Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, has said that the judiciary is key to the existence of a stable society, warning of the augury of collapse that awaits any nation without a functional judiciary.
Speaking yesterday (Thursday, December 12) in Abuja, at the 2024 Conference of the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents (NAJUC), specifically warned that Nigeria may collapse without a functional judiciary system.
He, therefore, charged the judiciary to live up to expectations in ensuring that judgments reflect justice and not based on technicalities.
Speaking on the role of courts in enforcement of judgments, the professor of law said court orders must be obeyed until set aside by a higher court, insisting that courts hold the balance of scale between feuding parties, otherwise, there may be chaos in the society.
The court, he added, is critical in ensuring that judgments are enforced and complied with.
He advised judges to avoid attending occasions organised by politically exposed persons with cases before them, just as he enjoined them to eschew corruption under any guise.
“I still want to believe at this point that in spite of all the issues the judiciary may have, it still remains the best of the three arms of government.
“If you remove the judiciary, Nigeria will collapse like a pack of cards.
“The role of the courts is very sacred in the functioning of society and must be held with the highest esteem,” he said.
According to him, the time has now come for judges to form an association to defend themselves against unfounded allegations.
He advocated the establishment of a National Association of Serving Judges so that judges could defend themselves, calling .
on lawyers to resist the temptation of writing incessant petitions against judges, urging to instead appeal the cases.
Earlier, Chairman of NAJUC, Mr Kayode Lawal, explained that the annual conference is part of efforts to keep judiciary correspondents up-to-date.
“After the last edition of this conference, we noted with great concern the ugly trend in the court-of-court jurisdictions, easily conflicting decisions and orders on virtually the same issues and parties.
”It is worrisome, sad, and regrettable that the ugly development has continued to exist in spite of warnings from here and there,” Lawal said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the 2024 conference is: “The Role of Courts in Enforcement of Judgments”.
