OYO STATE AND DELAY IN APPOINTMENT OF JUDGES

The appointment of judges has been a thorny issue in recent times. In this article by MR. IBRAHIM LAWAL, he asserts that the Oyo State Judicial Service Commission has shown tardiness in the appointment of judges, arguing that this has occasioned hardship for lawyers and justice delivery in the state

APPOINTMENT OF NEW JUDGES IN OYO STATE: NEED TO BE PROACTIVE.

There is no denying the fact that Oyo State Judiciary does not have full complement of Judges to man her various courts spread across the state. The shortage in the number of Judges had negative impact on the turnout of numbers of cases heard and decided in a given year.

Despite the shortage, many of our Judges are retiring this year and next year, thereby compounding the problems being faced by lawyers and litigants alike. I know of a judge who is due for retirement in the next couple of months and thereby decided not to open new cases.

The process of appointment of new Judges should commence before the due date for those retiring. Admirably, the Supreme Court is already out with a notice of appointment of new Supreme Court Justices to fill the vacancies of not only those that had retired or dead but also those who are going to retire in some months to come.

In Oyo State, the process of appointment of new Judges started with the submission of application by those interested since last August. It has been motion without movement since then. Ekiti State started their own process after that of Oyo State and those Judges have been sworn in by the Governor.

Recall that it was this tardiness in the appointment of Judges that led to several deaths of some of our finest hands before the last crop of Judges were appointed. I thought that coming from such horrible experience, Oyo State should have learnt her lessons and handle the issues of Judges appointment with utmost dispatch.

The Judicial Service Commission should be alive to its responsibility by ensuring that the process is fast tracked and ensure that we have enough Judges to man our courts. The JSC should as a matter of duty cooperate with the Chief Judge to ensure the process is done without a hitch.

We cannot continue to say the same thing all the time. This is the time for every stakeholder in the Justice administration to wake up and do the needful.

  • Ibrahim Lawal is the Head of Chamber, Olujinmi & Akeredolu of the Law Hub 9 Ring Road, opposite Iyaganku GRA Roundabout, Ibadan.

Copyright 2020 CITY LAWYER. Please send emails to citylawyermag@gmail.com. Join us on Facebook at https://web.facebook.com/City-Lawyer-Magazine-434937936684320 and on TWITTER at https://twitter.com/CityLawyerMag All materials available on this Website are protected by copyright, trade mark and other proprietary and intellectual property laws. You may not use any of our intellectual property rights without our express written consent or attribution to www.citylawyermag.com. However, you are permitted to print or save to your individual PC, tablet or storage extracts from this Website for your own personal non-commercial use. The views expressed in this article are entirely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of CITY LAWYER or its management.

CITY LAWYER cannot guarantee the completeness, accuracy of the data and content of the website, nor that it is up to date at all times. CITY LAWYER accepts no liability for any direct or indirect damage of any kind whatsoever that arises from, or is in any way related to the use of the website or its accessibility or lack thereof. The assertions and opinions expressed in articles, announcements and/or news on this website reflect the views of the author(s) and do not (necessarily) reflect the views of the webmaster, the internet provider or CITY LAWYER. CITY LAWYER can in no way whatsoever be held responsible for the content of such views nor can it be held liable for any direct or indirect damage that may arise from such views. CITY LAWYER neither guarantees nor supports any product or service mentioned on this website, nor does it warrant any assertions made by the manufacturers or promoters of such products or services. Users of this website are always recommended to obtain independent information and/or to perform independent research before using the information acquired via this website.

NBA PALLIATIVES: ANXIETY, AS YOUNG LAWYERS CRY OUT OVER DELAY

BY EMEKA NWADIOKE

Young lawyers have expressed disappointment on delays that have enveloped the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Palliatives Scheme. The lawyers yesterday tackled NBA National Officers on the issue on the association’s official WhatsApp platform, “BAR CENTRE 4.”

Opening the barrage of complaints, one Victor Eze wrote on the platform: “Victor Eze from Yola Branch. Please when will they give us the NBA National palliative?” This was the tonic other young lawyers engage in another heated and prolonged debate on the palliatives debacle.

Following up on Eze’s poser, one Muhammad Raji Yabaji said: “I like the question, after receiving our particulars nothing we heard from them.”

Apparently disappointed by turn of events, one Count Vladislaus, switching between formal and Broken English, said: “Broda nor just put mind. NBA National may not give any palliative. You see the way this country goes… They wait for an event to cover up an event, all they just do is just postpone and postpone till we all forget, soon it’ll be December and the NBA National will start dropping guidelines for payment of the 2021 BPF.

“50 naira wen tear nobody see, money wen people pay for BPF will not be talked about, na how to collect 2021 own go dey National minds. Worst part is that we go still rush go pay before 31st March and I am bold to say nothing, absolutely nothing will happen because NBA national will sweep it all under the rug, life will go on as usual. Kobo as palliative none of us go see. Mark my words.

