STILL ON ONNOGHEN:THE IMPERATIVES OF DUE PROCESS ON THIS EPISODE CANNOT BE OVERSTRESSED
Onnoghen: Senior lawyers collaborate to salvage Nigeria’s judiciary
Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen
A group of senior lawyers has established a separate intervention in response to the recent suspension of Nigeria’s Chief Justice, Walter Onnoghen.
The senior lawyers, numbering up to 20, said their intervention is borne out of an urgent need to restore the lost glory of the Judiciary without aligning with any faction of those involved in the said suspension.
The lawyers, whose statement was received by PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday, said they have formed a collaboration and would immediately commence action to ensure specific innovations that would affect the caliber of lawyers called to the Nigerian bench, among other changes.
“We are a group of Senior Advocates of Nigeria who feel embarrassed and deeply concerned by the recent events surrounding the suspension of Honourable Justice W. S. N. Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria,” the lawyers said in the statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES.
The lawyers said their decision to intervene was prompted by two main issues. According to the lawyers, they have recognized that the recent events represent “a manifestation of and response to a deeper malaise in the administration of justice and justice delivery in Nigeria.”
They also consider the current crisis of confidence as it affects the judiciary, as unprecedented.
“In making this intervention, we do not propose to delve into the merits or demerits of the respective positions that have been taken by the different actors regarding the suspension of Justice Onnoghen.
“Our focus in making this intervention given the context of the unfolding events is to examine the underlying factors that have engendered or perpetuated the undoubted loss of confidence in the judiciary and the legal profession and to proffer suggestions for a much needed reform.”
The lawyers regarded as unarguable, the fact that corruption appears to have sunk deep into the judicial system and that it’s system of self-regulation has failed.
“It is also beyond dispute that the system for self-regulation in the judiciary and the legal profession has failed.
“There is a perception that the National Judicial Council (NJC) has been ineffective in exercising discipline where high-ranking judicial officers are involved and that its proceedings and internal processes are unduly opaque.”
“We recall the golden era of our judiciary when judgments of Nigerian courts were cited with approval in foreign courts. Sadly, this is no longer the case.”
The group of lawyers listed its objectives to include reforms in certain areas the group considers to be critical in the country’s judicial system.
According to the senior lawyers, the areas requiring intervention also include the terms and conditions of service for judicial officers.
They include the following:
– The composition, constitution, functions and internal controls of the National Judicial Council.
– The process for the appointment, continuing education, and promotion of judicial officers.
– The process for the discipline and regulation of judicial officers.
-The terms and conditions of service of judicial officers.
-Judicial ethics, values and the relationship of the Bench with the Bar.
-The process for the appointment of lawyers to the Body of Benchers.
-The composition, constitution and internal controls of the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee.
-The process and criteria for the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
-The roles and responsibilities of Senior Advocates of Nigeria as leaders of the Bar.
-The regulation and discipline of Legal Practitioners.
-Ethics, values and standards of legal practice.
-The composition, constitution and internal controls of the National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association.
The lawyers said the outcome of their collaboration will be published soon.
The group of lawyers includes the following:
1. Ebun Sofunde, SAN
2. Kayode Sofola, SAN
3. Kola Awodein, SAN
4. Ademola Akinrele, SAN
5. Eyimofe Atake, SAN
6. Olufunke Adekoya, SAN
7. Oluwafemi Atoyebi, SAN
8. Yemi Candide – Johnson, SAN
9. Olasupo Shasore, SAN
10. Babatunde Ajibade, SAN
11. Osaro Eghobamien, SAN
12. Babatunde Fagbohunlu, SAN
13. Wemimo Ogunde, SAN
14. Mr. Jibrin Okutepa, SAN
15. Olumide Sofowora, SAN
16. Ernest Ojukwu, SAN
17. Olatunde Adejuyigbe, SAN
18. Adewale Olawoyin, SAN
19. Adeniyi Adegbonmire, SAN
20. Oyesoji Oyeleke, SAN
The senior lawyers, numbering up to 20, said their intervention is borne out of an urgent need to restore the lost glory of the Judiciary without aligning with any faction of those involved in the said suspension.
The lawyers, whose statement was received by PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday, said they have formed a collaboration and would immediately commence action to ensure specific innovations that would affect the caliber of lawyers called to the Nigerian bench, among other changes.
“We are a group of Senior Advocates of Nigeria who feel embarrassed and deeply concerned by the recent events surrounding the suspension of Honourable Justice W. S. N. Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria,” the lawyers said in the statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES.
The lawyers said their decision to intervene was prompted by two main issues. According to the lawyers, they have recognized that the recent events represent “a manifestation of and response to a deeper malaise in the administration of justice and justice delivery in Nigeria.”
They also consider the current crisis of confidence as it affects the judiciary, as unprecedented.
“Our focus in making this intervention given the context of the unfolding events is to examine the underlying factors that have engendered or perpetuated the undoubted loss of confidence in the judiciary and the legal profession and to proffer suggestions for a much needed reform.”
The lawyers regarded as unarguable, the fact that corruption appears to have sunk deep into the judicial system and that it’s system of self-regulation has failed.
“It is also beyond dispute that the system for self-regulation in the judiciary and the legal profession has failed.
“There is a perception that the National Judicial Council (NJC) has been ineffective in exercising discipline where high-ranking judicial officers are involved and that its proceedings and internal processes are unduly opaque.”
“We recall the golden era of our judiciary when judgments of Nigerian courts were cited with approval in foreign courts. Sadly, this is no longer the case.”
The group of lawyers listed its objectives to include reforms in certain areas the group considers to be critical in the country’s judicial system.
They include the following:
– The composition, constitution, functions and internal controls of the National Judicial Council.
– The process for the appointment, continuing education, and promotion of judicial officers.
– The process for the discipline and regulation of judicial officers.
-The terms and conditions of service of judicial officers.
-Judicial ethics, values and the relationship of the Bench with the Bar.
-The process for the appointment of lawyers to the Body of Benchers.
-The process and criteria for the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
-The roles and responsibilities of Senior Advocates of Nigeria as leaders of the Bar.
-The regulation and discipline of Legal Practitioners.
-Ethics, values and standards of legal practice.
-The composition, constitution and internal controls of the National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association.
The lawyers said the outcome of their collaboration will be published soon.
The group of lawyers includes the following:
1. Ebun Sofunde, SAN
2. Kayode Sofola, SAN
3. Kola Awodein, SAN
4. Ademola Akinrele, SAN
6. Olufunke Adekoya, SAN
7. Oluwafemi Atoyebi, SAN
8. Yemi Candide – Johnson, SAN
9. Olasupo Shasore, SAN
10. Babatunde Ajibade, SAN
11. Osaro Eghobamien, SAN
12. Babatunde Fagbohunlu, SAN
13. Wemimo Ogunde, SAN
14. Mr. Jibrin Okutepa, SAN
15. Olumide Sofowora, SAN
16. Ernest Ojukwu, SAN
17. Olatunde Adejuyigbe, SAN
18. Adewale Olawoyin, SAN
19. Adeniyi Adegbonmire, SAN
20. Oyesoji Oyeleke, SAN
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