CJN declares open judges conference holding in ABU
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, GCON, today declared open the 25th Judges Conference holding in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, commending organisers of the event for their commitment in advancing both Islamic and conventional jurisprudence.
The conference, themed ‘Succession and Estate Administration in a Dual Legal System: Balancing Islamic Personal Law and Statutory Provision in Nigeria’, is organised by the Centre for Islamic Legal Studies (CILS), Ahmadu Bello University in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI).
Justice Kudirat said that the theme of the conference reflects the unique challenges and opportunities presented by Nigeria’s plural legal system, particularly in the critical areas of succession and estate administration.
The CJN, who was represented by Hon. Khadi Shuaibu Dahiru Ahmed, the Grand Khadi, Sharia Court of Appeal, Taraba State, expressed confidence that the conference would provide a valuable platform for judicial officers, scholars and legal practitioners to exchange ideas, deepen their understanding of Islamic personal law, and explore ways to harmonize with statutory provisions in Nigeria.
In his keynote address, the former Director, the Centre for Islamic Legal Studies, Prof. Ibrahim Na’iya Sada, noted that the theme underscored a critical aspect of the legal system, co-existence and interaction of Islamic, Customary, Statutory and English Law provisions.
Prof. Sada said that duality in Islamic personal law and statutory provisions reflects Nigeria’s pluralistic legal system, heritage, shaped by its diverse cultural, religious and historical contexts.
He maintained that judges need to adopt a balanced approach recognising the interplay of religious and statutory principles, training programmes for judges to focus on comparative legal analysis in a plural society to equip judges to handle cases.
In his speech, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kabiru Bala, said that the CILS and NJI have become a beacon of judicial and legal excellence offering a platform to address pressing issues in the legal sectors.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kabiru Bala, who was represented by the Director, Institute of Administration, Prof. Abubakar Madaki, described ABU as a nurturing ground for the legal profession producing distinguished alumni who have shaped and continued to shape the judicial and legal domain in Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Dean, Faculty of Law, Prof. Salim Magashi, said that the faculty has been at the forefront of training legal minds and imparting enduring legal education.
He further said that the faculty’s commitment to excellence has produced some of the most distinguished jurists, legal scholars and practitioners who continue to shape the landscape of the legal profession in Nigeria.
“The role we play as a faculty is not limited to education, we see ourselves as custodians of knowledge and facilitations of critical discourse on issues that affect our legal system” the Dean said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Director, Centre for Islamic Legal Studies, Dr. Sa’adu Abubakar Musa, expressed appreciation to the University Management and other participants for their tremendous support towards the success of the conference.
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Public Affairs Directorate,
Office of the Vice-Chancellor,
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
(NAM)
Monday, 9th December, 2024
