- Says “the river of judicial process has to be kept pure.”
- Tells new SANs “you now carry a heavy burden on your shoulders.”
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has announced that “the Judiciary, as it is today, is more deserving of public trust and confidence than ever before.”
Speaking the special session of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to mark the commencement of the 2023/2024 legal year and swearing-in of newly conferred Senior Advocates of Nigeria, the CJN said: “We are poised to reposition it for effective justice delivery to make our beloved country a destination of note in the observance of the rule of law and tenets of constitutionalism.”
Assuring that the judiciary is “determined to redouble our efforts to bring about a judiciary that Nigerians, home and abroad, will be very proud and ecstatic about,” the CJN charged: “Nigeria must move forward in all spheres of life and we must collectively evolve a society where things must be done right to get the right environment for every right thing to thrive right for our collective good.
Congratulating the courts for having performed excellently, the CJN said: “The Supreme Court; and by extension, the Nigerian judiciary has fared well in the outgone legal year even though our high level of resilience was brazenly taken to task by some overwhelming challenges.”
According to the CJN, “the rule of law and the holistic independence of the judiciary should always be cherished by all. As the Chief Justice of Nigeria, I will do everything within my ability to make it remain part of my responsibility to nourish.”
He warned that “if a Judicial officer is found to be corrupt then he cannot be allowed to hold such a divine Chair of a judge” and that “[If] the faith of the people is to be maintained in the Judiciary, then the river of judicial process has to be kept pure.”
However, he expressed confidence in judicial officers while pointing out that: “Judicial Officers at the various hierarchy of Courts in Nigeria are discharging their judicial functions in a befitting manner.
“But as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, I still strongly desire from all Judicial Officers across Courts to lead a disciplined lifestyle that will enhance their trust and integrity quotient. Judges owe the society a great duty of always deciding cases without fear or favour, affection or ill will friend or foe.
“I expect every Judicial officer to work very hard and also be very honest and courteous litigants, witnesses, and members of the bar and discharge all your Judicial functions with all the humility at your command. Even while doing this, it is still necessary to have at the back of your minds that public opinions, sentiments or emotions can never take the place of the law in deciding the cases that come before you. The law remains the law, no matter whose interest is involved.
“In all we do, as interpreters of the law we should endeavour to sever the strings of emotion from logic and assumption from fact. We should never be overwhelmed by the actions or loud voices of the mob or crowd and now begin to confuse law with sentiment or something else in deciding our cases.
Nevertheless, unnecessary and unwarranted utterances are bound to embarrass not only others but the judge himself; thus what should be asked should be asked and what should not be asked should be avoided.
“I admonish our Judges to, as usual, receive what is tendered in court and eschew what is against the law and facts after thorough analysis and assimilation both in and out of courts, which exercise is of course part of judgeship…”
To the 58 new SANs, the CJN said: “As Senior Advocates of Nigeria, you now carry a heavy burden on your shoulders. From the moment you leave this Courtroom, everything in you and about you will now be freely scrutinized and dissected by everyone that comes in contact with you. There is nothing like private life for you henceforth.”
