Mr Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Bayelsa Dep. Gov. has stressed the need for judicial officers in the country to take their annual vacation seriously in the interest of productivity and their overall well being during and after active service.

Ewhrudjakpo stated this at a valedictory session held in honour of Late Justice Young Ogola (rtd) on Friday in Yenagoa.

He said that judicial officers were under tremendous strain in view of the nature of their duties and urged them to find time to rest in the midst of their tight work schedule.

According to him: “There is no doubt that judicial officers in our country work under tremendous strain. They burn in the day and even at night.

“So, we really want to encourage you, that while it is a duty call to answer, it is also important to rest in midst of your very tight  schedule.

“The time you have for your vacation should not be compromised. I say this because Nigerians, including me, like compromising everything.

“You must rest because the work will continue even when you are not there, just as it will continue when you are there. So let us give ourselves rest,” he said.

Paying tributes to the departed High Court Judge, Ewhrudjakpo described  Ogola as a man of value, who never pursued materialistic gains at the expense of promoting the common good.

He said Ogola was an embodiment of humility, steadfastness, and selflessness and urged the younger generation to emulate his attributes and all that he exemplified during his lifetime.

According to him, the distinguished judge belonged to the category of individuals whose impact was felt not only during his lifetime but also in death.

”His departure has created a large vacuum in the Ogola family,  Sagbama Local Government and the state at large.

“Justice Ogola falls into the category of individuals whose impact was felt during his lifetime and also in death.

“He was a man of values and  not a man of valuables. Those who are men of valuables are materialistic in all their endeavours and strides.

“So, they become veracious, malicious, deceitful and demonic when the valuables they crave for are not available.

“But those who are of values ensure that they live and let others live.

“Justice Ogola lived to let others live and so, we really want to recommend his attributes and all that he stood for to the younger generation of which l am a part.

” It is very  important that we realize that we are not going to be judged by the wealth or other material things that we possess but God will judge us for the love we failed to show,” he said.

 Also, the State Chief Judge, Justice Matilda Ayemieye, eulogised the memory of Justice Ogola, stating that he was a man of honour and candour who gave his best years to the court of justice.

Ayemieye noted that Ogola  served with integrity, diligence and exceptional administrative acumen while occupying the pivotal positions of Secretary to the Judicial Service Commission and Chief Registrar of the High Court  of Justice, Bayelsa State.

According to her: “Justice Ogola saw the judiciary not as a platform of power but a sacred trust for service and that he was a meticulous steward of justice, who dispensed justice with calm, quiet strength and uncommon devotion.

To the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Biriyai Dambo (SAN), Ogola was more than a judge as he was a pillar of judicial excellence known for his depth of knowledge, fearlessness in the pursuit of justice and commitment to the rule of law.

He stated that throughout his distinguished career on the bench, Justice Ogola  delivered landmark judgements that helped in shaping Nigeria’s jurisprudence, particularly in constitutional law and enforcement of human rights.

In his remarks, Mr Felix Okorotie (SAN), observed that most judicial officers die shortly after retirement due to tremendous work pressure while in active service.

He, therefore, called on the federal and state governments to provide special medical packages for both serving and retired judicial officers.

Speaking on behalf of the Yenagoa and Sagbama branches of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Chairman of Yenagoa NBA, Mr Clement Kekemeke, enjoined members of the bar and bench to sustain Late Ogola’s legacy.

Kekemeke urged them to uphold Ogala’s legacy of upholding the law, shielding the vulnerable and championing the cause of righteousness.

Late Justice Ogola was elevated to the High Court bench in May, 2009 and served meritoriously for 10 years before he retired.

At retirement, the Bayelsa government appointed him as Chairman of the #EndSARS Judicial Panel of Inquiry and then later as Chairman of the state Physical Planning and Development Tribunal.