The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has expressed concerns over the growing negative perception of the judiciary, restating needs for all stakeholders to work towards changing the narrative.
The CJN spoke Monday as the special guest of honour at the 2024 Justices Annual Conference themed ‘Judicial Introspection’, and organised by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem.
Kekere-Ekun said: “Collective dedication to justice is a cornerstone of our legal system. This season for us should be for reflection and renewal as institutions and individuals alike to evaluate past actions, learn from experiences, and plan for future endeavours.”
The CJN further said: “We cannot overemphasise this point. We are an appellate court for a reason, and the reason is that several heads are better than one. So, holding conferences and exchanging opinions and ideas on matters that come before us is extremely essential.
“There is a growing negative perception of the judiciary. We must all individually and collectively work towards changing this negative perception. And I must say that the last meeting of the NJC, we did state, when the press relief was made, that while the court will look at the counsel, will look into genuine complaints, we also stand to support our judges and justices where frivolous complaints are made.”
Earlier in her welcome address, Justice Dongban- Mensem noted that the ever-evolving nature of the judiciary landscape demanded regular engagement in self-reflection, evaluation, and strategic planning, which the conference according to her offered.
She expressed regrets, saying that despite their expertise and experience, Justices are not immune to the limitations inherent in human decision-making, including errors, biases, and prejudices.
“To address the limitations and ensure the delivery of justices and judicial introspection can offer a mechanism for self-reflection, in-depth analysis, and ongoing improvement.” Dongban-Mensem further stated.
…Ex- AGF Agabi, AGF Fagbemi
In his keynote address, a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Kanu Agabi(SAN), noted with dismay that those who do not know the Nigerian Judiciary enough continued to misunderstand and malign it.
According to Agabi, Judges in the country were serving the nation at a difficult time, adding that their courage and sacrifice were proof of their patriotism.
“Rather than help to mitigate the pressure on the Judiciary, some of us, including those on the social media, have continued to attack our already scandalised and distressed Judges,” Agabi said.
In his remarks, the AGF and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), restated that the Nigerian judiciary, “has a long and proud history of dispensing justice without fear or favor,” saying the court had to a great extent demonstrated its unwavering commitment to upholding the principles of justice, equity, and fairness.
“Your judgments have set precedents, shaped legal discourse, shaped the course of several aspects of our national life, and your commitment to upholding the Constitution and established principles of law and natural justice has provided a beacon of hope for countless individuals and entities seeking justice,” he said.
Fagbemi then charged the organisers to use the conference as a barometer to gauge the accomplishments of the appellate court and also provide a compass to guide optimal performance in the future.
He said: “In this regard, there is no doubt that our learned justices stand to benefit greatly from this exercise as well as the expertise and experience of the invited resource persons.”
…NBA cautions executive arm
Speaking at the occasion, President Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), cautioned against undermining the independence of the judiciary by the executive arm of government using security agents to invade their homes and intimidate them.
This, he said, adversely affects their mental and physical disposition which according to him is instrumental to the attainment of justice in any society.
“Government officials, lawyers, litigants and members of the public talking down on and brazenly denigrating the judiciary and ridiculously dumping all the ills and failures of society on the judiciary. Perception of the judiciary as a weak and malleable organ of government and attendant loss of confidence in our justice system is consequent upon the denigrations, intimidations, and seeming lack of independence of the judiciary.” Osigwe said.
…Body of Benchers
Also speaking on behalf of the Body of Benchers, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) said the Nigerian judiciary has some of the finest characters and legal brains on whom no price tag can be attached.
“Our judges and justices are the greatest assets of our nation. We must continue to accord them the highest honour, respect and dignity. The image of the judiciary is too important to a democratic society to allow it to be tarnished in any way by any act of impropriety by any members of the Bar or Bencher,” Awomolo added.