Justice: Loss of public confidence – Another look at the role of lawyers and judges

“There must be a conscious effort to improve the process and attract the best minds to the Bench. This can be achieved where Lawyers who are doing very well in private practice do not fear a regression in their earnings or standards of living should they abandon such lucrative practices for appointment to the Bench”.

This week, in continuation of my discussion on the factors responsible for the loss by the public in the justice delivery system, I intend to examine the process of appointment of judges with focus on the need for transparency in the process. The reason for this is simple. Judges interpret the law and perhaps are rightly seen as the face of the law. When the Justice delivery system of any country is questioned, Judges, as is presently the case in Nigeria, attract a lot of scrutiny. Most of the cases in which judges have been accused of corrupt practices are often as a result of judgments which confound the public. In reality, some of these instances occur not out of corrupt practices but sometimes out of laziness and poor approach to research or sheer incompetence. This can for example be the only explanation for the refusal of a Judge to deliver a ruling or judgment several months after conclusion of a matter. The NJC should therefore take further steps to ensure that only competent hands are appointed to the bench of the superior court of record. While it has commendably introduced measures to make the process of appointment transparent, it should nevertheless continue to seek ways to improve in this regard.

Appointment Of Judges

By the provisions of Section 271(1) & (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended) the Governor of a State is empowered to appoint Judges into the High Court of a State upon the recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC). Such a person must however have been qualified as a Legal Practitioner for a period of not less than ten years. The provisions of the Constitution appear to present the issue of the appointment of Judges to be a straightforward matter. However there exists a large pool of qualified Legal Practitioners from which appointments to the Bench could be made. This therefore entails that a process be put in place to ensure that only the best hands and materials eventually make it to the Bench. In my estimation it is the strength or otherwise of this process that has the most profound effect on the Independence of the Judiciary.

Appointments In Days Gone Bye

In the sixties when I began the practice of Law, appointment to the Bench was strictly on merit. At that time, appointments were by invitations. Judges were always quick to identify Legal Practitioners who possessed sterling qualities suitable for appointment to the Bench. Aside from sound knowledge of the law, integrity and honour marked out and propelled many Judges appointed in those days to the Bench. Indeed one of the foremost, most upright, courageous and incorruptible Judges to grace the Bench in Nigeria, the recently departed Honourable Justice Kayode Eso in his book “The Mystery Gunman” described how he was invited to the Bench. At pages 173-174 of the Book the late Jurist stated as follows:

“Sit down please, I hope you are well?” he inquired.

The Chief Justice was already in his chambers. He had cultivated the habit of getting to court very early, to enable him sit at 9:00am prompt. Except he was ill, and he was not known to have been once, he would be in his chambers by 8:30am at the latest.

“Very well sir,” I answered, still with concealed trepidation.

“How long do you think this case will take?” he asked.

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“You had better finish today”, cut in the Chief Justice, very sharply, smiling rather mischievously. “For I have already recommended your name to the Premier for appointment as an acting judge,” the Chief Justice continued, without waiting for my reaction.

The reply to my recommendation arrived yesterday and the Governor will be ready to swear you in next week. The instrument is already prepared.”

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You do not need to be grateful to me. It is your work that has done it. The Judges here have had an eye on you for some time. They report so favourably on your brilliant performance”.

Similarly in 1975, Hon. Justice Oyemade, the Chief Judge of Western State invited me to the bench. However, I politely rejected the offer.

I am certain that most Judges appointed at that time had identical or similar experiences. The advantages of this were obvious. Firstly as stated earlier, it ensured that only the brilliant and of proven integrity were so invited. Judges afterall would be able to distinguish between Lawyers who had a preponderance to offer them bribes or engage in other untoward practices to influence their judgements from those who would meticulously and diligently prosecute the cases of their clients within the confines of the law and the rules of court. Secondly, it ensured that those who eventually honoured such invitations were those who were really interested in making a career on the bench and contributing their quota to national development. In some cases, as it was with Justice Eso, such appointees gave up thriving private practices to take up Judicial appointments. In doing so they found more motivation and inspiration in what they could give to the development of the law from the Bench.

At the present moment, appointment to the Bench is seen by many as an easy way out from the demands of private law practice. Some aspire to the Bench to enjoy the perquisites of judicial office without giving adequate thought to the demands and responsibilities of the position. Yet it is from this pool of persons that appointments must be made. Perhaps the general downturn in the economy has further made matters worse, but the reality is that no matter the thoroughness that goes into the selection process put in place by the Judicial Service Commissions of the States in conjunction with the National Judicial Council, the margin of error will remain high. Despite it there must be a conscious effort to improve the process and attract the best minds to the Bench. This can be achieved where Lawyers who are doing very well in private practice do not fear a regression in their earnings or standards of living should they abandon such lucrative practices for appointment to the Bench.

To be continued…

AARE AFE BABALOLA, OFR, CON, SAN, LL.D, D.Litt