The Supreme Court on Friday held a valedictory session in honour of the late Justice Kayode Eso.
During event, which took place in the main auditorium of the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mariam Mukhtar; the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, as well as other guests in attendance, took turns to pay tribute to the late legal luminary.
In her address, the CJN praised Eso for his service to the judiciary.
“(Justice Kayode) Eso displayed immense industry and scholarship on the High Court bench. It is on record that his rulings and judgments are products of hard work and sound reasoning.
“These undoubtedly are the qualities that earned him the elevation to the then Western State Court of Appeal, where he rose to the position of Acting President, before becoming the first Chief Judge of Oyo State in 1976 and subsequently, a Justice of the Supreme Court,” Mukhtar said.
Adoke extolled the late jurist's commitment to the protection of human rights, even during the era of military rule in the country.
“During this period, Justice Kayode Eso often advocated what may be termed the fusion of constitutional law and moral theory, due to his conviction that the judiciary cannot afford to isolate itself from the realities of society and should indeed, be a torch-bearer in leading society to higher values and standards,” the AGF said.
Also, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Okey Wali, SAN, described Eso as a judicial activist.
