The Russian Revolution, referred to as the ‘Great October Socialist Revolution,’ took place one hundred years ago on November 7 (October 25 on the calendar in force in Russia at the time). Although the revolution was inspired by noble ideas and ideals, mainly the elimination of exploitation and poverty and the creation of a party […]
Category Archives: Independence
INDEPENDENT THIRD WORLD JUDGES LEAD THE WAY
The stunning news, unprecedented in Africa’s history, broke on Friday morning that the Kenyan Supreme Court had overturned the results of the August 8 elections which the incumbent president, Uhuru Kenyatta, 55, had won with 54 percent of the vote. The six-bench Supreme Court ruled four to two in favour of a petition by Raila […]
THE GOVERNMENT’S ATTITUDE TO THE CONSTITUTION IS DEEPLY TROUBLING
I adopt the sentiments of Lincoln Lewis, who writes frequently on constitutional matters. He said in last Sunday’s Chronicle: “We are facing a very serious situation and what I am about to say is intended to right a ship, veering wildly off course and posing dire implications for the rule of law, the legitimacy of […]
WHEN SHOULD A JUDGE RECUSE HIMSELF OR HERSELF?
Professor Olowofoyeku, adopting a statement made by Justice Slade in 1955 said “adjudicators ought to avoid ‘the erroneous impression that it is more important that justice should appear to be done than that it should in fact be done.’” He also said that “it is essential to heed the exhortations of Kirby P. that ‘judges should resist being driven from their courts by the conduct or assertion of parties, including assertions of actual or imputed bias.’”
ECHOES OF THE EVER-PRESENT PAST
In 1838, as former slaves were celebrating the abolition of slavery the British colonial empire, Jesuit priests of Georgetown University in Washington DC, in the US, were selling 272 slaves to Southern estates to raise funds for the University. This trade in human degradation lasted until 1865 when the institution of slavery, one of the […]