It was William Shakespeare who said, “Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.”
For Hon. Justice Kenneth Amadi, former Judge of the Industrial Court now Justice of the Court of Appeal, an embodiment of humble beginning and a personification of perseverance; greatness couldn’t have come in any better way than through resilience, doggedness, and sturdy strength of justice.
Friday 9th July 2021 will forever remain evergreen to the developers of labour jurisprudence in Nigeria, as the President of the Industrial Court, His Lordship, Hon. Justice Benedict Kanyip, PhD, FNIALS gathered judicial titans, legal luminaries, Senior Advocates, captains of industries, arrays of astute lawyers, great personalities from all walks of life to celebrate the very first judge of the Court to be elevated to the court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Kenneth Amadi PhD.
Justice Amadi had served in the Lagos Judicial division of the Industrial Court between 2013 to 2017 prior to his transfer to Jos division in 2018 covering both Bauchi and Gombe divisions before his much celebration to the appellate court.
In his tribute, Justice Kanyip expressed deep appreciation to the God Almighty, President of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, the National Judicial Council, and others who contributed massively to achieve this feat. His Lordship also poured great optimism that Justice Amadi’s elevation will promote labour jurisprudence and labour justice in the country, expressed no doubt that Justice Amadi will represent the Court well to give room for others.
“He has made history, he broke a chain by being the first to be elevated to the court of Appeal. I had written for 3 judges to be elevated to the court of appeal, My lord, President Court of Appeal said we can only work out one. As faith would have it, only Justice Amadi scaled through.” Justice Kanyip
In the same vein, Justice Mary Odili, Justice of the Supreme Court also said justice Amadi’s elevation to the court of Appeal is a reward for hard work, resilience, and uprightness.
In his remark, the immediate past president of the Industrial Court, Justice Babatunde Adejumo OFR Retired expressed appreciation to the Court President, Justice Benedict Kanyip for doing his best and congratulated Justice Amadi for being the opener, expressed optimism that Justice Amadi elevation will make the court proud.
Also in his tribute, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho said Justice Amadi’s elevation to the Court of Appeal is historic, urged him to put his best to justify the trust and hope repose in him and not to detach himself from his root.
Giving the closing remark, the Chief Registrar, Olurotimi Daudu described Justice Amadi’s elevation as a milestone in the annals of the court, prayed God to grant Justice Amadi Solomonic knowledge to deliver on the new mandate.
Justices of the Supreme Court present at the historic event include Justice Mary Odili, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Justice Inyang Okoro, and many others.
Others are the Justices of the Court of Appeal, Judges of the Federal High Court, National Industrial Court, FCT High Court, and many others.
The Management Staff of the Court, including all the divisional registrars across the federation, were also present.
The historic event was held at the Ladi Kwali Hall, Sheraton Hotel, Abuja.
