Two years after her retirement, Justice Mary Odili’s affect continues to reverberate via the halls of justice, leaving an indelible mark on a career she devoted her life to. As she marks her 72nd birthday right now, Vanessa Obioha studies on the varied positions she has assumed since she bade farewell to the bench
Immediately, Could 12, marks one other important chapter within the lifetime of retired Justice Mary Odili as she clocks 72. As one of many revered justices in Nigeria, encomiums will pour, extolling her contributions to the career she devoted her life to.
Regardless of leaving the career two years in the past, Justice Odili’s affect nonetheless continues to reverberate via the halls of justice. This was glimpsed just lately when she concluded her one-year tenure as Chairman of the Physique of Benchers and was honoured by the authorized group. Appointed to steer the physique in April 2023, merely a 12 months after her retirement in 2022, her continued affect and management stay evident.
The well-heeled gathering, which was held in Abuja had the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon Justice Olukayode Oriwoola, Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, President of the Courtroom of Attraction, Hon Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, and the incoming Chairman of Physique of Benchers, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo SAN, amongst others in attendance. There, the retired justice was exceptionally lauded for her competence and diligence in discharging her duties.
CJN significantly praised her untiring efforts to raise the integrity bar of the authorized career.
“Your tenure because the Chairman of this August Physique witnessed many outstanding achievements geared in the direction of the event of the authorized career. Your ardour and repair to the Physique of Benchers can’t be over-emphasised nor downplayed as you have got boldly written your title in gold within the annals of this August Physique.”
Reflecting on her illustrious profession trajectory, Governor Fubara hailed her diligence, attributing her success to a steadfast dedication to obligation.
“Hon Justice Mary Odili rose from the ranks as much as the Excessive Courtroom and from there she was promoted to the Courtroom of Attraction and at last to the Supreme Courtroom,” he stated. “These are traces of diligent work and dedication to obligation. You additionally noticed the documentary that was proven. So, in relation to her life as a judicial officer, the information are there and it’s only an excellent product that may beget an excellent product, noting that that is the explanation why she is great in what she is giving out.”
Comparable encomiums got here from different attendees just like the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma who was represented by Ambassador Humphrey Orjiakor. He described the jurist as a spherical peg in a spherical gap, whereas commending her unquestionable dedication to reality and patriotism
For Justice Dongban-Mensem, Odili made a distinction throughout her tenure as seen in the best way she discharged her duties with ease. Her one-year tenure, she stated, was marked by an excellent working relationship with the Bench and the Bar.
“Justice Odili championed the reason for enhancing the welfare of judicial officers and pursued the modification of the Authorized Practitioners Disciplinary Committee Guidelines to enthrone a extra disciplined authorized career.”
Rafiu Lawal-Rabana SAN, talking on behalf of the Physique of Benchers, counseled Odili’s transformative management, citing her instrumental position in implementing constructive adjustments inside the authorized career. From establishing administration committees to championing amendments to disciplinary guidelines, her legacy of innovation and progress stays indelible.
“Historical past will choose her as contributing positively to the expansion of the authorized career and dealing in the direction of enhancing the welfare and work atmosphere for the judiciary.”
Nonetheless, nobody might be prouder of Odili than her household and family members, who basked in immense pleasure as she was showered with accolades. Her daughter, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, the Honourable Commissioner for Well being in Rivers State, described her mom as a beacon of calmness, intelligence, humility, and care.
“She paid consideration to everybody in the home and walked them via the varied paths they wanted to succeed and even in marriage, she remained a help pillar for all of them in the home.”
In Rivers State, Justice Odili is extremely revered. Aside from the ladies teams who see her as a tempo setter, she towers as a naturally type one who doesn’t permit her background get into her head. Those that work or had labored along with her husband understand her as an excellent mom determine within the state.
Dr. Emma Okah who labored as Chief Press Secretary to former Governor Peter Odili and has remained a powerful ally and loyalist of the Odili household stated, girls within the mould of Justice Odili are onerous to return by.
“Her Excellency is great in lots of respects. She is deeply God-fearing, very stunning, ageless, calm, at all times smiling, fair-minded and humble. I’ve by no means seen her increase her voice on anybody. True, I’ve by no means. One nice attribute of madam is that she will not be materialistic. She shares no matter she has with members of the family, pals, the needy and employees. It was the necessity to look after the less-privileged that she fashioned The Adolescent Challenge (TAP) whereas she was Rivers State First Woman. God topped her effort and right now, most fortuitously, the location of TAP is the current location of the celebrated PAMO College of Medical Sciences. If there’s any want for her right now, it’s that God ought to hold her and my political father for one more 50 years,” Dr. Okah stated.
Amidst the accolades bestowed upon Odili, the environment mirrored the end result of a collection of occasions held in her honour upon her retirement from the Supreme Courtroom in 2022.
