Business
AMBODE SWEARS-IN THREE NEW HIGH COURT JUDGES, PERM SEC
…As State Moves To Increase Judges From 59 To 120
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday swore-in three new Judges of the State High Court, with a charge on them to be fearless in the discharge of their duties and to always allow professional ethics to govern their acts and utterances within and outside the court.
The new judges are Justice Sururat Soladoye; Justice Olukayode Ogunjobi and Justice Yetunde Pinheiro.
Speaking at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House in Ikeja while performing the ceremony, Governor Ambode said their appointment was a testament of the consistently high standards and professionalism having scaled all the hurdles set by the appointing bodies and declared as fit to be on the revered higher bench of the Lagos State Judiciary.
He said their appointment had followed due process including a rigorous selection and screening exercise consequent upon the advice of the Lagos State Judicial Service Commission and recommendation by the National Judicial Council, urging them, therefore, to justify the confidence reposed in them by offering nothing short of justice without fear or favour.
“I would like to admonish our newly sworn-in judges to be fearless in the discharge of their duties and to always allow professional ethics to govern their acts and utterances within and outside the court.
“This will be the expectation of not only your colleagues, but of every Lagosian whose expectations are that you must determine and dispatch justice with independence and impartiality. The citizenry will also expect you to dispense justice without fear, favour, affection or ill will, as your oath guides you to do.
“The oath you have just taken is neither an empty ritual nor a matter of mere formal procedure. It is an open demonstration of commitment in the form of the making of a solemn and formal promise, the dereliction of which the oath taker will be held accountable; not only to the judiciary, and to our beloved State and country Nigeria but also to your creator,” Governor Ambode said.
Alluding to the fact that the Judiciary remains the last hope of the common man, Governor Ambode said his administration fully recognises the critical role the High Court plays in achieving its objectives, hence the recent innovations to enhance quick and effective dispensation of justice through the courts.
The Governor said that a bill had also been sent to the State House of Assembly, seeking to amend the High Court Law to fix the number of Judges in the State High Courts to 120 from the present number of 59, saying that it would go a long way to address the challenges of the ever growing population and the attendant increase in commercial transaction and disputes.
“In order to address the challenges of a growing population and the attendant increase in commercial transaction and disputes, we have sent a bill to the State House of Assembly seeking to amend the High Court Law to fix the number of Judges in the State High Courts at 120 from the present 59. We expect this to be favourably considered and passed soon.
“These are some of the new innovations that are further aimed to position the State Judiciary to meet the challenges of dispensing justice quickly and speedily as justice delayed is justice denied.
“Our State Judiciary has made advances in its progression to a modern and effective arm of government. In order to facilitate speedy dispensation of justice, we have been consistent in creating innovative ways of responding to the challenges of our days. We recently created the first-ever Special and Sexual Offences courts and the first-ever Small Claims Courts in Nigeria,” he said.
Governor Ambode also commended the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Opeyemi Oke for her inspirational leadership and commitment to fighting indolence in the judiciary since the period she assumed office, assuring that his administration would continue to support the Judiciary to deliver quality service to Lagosians.
In her remarks, Justice Oke while congratulating the new Judges on attaining the pinnacle of their career, noted that their appointment had come at a time where there was a lot of work to be done, urging them to brace up to face the task head on.
She said the new judges were screened and selected by external bodies in accordance with the constitutional provisions and recommendation by the National Judicial Council without any undue interference from any quarters.
“As a matter of fact some of my colleagues were asking if the Governor didn’t have a candidate, I said no, that he didn’t even call me for a second over this. We are proud of you sir,” she said.
She also thanked the Governor for his unflinching support and passion to see the smooth operation of the Judiciary, noting that under his administration the Judiciary has thrived and has continued to remain at the top across the country.
On his part, the Attorney General of the State, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem while introducing the new Judges, expressed confidence that their appointment would contribute to the speedy access to justice which, according to him, is one of the cardinal points of the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode led administration.
“They have been appointed based on merit and personal competence. They also possess the personality and qualities required of judges. I am certain that this will further enhance the commitment of this administration to the socio economic well-being of Lagosians,” Kazeem said.
Responding on behalf of her colleagues, Justice Sururat Soladoye pledged loyalty to service to the State, assuring that they would remain incorruptible and sustain the excellence the Lagos State Judiciary is known for.
Earlier, Governor Ambode also swore-in Mrs. Folasade Fasehun as the new Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Waterfront Development, charging her to see her appointment as a call to serve in a higher capacity and eschew partisanship and focus on the promotion of the virtues of integrity, probity and professionalism in the Public Service.
Can We Have More Bankers Like Victoria Mulero? An epitome of ‘omoluabi’
In February of this year, I needed to open a new bank account for salary purposes, as required by the management of the new company I had just joined.
I considered First Bank, Access Bank, and Sterling Bank. After some thought, I chose Sterling Bank—not because I found them superior—but because I believed they had fewer customers, which I hoped would save me from long queues and unnecessary delays.
I visited the Sterling Bank branch at Akowonjo to open the account. Unfortunately, the staff member who attended to me didn’t inspire confidence. She appeared distracted—smiling at her phone, clearly engrossed in a private chat—far from the level of professionalism one would expect in a bank setting. I had a feeling this would lead to problems down the line.
