Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Walter Onnoghen, Hon. Samson Uwaifo, Hon. Cromwell Idahosa were amongst those who paid their last respect to the late Justice Andrews Ututu Obaseki at the Benin City High Court yesterday.

The premises of the Benin City High Court as early as 10am was already filled with men of the wigs and gown who were on ground to receive the remains of the late Justice Obaseki which arrived the premises at 11:15am .

They were not there to deliver judgment on any offenders but to bid him farewell.

In his address, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen, described late Justice Andrews Otutu Obaseki as a learned gentleman and a jurist per excellence.

He said the erudite acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Obaseki participated in a total of 658 judgments comprising 126 lead judgments, 530 concurring judgments and two dissenting judgments while at the Bench of the Apex Court.

The CJN who was represented by Hon .Ejembi Eko, Justice of the Supreme said the late Otutu had set down ground breaking precedents in the areas of the protection of citizens from extrajudicial acts of governments, the principles of fair hearing and natural justice from his notable pronouncements in the case of the governor of Lagos State vs. Ojukwu, Garba vs. University of Maiduguri, Obeks vs. Olowo and in the case of Awolowo vs. Shagari.

The CJN said Otutu has fertilized and nurtured the Supreme Court of Nigeria and Jurisprudence. On the part of the Chief Judge of Edo State, Hon. Justice E. E. Ikponmwen, he said the late Otutu took no short cut and made the full journey to the Apex Court.

Hon. Ikponmwen who was represented by Ikponmwonba Ehigiamusoe, described the late Honourable Justice Obaseki as a very calm and sober Jurist who no doubt belongs to the golden generation of Supreme Court of Justices that will be sorely missed.

Similarly, Edo State governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki described that the late Ututu taught them simplicity and hard-work, adding that the Edo people recalled with pride and nostalgia the remarkable judicial career of Justice Obaseki who set down ground breaking judicial precedents and notable pronouncements in such classical decisions as governor of Lagos State vs. Ojukwu; Garba vs. University of Maiduguri; Obeko vs. Olowo and Awolowo vs. Shagari where the principles of fair hearing, natural justice, rule of law and the protection of the citizen from extra-judicial acts of governments were laid down and which to this day, formed the bedrock of our jurisprudence.

Furthermore, he said “The pioneering and ground breaking achievements of Justice Obaseki as the first Edo man to have sat on our Apex Court which invariably led the way cleared the part for such other Edo legal icons as Hon. Justice Omorose Ibukun Akpata and Hon. Justice Samson Uwaifo.”

He said whilst they mourn his death, they are consoled by the inspiring message of distinguished service which his life exemplified.

“I remembered when I used to meet my late uncle, Ututu he was always complaining of backache. He told me that the chair he used in the court while writing judgments made him to develop this backache. So, when I came on board, I said would make the court to be conducive for the judiciary to carry out their legal business.

“I want to strengthen the judicial system in the state and as we know, the judiciary is what has made democracy smooth and without the rule of law, democracy will not be possible.” He said.