars protest.
The building and handing over of the Okitipupa High Court to the state Chief Judge signposts the success of the Rehabilitation Committee just within seven months of its inauguration.
Among the dignitaries at the event were Justice Akeredolu, Ondo State Chief Judge, Justice Peter Ikujuni, Justice Odusola, the Regent of Ayeka Kingdom, HRH . Barr Princess Oluyemi Bajowa, Barr. Morebise, members of the NBA , Okitipupa branch and others.