Economic emancipation critical to development, NBA

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The Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) has urged the President-elect Senator Bola Tinubu to muster the political will to reform the country’s judicial system when he took over the mantle of leadership for economic and emancipation development.

The body lamented that the existing judicial system was no more functional, and stressed the urgent need for far-reaching reforms that will guarantee improved performance, enhanced accountability and judicial independence.

The NBA Chairman, Ado-Ekiti Branch, Adetunji Fasanmi stated this in Ado-Ekiti at a press conference heralding the 2023 Law Week themed; ‘ The Law and the Economy: Finding a Pathway for a Prosperous Post-Election Nation Nigeria ‘

He said the week-long activities would involve a lecture on the theme by Afam Osigwe and Professor Joash Amupitan would speak on, ‘Addressing the Nigerian economic challenges through the instrumentality of the law and future economic prosperity ‘

Fasanmi identified obsolete legislation, a slow justice system, inadequate funding and the process of appointing judges as the challenges affecting the administration of justices in the country.

The NBA boss suggested the incoming administration should convoke a summit involving the executive, judiciary, legislature and leadership of the legal profession to critically examine the justice system with a view to developing a better system.

Fasanmi added that the reform must see to financial autonomy, the eradication of delays in justice administration, the process of appointing judges, corruption and the strengthening of accountability in the judiciary.

He said, ” This year’s event is monumental because it is happening at a time when Nigeria, our dear country, is passing through a democratic transition. Hopes are high and expectations are in the altitude for economic restoration and national development in the new dispensation.

” This is the reason why we have carefully selected the theme, “The Law and the Economy: Finding a Pathway for a Prosperous Post-Election Nation Nigeria” to mark this year’s Law Week. It is our expectation that by the end of this Law Week, we would have been able to fashion a pathway for the economic emancipation of Nigeria.

“It is saddening that the Nigerian justice system is at crossroads. Consequently, it needs some introspection and should be reformed holistically. The judiciary is not just any institution but the last hope of the common man. So, the urgent need for the reformation of the system can’t be over-emphasised.

“We hope the incoming administration of Senator Bola Tinubu should muster the political will to restructure the system in such a way that the challenges affecting the justice system would be addressed.

“This will surely make the justice system save its face and regain its pride of place in dispensing justice without fear or favour.”

He added that Tinubu should ensure that the judicial arm guards its independence and impartiality by ensuring the judiciary enjoys financial autonomy so that judges would be firm in dispensing justice without fear and favour.

On the process of appointing judges, the NBA boss stressed that the appointment of judges should be based on merit and not political patronage, adding that the bench should be exclusively reserved for the best and brightest in character.

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