By Worgu Boms (emeritus AG, Rivers State)
WHAT NIGERIA ACHIEVED IN LESS THAN 70 YEARS ENGLAND AND WALES SHALL BE ACHIEVING IN 755 YEARS AFTER
Today, Sunday, June 10, 2023, I received an email that excited me exceedingly and made me laugh uncontrollably.
It was a mail from a Law Teacher in Cambridge University, UK.
In it, he said he was proudly pre-informing me that the UK was about to do what I jocularly taunted it as unable to do throughout all its history but which Nigeria did in less than 70 years.
I instantly recognised what he was referring to and I anxiously read on for the evidence.
In 2003 or so, I was at Cambridge University- not as a student (I schooled in Nkpolu- Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, Nigeria) – but as one of Key Note Speakers in a symposium there that year.
At the Dinner after the Opening Ceremonies, I was honoured with the assignment of proposing the Toast to:
” All Heads of Government and Sovereigns here represented”.
It was a huge honour and a proud moment for me.
At the Dinner, seated on the High Table, was Nigeria’s then Chief Justice, Justice Mariam Alooma Mukthar. She was Nigeria’s first woman to occupy that position.
Justice Amina Augie, also of the Supreme Court, was in the audience. Coincidentally, it was her – Justice Augie’s- Birthday that day.
When it was time, during the Dinner, and I was called upon to perform the Toast, I applied for two indulgences, before proposing the Toast and was permitted.
Firstly, I informed the Dinners that a Justice of Nigeria’s Supreme Court, Amina Augie, was dining with us and that it was her Birthday. My Lord stood up, and took a bow to Happy Birthday wishes from the fellow Dinners. Later, a Birthday cake was arranged and presented to her by Prof Berry Rider.
Secondly, I asked my audience whether, in the entire History of England and Wales, in particular, for the over 700 years that the office of the Chief Justice of England and Wales was established in 1268 or so, a female had ever occupied it. I answered in the negative myself and to which answer they all concurred; or at least, no one negatived.
I then proudly introduced to them, the Hon Justice Marriam Alooma Mukthar, Nigeria’s first female Chief Justice.
Something England and Wales had never accomplished. We beat them to it, I triumphantly announced.
It was after that, that I proceeded to propose the Toast as requested.
That was more than a decade.
Today, in the email I referred to earlier, my learned friend informed me that the UK, soon, very soon, would have a female Lord Chief Justice FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME in over 700 years and more than 10 years after we attained that feat in Nigeria within 70 years of our own nationhood.
According to him, only two (2) persons have made the Final Shortlist and they are women.
Both were QCs ( senior advocates, as we call them here in Nigeria) before they joined the Bench.
One is of the Court of Appeal and the other, of the UK Supreme Court.
They are:
1. Dame Victoria Sharp
2. Dame Sue Carr
From analysis, it seems it will swing to Mrs. Sharp, with a reputation for hard work and diligence. She is said to work from 7 am to 9 pm on weekdays and at weekends.
A twin sister to Richard Sachs, the legendary banker with Goldman Sachs, Justice Sharp so loves hard work she rejected any leave on the birth of any of her children!
(This workaholic habit reminds me personally of the 1960’s Lord Chief Justice of England, Renner Goddard, whose Biographer stated that for all the period Justice Goddard was both a High Court Judge and the Lord Chief Justice, spanning a combined period of over 2 decades, his Lordship missed Court only one day -on the insistence of his doctor. And that he never was late for one day!)
To me, and indeed it is so, this is a truly historic moment- a position, for over 700 years that over 100 men had occupied with no woman ever occupying it, is about to be occupied by a woman- Dame Sharp or Dame Carr, Lord (or Lady) Chief Justice of England and Wales!
Since there is no NJC there ( NJC is Nigeria’s National Judicial Council that constitutionally makes such recommendations), Prime Minister Sunak and the Lord Chancellor Chalk, would put heads together, recommend one of the two women to the King, and the appointment of the first woman Chief Justice of England and Wales since over 700 years is made!
We rejoice with the UK people and congratulate Justice Sharp or Justice Carr, whoever finally makes it.
For me, and returning to the Theme: What England and Wales could not do in over 700 years, Nigeria did in less than 70 years!
Is God our God, not great?
My name is WorguBoms
