ABUJA – Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on Nigeria’s judiciary to uphold the principles of honesty and fairness, warning that delays in justice and compromise of legal ethics could erode the nation’s foundations.
Speaking at the inaugural Annual Lecture of the Body of Benchers (BoB) in Abuja on Wednesday, Shettima emphasized the judiciary’s critical role in maintaining order and stability in society.
“Laws are not mere technicalities; they are the scaffolding of civilization. Without laws, there is no order. Without order, there is no society,” he stated.
The Vice President cautioned against external pressures and undue influences, stressing that justice must not be swayed by vested interests.
“The expectations are high, and the temptations are many. Yet, I urge you, my lords, to remain steadfast,” he added, quoting the renowned jurist Lord Atkin: “Justice is not a cloistered virtue; it must be allowed to suffer the scrutiny of reasonable men.”
Shettima commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for fostering collaboration between the executive, legislative, and judicial arms, emphasizing that their roles should not be seen as adversarial but complementary.
He also lauded the launch of the Body of Benchers Law Report, describing it as a milestone in legal scholarship and a step towards refining Nigeria’s legal framework.
Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun highlighted the growing challenges to ethical standards in the legal profession.
“Today, more than ever, there is an urgent need to recommit ourselves to the fundamental values of ethics, discipline, and professional responsibility,” she noted, urging the BoB to take the lead in enforcing professional discipline through the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC).
Delivering the keynote address, former Lagos State Governor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Babatunde Fashola, emphasized the need for the judiciary to be mindful of public perception.
“Our judicial system, one of the most revered in the Commonwealth, is now under intense scrutiny. If legal outcomes raise concerns, we must interrogate the quality of persons admitted to the Bar,” he said.
Fashola urged the BoB to remove unsuitable individuals from the profession, warning that failure to act could compromise the credibility of Nigeria’s judiciary.
With 146,255 lawyers currently in the country, he advocated for reforms in legal training to ensure future legal practitioners uphold competence, character, and integrity.
The Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, stressed the importance of continuous introspection in the legal profession.
Similarly, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, hailed the BoB Annual Lecture as a crucial step toward fostering accountability and professionalism in Nigeria’s legal system.
The event drew an array of dignitaries, including Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, two former CJNs—Justice S. M. A. Belgore and Justice Olukayode Ariwola—alongside serving and retired justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, as well as other legal luminaries.
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