EKITI STATE LEGAL SYSTEM AND PROFILE

Ekiti state, with capital at Ekiti State, was created on 1 October 1996 by the military dictatorship led by the late General, Sani Abacha. It was carved out of the old Ondo State, which came out, itself, from the defunct Western State.

The State lies between co-ordinates  7°40′N 5°15′Ewith Kwara State on its northern border, Ondo State to the south, Kogi to the east and Osun State to the west. The population of Ekiti State according to a recent estimate from the National Population Commission is 2,398,957- Male: 1,215,487; Female: 1,183,470.

Agriculture is the major economic activity in the State providing up to 90 percent of the gross domestic product of the state. The land in Ekiti is said to be very fertile for agricultural production. Cocoa is the leading cash crop produced in the State with the State reputed to have been the source of well over 40 percent of the cocoa products of the famous cocoa-pyramids of the old Western Region.

The State is also known for its forest resources, notably timber. Food crops like yam, cassava, and also grains like rice and maize are grown in large quantities. Notable tourist landmarks adorn the scapes including the famous Ikogosi tourist centre, Ikogosi with its warm spring being the most advanced.

Ekiti State is referred to as “The Fountain of Knowledge” due to many illustrious high-level intellectuals that trace their ancestral roots from the State. In fact, Ekiti State is reputed to have produced the highest number of Professors in Nigeria. Several pioneer scholars in Nigeria including Professors Adegoke Olubummo (1st Nigeria Professor in the field of Mathematics), Adeyinka Adeyemi (1st Professor of Architecture in West Africa), JF Ade-Ajayi, Niyi Osundare, Sam Aluko, Bolaji Aluko, Peter Bodurin all hail from the States.

Currently, the State owes its legal existence to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As a State, it is constitutionally mandated to establish:

1. an Executive arm of government headed by an elected Governor;

2. a legislative arm of government which members shall be drawn from constituencies defined in the Constitution. Its activities are presided over by a Speaker elected by the members of the State House of Assembly which oversees the exercise of the State’s legislative energies;

3. a judicial arm made up of judges, magistrates and other officers that help in the administration of justice and related activities within the State. The judicial arm is headed by the State’s Chief Justice. Nonetheless, judicial pronouncement of the State’s tribunals are subject to the appellate review of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Nigeria, in that order;
4.  the Local Government level of governance. Presently, the Nigerian Constitution prescribes 16 local Local Government Areas for the State; and

5. the powers of the State, the institutions and resources of  its arms and levels of government in order to secure a socio-economic environment for persons resident in the State and its other stakeholders to pursue legitimate goals in dignity under the State’s justice administration umbrella.

The Ekiti State legal system comprises;

1. The compendium of Constitutional provisions applicable to the State as one of the 36 States that constitute the Nigerian Federation;
   
2. Laws made by the Federal Legislature applicable throughout the entire federation or specifically to Ekiti State;
3. Laws made (or deemed to have been made), by the State’s legislature;
4. Laws made by Local Government Councils in the State;
5. Customary laws or other customs of the market place applicable under the operation of Law;
6. Judicial precedents of the courts of the State and of appellate courts with jurisdictions over its tribunals  like the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Nigeria;
7. Judicial precedents of federation tribunals like the Federal High Court, the National Industrial Court, Code of Conduct Tribunal, Investments and Securities Tribunal and so on to the extent to which their mandates allow.  

Sources of Ekiti State Legal System include:

1. The Constitution of Nigeria (including its amendments and other laws it refers to expressly as having the same character as provisions contained within the formal Constitutional document;
2. Laws of the Federation of Nigeria;
3. Legislations of the National Assembly applicable to Ekiti State;
4. Legislations of the State House of Assembly;
5. Recognized customs of the people of Ekiti State;
6. Judicial precedents of courts with judicial authority over Ekiti State;
7. Local Government edicts.

EKITI STATE BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS

LEGAL SYSTEMS OF THE FEDERATING UNITS OF NIGERIA – 37 STATES/FCT