“Are You Not Provoked by Our Present-Day Justice System?” — Very Rev. Ernest Onyeukwu Challenges Nigerian Judiciary at Abia Legal Year Opening Service
Umuahia — October 16, 2025
The Abia State Judiciary yesterday officially commenced its 2025/2026 Legal Year with a solemn Opening Ceremony/Thanksgiving Service held at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Chapel (QEHC), Umuahia, attended by the state’s top legal minds, clergy, and government officials.
Delivering a stirring sermon titled “Are You Not Provoked by Our Present-Day Justice System?”, Very Rev. Ernest Onyeukwu of the Methodist Church drew from Acts 17:16, likening Apostle Paul’s grief in Athens to the moral and institutional decay within Nigeria’s justice system.
“Paul was provoked by the idolatry of his time. Today, we should be provoked by the corruption and compromise in our justice system,” he declared.
Very Rev. Onyeukwu lamented the moral decline in public service, the commercialization of justice, and the manipulation of court verdicts. He condemned a system where “the poor are trampled while judgments are traded in the corridors of power.”
“When justice is broken, everything else falls apart,” he emphasized, urging judges and lawyers to uphold truth and integrity as divine mandates.
Archbishop Opoko: ‘There Will Be a Day of Reckoning’
In a media chat with Living Spring Media, the Methodist Archbishop of Umuahia, His Grace, The Most Revd Dr. Chibuzo Raphael Opoko (TFSG, DOB, JP), echoed the preacher’s concerns and challenged the judiciary to restore public trust.
The Archbishop called for the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the detained IPOB leader, insisting that “justice delayed is justice denied.”
“Whatever seed one sows, he will reap. The judiciary must know that a day of reckoning is coming. We stand with all legal minds who fear God and dispense justice righteously,” Archbishop Opoko warned.
He described the judiciary as the “last hope of the common man”, urging those who wear the robe of justice to remember that their first accountability is to God.
Governor Alex Otti Reaffirms Support for Judicial Independence
Speaking after the service, Governor Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, reaffirmed his government’s resolve to strengthen Abia’s justice system and ensure effective administration of justice.
The Governor announced plans to begin construction of two modern Judiciary Complexes in Aba and Umuahia—each with 15 court halls and upgraded digital infrastructure—within the next month.
“Our goal is to build a judiciary that is strong, independent, and technologically equipped to serve the people of Abia,” he stated.
Governor Otti also commended the Chief Judge of Abia State, Hon. Justice Lilian Abai, for maintaining transparency and merit in the recent appointment of judges.
Justice Lilian Abai: Reform Must Be Collective
In her keynote address, Justice Lilian Abai emphasized that judicial reform requires shared responsibility between the executive, legislature, and the judiciary.
“The justice system must remain anchored on fairness and equity. The reform of the judiciary is a task too great for one arm of government alone,” she said.
A Call for Renewal and Accountability
The thanksgiving service was attended by Governor Otti, Justice Abai, members of the Bar and Bench, the Attorney General, Commissioner of Police, and other top officials.
From the pulpit to the press, the central message resounded clearly — Nigeria’s redemption begins with justice that is fair, fearless, and founded on truth.
“No society survives long when its courts become crime scenes,” Rev. Onyeukwu concluded, quoting Prof. Fidelis Oditah (SAN, QC).
“Until we reclaim the conscience of the judiciary, Nigeria will remain a conquered people—not by colonizers, but by those sworn to protect her.”
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