In the midst of the miasma oozing from the Supreme Court, the Judiciary could do with a fresh breath from somewhere within itself. Yes, stakeholders are scampering to contain the burst in the sewer, but the stunningly unprecedented development may not go away anytime soon, regardless of the containment strategies of the Senate and the Body of Benchers to make it look like a family affair. The action of the 14 justices and the reaction of CJN Tanko, for which his media aide is now under fire, aggregated the civil war situation in the system. I know a detente is being worked out, but if it is Karma at work, the troubling of water at the apex court, may abide for a discomforting while. I expect two things to happen, if President Muhammadu Buhari truly belongs to no one.
One, the allegations against the Chief Justice, particularly of financial impropriety, should be thoroughly investigated by relevant anti-corruption agencies. There is a precedent of just three years back to compel this. Two, Tanko, must be excused from office, when this is ongoing. The precedent just cited, again, makes this the right call, when truth is being genuinely searched.
If Tanko also has allegations of misconduct against his brother-justices, he too should bring them into the open. One of Fayol’s 14 Principles of Management is esprit de corps. But it would be sheer hypocrisy if applied in this context as a form of settlement. Nerves had frayed and shredded beyond just talking both sides out of their frustrations and anger. Fingers had been physically wagged in a face, much respected before now. The CJN and the justices are humans, with emotions. Camaraderie is gone in their midst.
Issues are in the open now and should be investigated. Nobody should form St. Justice. It is not about administration of public funds alone. Justices consulting for politicians on election matters that would eventually come before them as a final court, can’t throw stones, without at least, getting pebbles back. Yes, money is in the mix, but what is brewing isn’t about money alone. It is about the future of this country. NJC should excuse both Tanko and his deputy who is also the most senior justice of the court, Justice Kayode Ariwoola and launch a comprehensive probe of its own. The body, unfortunately so, had a similar assignment to handle just three years back and regardless of the outcome, the fact remains the assignment was carried out. Duty calls again and the needful must also be done this time round.
Without attempting to introduce ethno-religious sentiment into the Supreme Court simmering lava, authorities should be mindful of any tribal or religious narratives in this matter. Soon, rent-a-crowd protestations might spring in support of Tanko, that he is being dragged for alleged corruption, because he is a Muslim from the North and a Sharia specialist. Of the 14 justices that signed what is akin to his “impeachment notice”, eight are Northern Muslims, including a particular Aso Rock darling. I digress.
The original intention here is to celebrate a brother, whose recent appointment to the Court of Appeal is generating wide applause everywhere. I chose to keep his identity away from this space, because he didn’t know this would be here. All I will say is it isn’t an appointment to the Bench.
Somehow, it is even better if he remains anonymous until results begin to trickle in from the value he is already adding to the intermediate court. Cerebral, resourceful, and insightful, he had passion to be a journalist until law took him away, but not too far away from where he can make inputs in media matters. Let’s toast this avant-garde administrator, who is gradually taking after his mentor, the el-cerebro of the Nigerian Judiciary. May your tenure benefit humanity, amen.
For the Ekweremadus
Section 2 of Article 6 of the Human Rights Act of 1988 operational in United Kingdom, says, “Everyone charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.” Back home, it is easy predicting in advance, the guilt of Nigerians arrested for offences bordering on felony in UK or USA, because the system is deemed functionally efficient, especially the investigative aspect, which is always thought to be immaculately thorough. However, it must be noted no human design is perfect and no system, without its Achilles heel. Since the news of the arrest and court appearance in UK, of Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, broke, the inquisitorial Nigerian society has embarked on the usual presumed-guilty-until-proven-otherwise”. Even the media is already projecting the couple’s sentencing for an alleged crime, for which they just appeared in court!
Facts in the saga are just emanating. What isn’t in doubt is that a minor and a sick daughter are involved. How my heart bleeds for the sick in the middle of this mess. Aisha Yesufu, the prattling activist, queried the rush in the Ekweremadus’ bid to salvage their daughter’s life, when there are others in her situation weathering the pains of dialysis for more than five years running. That is plain cruelty coming from her. Do you crucify someone for being a caring father, even if a selfish, opportunistic political leader? Must he be bad inside out? Yes, I agree the 15-year-old donor could be an issue, but I know desperation can make even good people do stuff, especially when they want to show they care. I also agree, it is going to be difficult being sympathetic towards an average Nigerians politician, but our humanity should not be lost to their unkindness. The Word of God even admonishes us to love our enemy, if we now consider the political class to be one.
I’m not against crime being punished, but the life of the sick should also not be lost to needless grandstanding, especially if the needful could be done first, before returning to the public show. Both home and abroad, Ike’s adversaries can pop champagne, celebrating his ordeal, considering his recent anti-Igbo posturing, perceivably rooted in anti-Peter Obi agenda, but we should all remember the sick, in both our prayer and other considerations. That is our shared humanity.
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