Efio-Ita Nyok|2 September 2017
Chief Emeka Ndili, the President, National Sports Association for the Judiciary (NASAJ) and Chairman Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the just concluded 23rd edition of Chief Justice of Nigeria All Judiciary Games 2017 has said in Calabar that Cross River State has lived up to its name as Nigeria's home of hospitality NegroidHaven can report.
Chief Ndili, who made the remark within the week while addressing journalists at the Closing Ceremony of the judiciary games originally billed for 9 days between 23rd August and 3rd September (but was cut short on Wednesday 30th August) spoke on a handful of themes bordering on the games ranging from Cross River hospitality, sport mercenaries, agitation and abrupt end of the games. According to him, Cross Riverians are wonderful people and that this year's edition in Calabar has been the best as compared to previous 23 editions. Concerning allegations of infiltration of mercenaries, Chief Ndili who explained that there's no way one could rule that out in a game of this magnitude, further noted that if the association had discovered that during the screening exercise, it would have outrightly disqualify such team. Again, upon discovery of fowl play even after the closure of the games, his association would press for withdrawal of trophy. On the sudden closure, he said that the Salah celebration billed for 1st September was responsible for the abrupt end.
His words, 'Well as you can see by yourself, it’s a wonderful competition despite the weather. Calabar has lived up to its name as a hospitality state, we can’t ask for more from the state government and the people of Cross River State; they are wonderful people I must confess, this is the best competition for the past 23 years of this competition, we are happy to be here.
On the machineries
'In a competition of this nature, you know that judiciary cuts across the 36 states of the federation, and it is difficult for me to sit down in Abuja and know who is a judiciary staff in for instance Borno state or Anambra or Kano or Enugu; so, what we do is to do our normal screening where we look at how you receive your salary then the screening committee will certify that you are a judiciary staff and when we discovered that you are not a judiciary staff that team stands disqualified. We have a process of doing this things, so it has not been easy because Nigeria is such a vast country, but within our own very best we have ensured that we have legitimate and bona fide staff of the judiciary.
On the Agitation
'My brother the thing is a very simple process, even at any time the investigation is still ongoing, if the association discovers that the people that came second used mercenaries, we have the power and authority to retrieve the medal. Even in the Olympic, even in international competition, they still retrieve medals even after 5 years. All we need do is to write to the Chief Judge of the state that the medal should be retrieved and handed over to the appropriate people.
On the sudden end
'When we came down here, we discovered that there were other competitions taking place here in Calabar and our brothers from the north… there’s a great feast coming, the Muslim festival that is Salah. So we had to hurry up so they can go back and celebrate their Salah with their family', he concluded.
On his part, the Chief Judge of Cross River State, His Lordship Justice Michael Edem described the games as excellent and highly professional, noting that talents could be mined here. While expressing satisfaction, he said, 'I will describe it as excellent, the way and manner participants went about the games, there’s a high level of professionalism. It has gone beyond novelty contest to a real contest.
'The participants have really done their best and have really displayed the stuff they are made up of. I think we can get talents here into any professional team.
'I am completely, I'm satisfied because the standard is high and participation is very excellent and the spirit of the participant is very high so I am very satisfied.
On her part, Commissioner for Information of the state, Mrs Rosemary Archibong Esq., congratulated the CJN of the Federation, Walter Nkanu Onnoghen for ensuring that Cross River hosted the games. According to her, this was a dream come through after 17 years futile efforts. She appreciated the state governor for putting modalities on ground for a successful hosting among other things.
Her words, 'I want to congratulate the Chief Justice of the Federation Justice Walter Onnoghen and the Acting Chief Judge of Cross River State, for in the last 17 years, efforts had been made to host this game which were unsuccessful, but for the first time during this tenure this game is held here.
'I cannot but fail to applaud the very digital energetic sport loving governor of Cross River State our own dear Sen. Prof Ben Ayade who made it convenient, who made it conducive for us to witness this week long of activities.
'I want to say that Cross River State is a natural place for sporting activities, U. J Esuene stadium has hosted very many international sporting activities, football matches and having the judiciary game hosted here is another feather added to us.
'I want to thank God that in the last one week everything had gone very peacefully that shows that Cross River state, Calabar is the place to be for tourism, sport tourism and cultural tourism and other kind of tourisms.
'So I want to congratulate the LOC chairman who has put in so much energy and his team to make this event successful. We want to say we were glad to have Nigeria in Calabar, we were glad to host Judiciary sporting sector, we are so glad to know that it is not just about law and legal systems and judiciary pronouncement, that the judiciary have time to relax in a sporting activity', she concluded.
