As many of you may recall, a Nigerian was sworn in as a justice to the Superior Court of California in December. Honorable Judge Bunmi O. Awoniyi is the first Nigerian in California history to receive such honors. More on her swearing in can be found here:

Bunmi Awoniyi Is a Superior Court Judge in US

I had the privilege of attending and being in company with family, friends, and plenty of new faces. She had attendance and support from an array of members from the Nigerian community as well as her personal friends, family, staff, etc. Her parents flew in from London, England. Her children were in attendance accept for one of her sons, who was busy with school. One of her friends, a physician, flew in from Louisiana on the evening of the occasion. It was a big occasion folks.

The investiture held on the evening of 1/2/2013 at the Capitol Plaza in Downtown Sacramento. It's a lovely, multi-storied building... an old one too. There's actually an elevator operator as it still runs like the old ones from the early 1900s.

The brochure for the event (designed by my sister may I add).


The investiture ceremony lasted less than two hours. It began with performances from members of YHI (Yoruba Heritage International). There were speeches made by a couple of fellow superior court judges, personal friends, and a Reverend Father. Her son sang the American National Anthem at the beginning of the ceremony and "America the Beautiful" at the conclusion. Honorable Awoniyi also spoke, thanking her friends, husband and children, SAN (Sacramento Association of Nigerians), and, most importantly, her parents. "Your sacrifice was my opportunity", she said of them. They received a standing and roaring ovation.

After the main ceremony, there was a reception. There were fruits, veggies, and other finger foods (both western and Nigerian), with light music playing in the background. She posed for some photos in the investiture room before the main dinner.

The investiture room as well as the dinner hall were PACKED. I believe the limit was 240 as she gave SAN 120 seats and took the rest for friends, families, and 34 other justices. She actually invited over 170 people and wasn't worried, thinking they'd leave after the main ceremony and there would be room during dinner. There were over 300 people in attendance with people standing both during the investiture and dinner. Considering that this was a multicultural event (a British Nigerian sworn in as a California justice), people were intrigued and stayed.

Honorable Awoniyi made her entrance to the dinner hall around 8:45pm.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZRYwaKPrdo&feature=youtu.be

After a few brief congratulatory messages, dinner was served. There was an assortment of meats, fish, rices, and efo riro, and pepper soup. During dinner, there was a performance by the Akwa Ibom association of Sacramento. It's a performance I missed as I was busy serving moin moin and chicken, but the music sounded lovely and their ovation was loud. Later on in the evening, members of YHI performed for Honorable Awoniyi, her husband, and her parents.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HUB5ZeA8lk

This was my favorite, albeit long. The video doesn't do it much justice but it was intriguing nonetheless. This was the final performance of the night. Honorable Awoniyi spent the rest of the evening, posing with celebrants and dancing with her family.





Also in attendance were Professors Steve and Uche Ugbah. Professor Ugbah contested for governorship in Benue state in 2011 and lost to fraud




She was supposed to be taking pictures but "Ashawo Remix" started playing


And that's it! So another congratulations to Honorable Judge Bunmi Awoniyi on a remarkable and historical achievement. I think I speak for us all when I say that she has made Nigerians across the globe extremely proud

Is she a nler?

If yes, she should reveal her handle plz, unless its not advisable for her to do so.

Nigeria the worst place to be born indeed.

That is what I call a proud moment. Justice Awoniyi is indeed a role-model for Nigerian youths. Congrats once again, to her and d family. It's also good that the Nigerian community in Sacramento turned out to celebrate her achievement.
The pictures look great too. Ogugua, you just dey get prettier by the day

Good one.... I live in Sacramento and nobody invited me??

SAKUR: Congratulations....But I live in Sacramento and nobody invited me??

You live in Sacramento? That's awesome.
I guess those in charge of the invitations didn't do enough publicity.
BTW, I live in San Diego County.

go Ogugua888

Nice one

Wow hw awesome..

