The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, on Monday conferred the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) on a Lagos-based human rights activist, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, the Solicitor General of the Federation/Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Justice, Adedayo Apata and 36 other senior lawyers.
The swearing-in of the new SANs by the CJN is one of the several programmes lined up to herald the 2019/2020 legal year of the Supreme Court.
It will be recalled that out of the 117 legal practitioners that applied for the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2019, 38 were successful at the end of the rigorous exercise.
Out of this number, three are academics while 35 are advocates.
The rank of SAN is awarded as a mark of excellence to members of the legal profession who have distinguished themselves as advocates and academics.
Among the new silks is the wife of a Justice of the Supreme Court, Mrs Adedoyin Rhodes-Vivour.
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Others are the Abdullahi Haruna, Aikhunegbe Malik, Manga Nuruddeen, John Onuegbulam Asoluka, Adedokun Makinde, Daniel Enwelum, Emmanuel Oyebanji, Tuduru Ede, Abdul Ajana and Ama Etuwewe and Oladipo Olasope.
Others are Leslie Nylander, Olusegun Fowowe, Andrew Hutton, Olukayode Enitan, Paul Ogbole, Olaniyi Olopade, Samuel Agweh, Olusegun Jolaawo, Prof. Alphonsus Alubo, Ayo Asala, Abiodun Olatunji, Olumide Aju, Chimezie Ihekweazu and Prof. Mamman Lawan.
The others are Prof. Uchefula Chukwumaeze, Usman Sule, Safiya Badamasi, Echezona Etiaba, Godwin Omoaka. Emeka Ozoani, Alexander Ejesieme, Jephthah Njikonye, Alhassan Umar and Oyetola Atoyebi.
In his speech, the CJN called for full financial independence of the judiciary, saying that the present situation whereby the judiciary goes cap in hand begging for funds has made the dependence of the judiciary in doubt.
“The annual budget of the judiciary is still a far cry from what it ought to be. The figure is either stagnated for a long period or it goes on a progressive decline. The only thing I can do at this juncture is to plead with all concerned to let us enjoy our independence,
However, he said the Nigerian judiciary, to a large extent, is independent in conducting its affairs and taking of decisions on matters before it without any extraneous influence. “At the Supreme Court, as I have always said, we are totally independent in the way we conduct our affairs, especially in our judgments.
“We don’t pander to anybody’s whims and caprices. If there is any deity to be feared, it is the Almighty God. We will never be subservient to anybody, no matter his position in the society”, he said and urged relevant authorities to increase the salary and also work out measures to improve the welfare package of judicial officers, especially after retirement.
He said retired judges should be accorded the benefits of annual medical treatment locally and abroad if the need arises to go for foreign Medicare.
In his address, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Paul Usoro (SAN), said the NBA is concerned with the process that culminated in the retirement of former CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen.
The NBA said the process showed a brazen external intrusion and interference in the disciplinary processes of the judiciary in a manner that undermined its independence and, by extension, the rule of law.
Usoro said, “The process was not only contrary to the provisions of our laws but also degraded and desecrated the hallowed dignity that attaches to the office of the CJN.
“Lest we be misunderstood, the Bar is not suggesting that anyone, including the CJN, is above the law.
“However, there is a National Judicial Council (NJC) process that is prescribed by law for investigating and disciplining errant judicial officers”, he said, adding also that the process is put in place to preserve the dignity that attaches to the office of judicial officers and to secure the independence of the judiciary.
The NBA president said side-tracking the laid down process, coupled with the condemnable media trial that is now the bane of some agencies, not only undermines the rule of law but desecrates the respectability that attaches to the office of the CJN.
While congratulating the new silks who have been found worthy by their superiors and peers of wearing the coveted rank of SAN, Usoro said, they were chosen from a large number of applicants based on their outstanding qualities.
Disturbed by the alleged abuse of powers and egotistic humiliation and degradation of lawyers and the legal profession by some law enforcement agencies, the NBA, he said is calling on members of the association to speak with one voice in this regard and that members of the Inner Bar, must join the NBA in taking the lead.
He said, the fight against corruption is best fought by tackling the incentives for corruption such as the inadequate compensation packages for judicial and public officers generally.
The NBA then, appealed to relevant stakeholders, to holistically review upward the compensation packages of judicial officers at all levels, sufficient to objectively eliminate any incentive for corruption in the judiciary and that the judiciary must not relent in ridding itself of corrupt elements, if any, in its fold.
“The internal self-regulating processes that reside within the NJC, pursuant to law, must be utilized and constantly oiled to weed out corrupt judicial officers who give the judiciary a bad name”, he said.
The judiciary, he said would, in the process, strengthen public confidence in the institution while keeping at bay those persons and agencies who demonize and degrade the judiciary.
Also in his speech, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), called on Justices of the Supreme Court not to bow to the pressures of different political actors, irrespective of any irregularity that might have occurred in the course of dispensing justice by different election tribunals.
“It is important that this court, as a final arbiter remains just and resolute in resolving all issues presented before it.
He said, in the last legal year, the administration of justice received boosts in the areas of Anti-Corruption Policy Drive (which successfully introduced zero tolerance to corrupt practices and entrenched integrity and ethical conducts in the task of governance).
“Let me at this juncture, reflect on the issue that has dominated the public space in recent times that requires our collective urgent attention, which bothers on granting of interview by Counsel during the pendency of a matter or after judgment has been delivered over his matter.
“I must state that in as much as the Constitution enjoins freedom of speech, it has to be within the context of ethics of our noble profession.
“Therefore. it is not in the interest of the Nigerian legal profession for lawyers, who are bounded by Rules 1 and 30 of the Rule of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners, to grant interview disparaging the Court of law and its judgment, thereby eroding the sanctity of our judiciary”, the AGF said.
Speaking on behalf of the new SANs, Adedoyin Rhodes-Vivour, one of the recipients, admonished the recipients to conduct themselves well in line with their new rank.
She said: “As officers in the temple of justice, we are obliged to treat the courts with respect, dignity and honour and channel any legitimate complaints only through the appropriate authority and not conduct ourselves in any manner that will obstruct, delay or adversely affect the administration of justice or negatively impact on the perception of legal practitioners and our judiciary by the public, domestic and international.
“We must remember our obligation at all times to partner with the judiciary in maintaining an effective and expeditious judiciary and promoting any improvements in the administration of justice.”
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