When my first salary was paid into the account, my suspicion was confirmed. Sterling Bank restricted access to my funds—I couldn’t transfer money or make withdrawals at the counter. I visited their Fatai Atere branch at Ladipo, Mushin to complain, where I was informed that the account opened for me was a “Kaikai” account—a type I had never heard of. Apparently, this account type is meant for individuals who lack the required documents during account creation. But I had submitted all necessary documents, so why was such an account opened for me?
At the Fatai Atere branch, I was attended to by a remarkable banker named Victoria Mulero. She requested my NIN, which I didn’t have on me at the time. Rather than send me back home, she asked if I had a digital copy. I did, and she graciously gave me her email address so I could forward it to her. With that, she resolved the issue promptly and professionally.
However, the following month, in March, the same restriction happened again. I returned to the Fatai Atere branch, and once again, Victoria Mulero handled my complaint with efficiency and kindness, resolving it without delay.
I hoped the matter was finally settled, but when my April salary arrived, the restriction was imposed yet again. This time, I was beyond frustrated and ready to replace Sterling Bank as my salary account. Still, I visited the Fatai Atere branch one last time. Once more, Victoria Mulero resolved the issue with grace and determination.
This write-up is a tribute to Victoria Mulero of Sterling Bank, Fatai Atere branch. She is a rare gem—respectful, diligent, and genuinely customer-focused. She went above and beyond, following up with the Akowonjo branch through calls and emails until the matter was fully resolved. She handled every situation with patience and empathy, treating the job as if the bank belonged to her family.
To be honest, I’ve had unpleasant experiences with many bankers, especially female staff. Too often, they carry personal frustrations into the banking hall and take it out on customers. But Victoria is different. She exemplifies what true customer service should be.
We may not all be the same, but treating people with respect and kindness is a skill that can be learned—and Victoria clearly has. Let’s celebrate her for being a model professional and a beacon of hope in an industry that too often lacks empathy.
Without any fear of contradiction, I say boldly that Victoria Mulero is a good ambassador of Sterling Bank and her parents too deserve encomium for raising a well trained daughter and impacting an attitude of ‘ omoluabi’ in her. We need more of Victoria Mulero in our banking industry.
Seun Jacob Ogunbiyi
Known as Olùkọ́, the therapeutic writer and Lagos based journalist
Business
Air Peace Airlines’ failure to adhere to scheduled departure times results in prolonged delays …causing undue hardship for Nigerians on board
Air Peace Airlines’ failure to adhere to scheduled departure times results in prolonged delays
…causing undue hardship for Nigerians on board
~Oluwaseun Fabiyi
Traveling is undoubtedly the most effective form of education, enabling individuals to observe human quirks from diverse perspectives
On Saturday, 3rd May 2025, an Air Peace Airlines flight from Akure Airport was delayed, causing undue inconvenience to a Nigerian traveller and a prominent Nigerian man of God, an unfortunate incident that befell the nation’s citizens
Does Nigerian law consider it a criminal offense for travelers to book flights with Air Peace, a leading Nigerian airline, instead of other airlines that fail to depart on schedule, such as remaining at 10am instead of departing at 10am? Certainly, some Nigerian citizens may opt to travel with airlines like Arik, Aero, Dana, rather than Air Peace.
It is evident that many Nigerians actually believe Air Peace airline came to rescue Nigerians from the subpar fly-and-die experience of other airlines, such as Dana, which is why many have fallen in love with Air Peace Airlines’ domestic operations
Air Peace Airlines’ decision to reschedule a 12:00 flight from Akure in Ondo State to 3:00 on Saturday, 3rd May 2025, has been met with disappointment from some affected Nigerian passengers, who deem this change unreasonable and unjustified.
Nigeria is hindered by self-imposed challenges that impede our collective advancement. I remain optimistic that future leadership will emerge, focusing on nuanced details that cumulatively enhance the lives of citizens, including access to housing, affordable food, petrol, quality healthcare, and a decent standard of living. The fact that we produce rice, only to have its price inflated by some, thereby rendering it unaffordable, is a pressing concern
It is baffling to me why some people or airlines deliberately provide poor services, causing undue hardship for their passengers, without taking the courtesy to apologize
How can passengers ensure they arrive at Akure Airport by 10 a.m. to catch a 12 p.m. flight from Akure to Lagos and complete check-in as usual
Only for them to fall victim to an extremely harrowing experience. The first indication was the outrage of a passenger at the Nigeria Air Peace counters. He yelled at the ticketing officials that his time had been wasted by three hours and demanded to be refunded his money, as his business was equally affected.
The scene was remarkably congested, and indeed there was an exceedingly large number of passengers traveling to Lagos on this particular Air Peace flight.Which none of them can comprehend what could cause a delay from 12 O’clock to 3:15 pm, without considering individuals with an assignment or occasion in Lagos, is so crazy and devastating.
*How Passengers suffer through endless delays waiting for Air Peace aircraft.*
Accordingly, they embarked on an extended wait after Air Peace notified them that the flight had been postponed by an hour. Ultimately, the delay proved to be three hours, with the flight arriving at 3:30 pm, followed by the commencement of boarding procedures
On a final note the Nigerian aviation industry, including airlines, can certainly improve their treatment of fellow Nigerians
Onboard passengers display concern and raise eyebrows.
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