Whereas many retirees usually retreat to solitude, Justice Odili, spouse of former Rivers State Governor Peter Odili, stays a sought-after presence amongst her friends. Her mental contributions proceed to be extremely valued, guaranteeing that she stays in fixed demand inside authorized circles.
Although age will not be a assure of knowledge, within the case of Justice Odili, every passing 12 months appears to complement her legacy and deepen her affect on legislation and humanity.
Just lately she was appointed the Professional-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of the Rivers States College. She is equally a member of the Nationwide Judicial Council (NJC), the highest-decision judicial physique in Nigeria.
Born Mary Ukaego Nzenwa into the esteemed lineage of His Royal Highness, Eze Bernard Nzenwa, and Ugoeze Bernadette Nzenwa of Amudi Obizi, Ezinihitte-Mbaise Native Authorities Space of Imo State, Odili hails from a noble background. Her father, a distinguished lawyer of worldwide renown, initially practised in the UK earlier than assuming the position of Secretary at Nigerian Airways.
She attended a number of main colleges, together with St Benedict’s Main Faculty, Obizi Ezinihitte, St. Michael’s Main Faculty, Umuahia, St. Agnes Main Faculty, Maryland and Our Woman of Apostles Main Faculty, Yaba. She briefly attended Our Woman of Apostles Secondary Faculty, additionally in Yaba, Lagos.
Following the outbreak of the civil conflict in 1967, Mary and her mother and father relocated to the South-east of the nation. There, she continued her training at Owerri Ladies Excessive Faculty till her household moved again to Mbaise. She then attended Mbaise Ladies Secondary Faculty and later enrolled on the Queen of the Rosary School in Onitsha. In 1972, she handed with Grade I (combination 6) within the West African Faculty Certificates Examination. The identical 12 months, she gained admission into the College of Nigeria, Enugu Campus the place she learn legislation. In her second 12 months on the college, she earned a scholarship for sustaining the second class higher division league with increased scores.
She met her husband, a medical physician, at a campus occasion. Graduating in 1976 with an LLB (Hons), she was recognised as the highest pupil in industrial and property legislation. Subsequently, she obtained her B.L. certificates from the Nigerian Legislation Faculty in 1977.
After finishing her Nationwide Youth Service Corps (NYSC) obligations as Pupil State Counsel in Abeokuta and Benin Metropolis from 1977 to 1978, she started her judicial profession as a Justice of the Peace Grade III in November 1978. She married Dr. Odili in 1977 and relocated to Port Harcourt, the place he established Pamo Clinics. From 1980 to 1988, she held varied roles together with Chief Justice of the Peace Grade I, Chair of the Juvenile Courtroom, President of the Marine Board of Inquiry, Chair of the Structure Drafting Committee for the College of Nigeria Alumni Associates, Inaugural Chairperson of FIDA Rivers State, and Secretary of the Nigerian Horticultural Society.
Along with her help, Peter ventured into politics, main the Rivers State Delegates to the Constituent Meeting. In 1992, whereas she served as a Excessive Courtroom Decide, Odili grew to become the Deputy Governor of Rivers State. Upon her husband’s election as governor in 1999, she assumed the position of First Woman till Could 29, 2007.
She was elevated to the Courtroom of Attraction in 2004 and was the Presiding choose of the Kaduna Division of the courtroom.
She as soon as acknowledged the supportive position of her husband particularly when the largest supply but came- she was requested to submit her resume and 10 judgments to be thought of for an appointment to the Supreme Courtroom. In addition to being the topmost aspiration for any choose on the bench, the Supreme Courtroom bench was a male-dominated one.
“I didn’t see the feasibility and Peter and I had an excellent chortle on the joke. The phrases of Hon. Justice Salami once I took the papers to his workplace was soothing and fatherly and I stay grateful to him. I used to be on the time Presiding Justice of the Courtroom of Attraction, Kaduna Division and as solely God would make doable the unreal, I bought to the apex courtroom and the top of my judicial profession,” she stated throughout the valedictory courtroom session held in her honour in 2022.
All through her profession, she delivered landmark judgments and contributed considerably to Nigeria’s authorized panorama, leaving a long-lasting legacy within the judiciary. She was the chief of the five-person panel on the Supreme Courtroom that nullified the governorship election of David Lyon after his deputy was discovered wanting for submitting faux certificates throughout pre-election screening after they had been declared winners on November 16, 2019, Bayelsa State gubernatorial election. The judgment has helped political events in Nigeria to totally scrutinise and vet candidates’ certificates and their backgrounds earlier than fielding for elections.
As she celebrates one other 12 months of life and achievements, the retired jurist stays an inspiration to girls typically and feminine attorneys specifically. At 72, her legacy of resilience, jurisprudence and philanthropy continues to form the panorama of Nigeria and encourage generations to return.
