Valley of Decisions: Biography and Essays in Honour of Hon. Justice Iorhemen Hwande

Chapter Five - Career Years

Chapter Five Career Years NationalYouth Service Scheme (NYSC) The National Youth Service Scheme was introduced in 1973 and designed to avail Nigerians compulsory service for a periodofoneyeartotheirfatherland. HisLordshipwasposted to Port-Harcourt alongwith his friend and classmate late G. S. Agernor, Esq. The duo could afford hotel accommodation atthattime. HisLordship recallsthatthe Schemewasexciting. Itwas inthe course of service thathe metA. A. Utuama now a Professor of Law and Deputy Governor of Delta State. By and large, itwas never a dull momentthroughoutthe service year. Magistracy Upon completion of service, his Lordship had a desire to go into private practice. He prepared a groundto thiseffectashe haduseful discussionwiththe LateD.G. Vembehwith a view tojoininghis law firm. D. G. Vembehwas activelyinvolved in politics andwas inthe NigerianPeoples Party. AperAku and 13 14 Valley ofDecisions J. S. Tarkawithwhomhis Lordship also related well, were of the National Party of Nigeria. His Lordship imagined a situation where a case of political nature would pitch him against Tarka andAku on one hand and the interest ofD. G. Vembeh's law firm on the other. He refrained from joining the law firm for this reason. With that decision the young Iorhemen picked up appointment in the Judiciary as a Magistrate. He stillhadhiseyes outside as, accordingtohim, he intended to put in five years to make out the period of pupillage and then withdraw his services. Itwas indeed a decision tobehold as Godhad his plansbehind it. HisfirstplaceofpostingwasOgumainBassaLocalGovernment Area ofBenueState. He arrived Oguma thinkinghe was still ontheway.Anunnoticeabletownfor its smallness, theyoung Iorhemenstill enquired as to the road to Oguma. The answer that he was already in Oguma did not impress the young graduate.Oguma, a smallplacehadjustbeenmade the headquarters of Bassa Local Government upon the creation of the local government. Iorhemen was ushered into an elevenbedroombuilding for his accommodation. He invited other staff to share the accommodation. He imagined what to do with such a big accommodation. Hethoughttohimself, and satdownto write a letter ofresignation, but a voice came tohim 'Do you think Godwas asleep duringyourposting?' Upon a second thought influenced by this voice, he tore the resignation letter and decided to stay. He served for one year and was posted to Oju. Oju was yet another area with its peculiarities like Oguma. His Lordship weathered the storm until he was posted to Adikpo.Adikpomademuchdifference asithadmorelawyers Career Years 15 whoappearedbeforehisLordship.Itaffordedthe opportunity for his Lordship to prove his mettle and it indeed prepared him for a leadershipposition. Hewas postedtoIdahwherehe servedbrieflyand wasthereafterappointedAg. OriefRegistrar inFebruary 1986. To his Lordship, the magistracy is a period oflearning. Appointment to the Higher Bench HisLordship recalledthatthethenHon. OriefJudge,Alhassan Idoko,upona certainmomingcongratulatedhim. Heretorted for what? The then Chief Judge replied 'you have been appointed a HighCourtJudge.' Thiswashow the news ofhis elevation was relayed to him. Before then he was not consulted. HisLordshipwho stillhadhiseyesoutsidewanted todeclinetheappointment His desire wastoventureintosome engagements like lecturing or private practice before taking upappointmentonthehigherbenchasitwouldbemonotonous havingtokeep adjudicatingthroughoutones life. Likeinother situations, he contemplated resistingbutendedup thatifGod had willed it, why wouldhe decline.Againstthe backdrop of the conditions ofservice atthattime one would readily agree withhisLordship thatitwasnotoutofplaceto contemplate a refusal ofthe offer. Appointment as ChiefJudge Followingthe retirementofHon.JusticeT.U.F. PuusuasOrief Judge, a vacuum was created. His successor, Justice Ejembi Eko inacting capacityhad exhaustedhis actingappointment. Hon.Justice IorhemenHwandewas thenappointedinacting capacity as Chief Judge in 2006. This appointment was confirmed and he was made the substantive OriefJudge on the 16thApril, 2006. He says the office is quite challenging. A 16 Valley ofDecisions ChiefJudgebyhis Lordship's accounts carries the weight of the entirejudiciaryonhis shoulder as a beast ofburden, so to say. Hefosters therelationshipwiththeStateExecutiveCouncil and the FederalJudiciary. Thewelfare ofhisbrotherJudgesis another area of attention. In all these areas, the Hon. Chief Judge is a man tobeat. Abraham'sblessings arehis. Theelevationofindigenes ofthe State to the Federal and State High Courts at his time is unpreredentedinthehistoryoftheStateJudiciary.Thepresence ofFederalJudiciary athis time is whathe attributes to God's blessings. He feels he would have been better placed in private practice tohelphumanity as a lawyer, all the samehe believes doing justice to litigants is what he records as his achievements and the nurturing ofpromisingyoungmen in thejudiciary. His Judicial Ideology There is no art to find a man's construction onthe face, goes a popular saying. Yet as students of literature, it is possible to hazard a guess as to one's dispositionby two or three ways viz: what he says abouthimself, what others say about him, and whathe does. Taking our bearing from the above, we can locate the ideological inclination of a judge...