“If they like after this they may send me out of this group and any NBA group, it just shows that what I am saying is the truth. And yes; truth be told we all are aware of the politics up there in the National. Left for a ton of young lawyers in the country they would not pay dime to NBA National, because the words, ‘WHAT HAS NBA DONE FOR ME’ is (sic) on the lips of thousands of young lawyers out there. Let us not deny it.”

I believe the delay in disbursement is becoming unduly protracted for our comfort. Yes, the President has spoken on it about two times now providing assurance that the funds are there. But it may be better to tell us why the wait is this prolonged instead of the silence which has capacity to breed rumors. We are entitled to know what is happening.

On Vladislaus’s fears that he may be sanctioned by the platform administrators for his views, one Damilare Ojo assured him otherwise, saying: “The fact is you have made your point. We are all AGITATED!”

On her part, Precious Nwadimuya said: “So we don’t waste the opportunity to get an answer, I will ask the question on our behalf. @Habeeb Lawal @ PRO NBA Asaba @Kunle Edun, What is happening to the monies raised by our learned seniors in the profession meant to provide palliative for lawyers who submitted their particulars? I believe the delay in disbursement is becoming unduly protracted for our comfort. Yes, the President has spoken on it about two times now providing assurance that the funds are there. But it may be better to tell us why the wait is this prolonged instead of the silence which has capacity to breed rumors. We are entitled to know what is happening. Publicity team, if it means going to (Dr. Wale) Babalakin to know what is happening, please go and bring word for us and bring the money on your way coming, that would be better.”

Particularly worried that the tenure of the current NBA Administration is coming to an end, Vladislaus said: “August is fast approaching, the NBA executives will hand over. Nothing, absolutely nothing will happen. We all will pay BPF again in 2021 and nothing will happen. I challenge the NBA to prove me wrong. This is Nigeria, I hope the NBA proves me wrong in everything. I will be glad they did.”

Trying to assuage the persistent complaints, NBA Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kunle Edun: “Your concerns are valid. I can assure you that the issue you raised has been taken up with the Committee. We should be expecting a positive response soon. I appreciate all the patience. Thanks.”

In an earlier intervention when the debate arose on the platform, Count Vladislaus said: “Just wait, by August they will give a report on how they spent billions on palliatives.”

As one Ezenwa Okoli warned that “You can now be sued for allegations of this nature. Let’s watch it pls,” Vladislaus retorted: “Because we are speaking about our pains, they want to silence us like the FG did Sowere, 2Face and others.”

On his part, Rabiu Ibrahim said: “We are all speaking our minds as lawyers, this is an avenue where young lawyers should know that NBA are in existence. It is when something’s happened that another thing happened. We are not trying to put an accusing finger on anybody. If lawyers that are 10 years at the bar will complain, then I wonder what other lawyers will say.”

This again led Edun to wade in to douse the face-off, saying: “Gentlemen, pls while we exercise our right to freedom of speech, let us show mutual respect to each other and be civil. Thanks.”

It is recalled that NBA President, Mr. Paul Usoro SAN had in a Press Statement late May said that “the NBA COVID-19 Relief Fund Account had a credit balance of N84,223,000.00 donated almost entirely by our distinguished colleagues.” CITY LAWYER gathered that the current balance may be in excess of N90 million.

Usoro added that “The Welfare Committee was saddled with a second significant assignment upon its constitution, to wit, ‘work with me in designing the most equitable and integrity-proof model for identifying the genuinely needy beneficiaries of the relief materials. Part of the Committee’s responsibility would also be to determine the form that the reliefs should take e.g. cash or kind (illustratively, food items and the like) or a combination of the two or any other form.’

“That part of the assignment remains outstanding. I have been assured by the Committee that their focus has so far been on ‘baking the cake’, in a manner of speaking, and that they would shortly proceed to and with that follow-through assignment of distributing the funds to the truly needy members of our Association. I would work with them in that regard and would keep our members fully informed and updated.”

The NBA Welfare Committee is headed by top corporate lawyer, Babalakin. Other members are Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), Vice Chairman; Miannaya Essien (SAN), Yakubu Maikyau (SAN), Solomon Umoh (SAN), Dr. Garba Tertengi (SAN), Mrs. Victoria Awomolo (SAN) and Sylva Ogwemoh (SAN).

Also appointed as members of the committee are Ibrahim Muhammed (SAN), Emeka Etiaba (SAN), Mba Ukweni (SAN), Steven Adehi (SAN), Olabode Olanipekun (SAN), Tuduru Ede (SAN), Theophilus Igba (3rd Vice President), Emeka Anosike (National Financial Secretary), Joshua Usman (National Welfare Secretary) and Ewenode Onoriode (1st National Assistant Secretary)” as the COVID-19 Committee Secretary.

Copyright 2020 CITY LAWYER. Please send emails to citylawyermag@gmail.com. Join us on Facebook at https://web.facebook.com/City-Lawyer-Magazine-434937936684320 and on TWITTER at https://twitter.com/CityLawyerMag All materials available on this Website are protected by copyright, trade mark and other proprietary and intellectual property laws. You may not use any of our intellectual property rights without our express written consent or attribution to www.citylawyermag.com. However, you are permitted to print or save to your individual PC, tablet or storage extracts from this Website for your own personal non-commercial use.