The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun has expressed happiness with the Constitutional Court of South Africa for fearless adjudication, judicial independence and unwavering fidelity to constitutional values.
Speaking in Johannesburg, South Africa on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the South African Constitutional Court, Justice Kekere-Ekun said the South African court has been a source of inspiration across the continent and beyond.
The CJN recognized the role played by the court in strengthening democracy in post apartheid South Africa.
According to her, three decades ago, the Court emerged as a beacon of justice and constitutional renewal in a country that had chosen, with courage and conviction, the path of democracy, equality and the rule of law.
She said: “Since that transformative moment, the Constitutional Court has stood not only as the guardian of South Africa’s Constitution but as a source of inspiration across the continent and beyond.
“In this Court’s jurisprudence, we have witnessed the power of law to heal a nation, to confront injustice and to advance human dignity.
“Through fearless adjudication, judicial independence and unwavering fidelity to constitutional values, you have demonstrated the capacity of courts to be agents of social transformation.”;
Justice Kekere-Ekun stated that the court’s landmark judgments continued to echo far beyond South Africa’s borders, affirming that the Constitution is not merely a legal document, but the living embodiment of the people’s collective will and aspirations.
She stated that the Nigerian judiciary had drawn deep inspiration from the South African Constitutional Court’s pioneering decisions and principled stance in defence of democratic ideals.
“Your work reminds us all that constitutional courts play a vital role not just in resolving disputes, but in shaping just societies”;, she added.
Justice Kekere-Ekun added that the 30 years anniversary of the South African Constitutional Court was a powerful affirmation that the Constitutional Court remains a beacon of constitutionalism and judicial excellence on the African continent.
