A retired Judge of the Court of Appeal, Justice Tinu Akomolafe-Wilson, has advised judges to navigate carefully to avoid being used as pawns by politicians. She said Nigeria needs a reliable and trusted judiciary.

Akomolafe-Wilson spoke while delivering a keynote address at the public presentation of two books: Becoming a Classic & Trending Lawyer authored by Justice Ikponmwen (Emeritus Chief Judge of Edo State) and Judgment Writing co-authored by Justice E.F. Ikponmwen & Gladys Omage, International/Dual Licensed Lawyer.
The address was entitled, ‘A Just Judge’.

The event was part of the programmes organised to herald Ikponmwen’s 70th birthday.

According to her, one of the most important principles for ‘A Just Judge’ is to decline to entertain cases already before courts of coordinate jurisdiction.

She said: “This reduces the risk of conflicting judgments and diminishes the chances of the judiciary being manipulated for political ends.”

“With the increasing use of technology, tracking of cases can be more feasible than ever before. Technology can ensure that cases are not duplicated, allowing judges to focus on delivering fair, timely, and un-conflicting judgments. Courts must be adequately equipped towards this end.

“A Just Judge’ must leverage the issue of digital tools to perform his judicial duties and safeguard the integrity of the judiciary by refusing to be drawn into the murky waters of political maneuvering where the antics of forum shopping are employed in a clandestine manner to get a judgment from a court of coordinate jurisdiction contrary to an earlier decision.”

While admitting that there were bad eggs in the judiciary, she said they were in a very small percentage.

“They, like a rotten egg in a basket of eggs, infuse their odious smell of corruption and smear the whole system. Such traitors of the noble judicial family can be rooted out. However, this is not gainsaying the truth that what our dear country Nigeria or any society needs is a reliable, trusted judiciary. Let us give the Nigerian judiciary a chance,” Akomolafe-Wilson added.

She described Justice Ikponmwen as a “devout Christian, who, in her best ability, lives according to the tenets of Christianity and applied these principles in her dispensation of justice.

“I believe that there are many more like her, despite the demonization of the Nigerian Judiciary. There is still hope for the judiciary in this country,” she noted.