08 Aug 2020 Address at the Commissioning of the Family Court, High Court of Justice

It is always a delight for me to be part of activities that show the collaboration between the three arms of government. Certainly, our growth as a people is strongly dependent on the synergy between the executive, judiciary and legislature.

Today, we are here to commission the Family Court. You may recall that one of the points raised in our Roadmap to Accelerated Development in Oyo State, 2019-2023 is to play our part in strengthening the laws around the Child’s Rights Act, 2003.

Although this Act was domesticated in Oyo State in 2006, the court where this law was to be enforced was not established. We all know what happens when a law is made but the architecture for enforcement is non-existent.

With the establishment of this court, the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion will be better positioned to carry out their responsibilities. I will therefore want to use this opportunity to call on the good people of Oyo State to not hesitate to contact the Oyo Ministry of Women Affairs Rapid Response Team (OYOMWA-RRT) should they see any child’s rights being violated.

Violation of a child’s rights will include all sorts of physical and emotional abuse. I can assure you that they will be swift in their response and they will make sure that the rights of that child are protected.

Also, all other issues that directly impact the family and the child will be resolved in this court.

So, I look forward to continued cordial relationship with all arms of government to the overall benefit of the people of Oyo State.

I therefore declare this Family Court open.

Governor Seyi Makinde, July 09, 2020.