I'm happy for her. May Obatala bless us all.
And thanks for the detailed sharing,Ogugua

Congratulations to her.

What is the Superior Court of CA? Is that like the State Supreme Court?

Please don't tell me to ask Google...

manny4life: Congratulations to her.

What is the Superior Court of CA? Is that like the State Supreme Court?

Please don't tell me to ask Google...

Click here: [url]google.com[/url]

Michaeljones36:

Ask google.

Click here: [url]google.com[/url]

Thank you.

Like I said, "Don't ask me to ask Google", meaning, I want to hear from people who live in CA.

This is very nice, someday she might be a district attorney. This goes to buttress that statement that America is the home of the brave and the land of the free

manny4life:
Thank you.
Like I said, "Don't ask me to ask Google", meaning, I want to hear from people who live in CA.

OK... You would get all the explanation here my friend [url=google.com]Superior Court of CA[/url]

BTW...I see one girlie in glasses and on a local funny looking attire

so sweet,I am proud of her and may God Almighty continue to uplift her and her family. She has made us proud in Nigeria. I pray for myself also to serve as a positive impact to my nation internationally, so help me God

nice lips and clean white teeth *BJ tinz on my mind*

tpia@:
Is she a nler?

If yes, she should reveal her handle plz, unless its not advisable for her to do so.

Nigeria the worst place to be born indeed.

kai!!!!
Tpia, u fall ma hand. But i will keep to ma affronts jes for now, jes cos it's u. Nxt time...

Too many Nigeria brains abroad

fuke: Too many Nigeria brains abroad

This is type of people our government needs to bring home and let them apply their expertise in order to move Nigeria forward. But they won't do that; they will continue to use the same rogues and corrupt Nigeria officials they've been using since the independents to

KINGwax: kai!!!!
Tpia, u fall ma hand. But i will keep to ma affronts jes for now, jes cos it's u. Nxt time...

What are you on about?

Wish my comment gets 2 frontpage koments.

I'll be happy!!!

Congo to her. Go fvcuk Obama

mrkels:

OK... You would get all the explanation here my friend [url=google.com]Superior Court of CA[/url]

BTW...I see one girlie in glasses and on a local funny looking attire

Nice try

If you live in CA, then answer the question, if not... OP please answer.

Funny looking attire kwa? Your bad mouth is just too much, ok OP reply back.

@ogugua,
what part of nigeria are your folks originally from ?

You look nice in that yoruba native attire by the way.

How many non-yorubas are judges in Lagos state despite the taxes paid by them since time immemorial

And we wonder why our country is emptying itself to these oyinbo places on voluntary slavery!

chingyjant: A big congrat to her.She is just one amongst many Nigerians excelling here in the United States.May this be the beginning of her success in American Judicial system.Can you imagine the whites calling her Yoruba name here and there.That makes me proud to be a Nigerian

But doesn't change the fact that we are from one of the worst countries on earth CURRENTLY and we are doing very little to change that FACT.
Rather we are contributing our skills and efforts (as well as early investments on our education by the Nigerian government at different levels- LG [primary], state [secondary] and federal [tertiary]} to build another country while ours continues to slide further.
That Nigerian investment may not have been made for this generation directly but to the parents whose income benefits the kids who are today's adults.

tpia@:


What are you on about?

stop insultin ma country. If it irks u so much, nobody's holding u not to take up nationality and citizenry of hiati. Plssssss. Ok?

illuminutty :
nice lips and clean white teeth *BJ tinz on my mind*

Na wa for this guy. You just turned a whole superior court judge in the US into a sex object.

manny4life: Congratulations to her.

What is the Superior Court of CA? Is that like the State Supreme Court?

Please don't tell me to ask Google...

It's a Trial Court, just like a Federal District Court.

KINGwax: stop insultin ma country. If it irks u so much, nobody's holding u not to take up nationality and citizenry of hiati. Plssssss. Ok?

care to explain in plain english what exactly is getting your goat?