The Chief Judge of Kwara State, Justice Suleiman Kawu, has charged legal practitioners in Nigeria to muster the needed courage in the fight against menace of corruption in the judiciary.
He posited that based on the symbiotic working relationship between lawyers and judges, the former have the unique opportunity, moral and ethical responsibility “to expose the few bad eggs in our midst.”
Kawu spoke in Ilorin, the state capital at the 2015 dinner/award night organised by the Ilorin branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) recently.
The jurist said that judges’ performance is significantly influenced by the conduct of lawyers.
“My comment is on the impression being created in the media that the Nigerian judiciary is abysmally corrupt. I must admit that judges are not saints and that as human beings they are fallible which is why we have some few bad eggs in our midst.
“This fact however, is not sufficient ground for a sweeping and indiscriminate and sometimes criminally reckless castigation and condemnation of judges and the Nigerian judiciary as an institution.
“I say it loundly and without any apology that Nigeria is blessed with some of the best judges in the World and that Nigerian judiciary as an institution has always risen to the occasion in sactioning erring judges and court officials whenever their misconduct is brought to the attention of the authority.
“Some of us are worried and concerned that the loud and increasing waves of unsubstantiated allegations of corruption against judiciary is ceating negative impression about judges and eroding public confidence in the judiciary as an institution designed to enthrone the rule of law.
“This situation if left unchecked poses the danger of unwittingly advertising rule of force and anarchy as an alternative to the rule of law.
“Members of the bar should always act in accordance with their professional ethics and offer suggestions on how the judiciary can improve on her performance. Members of the bar are closest to members of the bench as they practice and ply their trade in and around the courts, Kawu posited.”
Earlier, the NBA caretaker committee chair chairman, Sir Joseph Bamigboye (SAN) harped on the imperativeness of unity amongst members of Ilorin branch of the association.
He added that “disagreements may and in practical reality is bound to arise, but we must iron them out in an atmosphere of dialogue, logical reasoning, persuasion, compelling argument and rational conclusion.
“It is unlike us to malign, attack, defame and exhibit traits of indiscipline in order to make a point. We are learned gentlemen and must comport ourselves at all times as such, we are gold and gold forbids nthat we rust. We must be above prevailing societal rot, and in our public and private conduct and utterances must like Caesar’s wife be above board.”
