Lagos Chief Judge retires as sister takes over

On Saturday, July 26, 2014, Justice Ayotunde Phillips, the Chief Judge of Lagos State will be 65 and that is also the day she will officially cease to be the chief judge because she has attained her statutory retirement age as the chief judicial officer of the state.
She is not unmindful of this day. She has therefore sent SMS messages to friends and family members to this effect. Her SMS read thus: “Please, note that July 26 is my 65th birthday and retirement from the bench. Details to follow.
Please, pencil date in your dairy and hope you would not have proceeded on your summer vacation by then.”
ENCOMIUM Weekly gathered that on that Saturday, July 26, 2014, Her Lordship, Justice Ayotunde Phillips, with her families, friends and well wishers will be at Bola Memorial Anglican Church, Ikeja, Lagos, for thanksgiving.
This, according to information at our disposal will start from 12 noon. The thanksgiving will be followed by reception at The Haven, Olu Akinjobi Street, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos. The dress code is purple.
Justice Ayotunde Phillips has every reason to be happy and joyous on the occasion of her 65th birthday and retirement from the bench.
Aside the fact that she has given a good account of herself as the Chief Judge of the state in the last two years, she is joyous and happy that her own immediate younger sister, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade, Head Judge of Lagos Judiciary, is the one that will be stepping into her shoes as the 15th chief judge of Lagos state.
This is certainly epoch making in the history of the judiciary in Lagos state. This is the first time two family members will be succeeding each other as the chief judge of the state. Retiring Justice Ayotunde Phillips and the incoming Justice Olufumilayo Aitlade are two of the four children of Justice James Williams, who was once a judge in the state.
–          TOLANI ABATTI