Politics News

Lagos seeks additional judicial divisions

The Attorney-General of Lagos State, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo, on Wednesday told the retiring President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, to create more judicial divisions in Lagos State.

Onigbanjo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), made the appeal in a speech at the special valedictory court session in honour of Bulkachuwa, who is retiring from service on March 6.

The valedictory session was at the Court of Appeal complex  in Lagos.

“On behalf of Lagos State, we recognise that Court of Appeal Lagos Division is over-burdened.

“Cases are already adjourned until 2021. We, therefore, urge my lord to create more panels (judges) for Lagos so that those who seat in Lagos will not be over-burdened. And to ensure that appeals are speedily determined.”

Onigbanjo said that creation of additional panels would lessen the workload of judges who sit in Lagos courts.

He noted that having more judges would reduce frustrations experienced by both litigants and their counsel, especially when appeals were given long dates.

According to Onigbanjo, today marks the commencement of the end of the judicial career of the first female president of the court of appeal.

He said the qualities and contributions that Bulkachuwa had made in the nation’s jurisprudence was evident in her judgments.

“She has made examplary judgments. In the last election, my lord recused herself from the election tribunal panel, even after a full panel found her worthy,” Onigbanjo said.

Another speaker, Mr Wole Olanepakun, who spoke on behalf of senior advocates, congratulated the out-going appeal court president for her contributions to the judiciary.

He pleaded with the executive arm of government to provide adequate infrastructure to make the courts to be conducive for lawyers and litigants.

“I will align myself with the initial speaker that Lagos needs more justices.”

Olanepakun argued that it was wrong for people to say that judges should not go on vacation when other arms of government were going on vacation.

“As you are retiring, we should have known who you are handing over to. There cannot be a vacuum in the judiciary. It leads to destabilizing the judiciary

“We need to do something about it,” Olanipekun stated.

The President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Mr Paul Usoro, said that the life of the retiring court of appeal president showed what a girl-child could achieve when given an opportunity.

He was represented by Mr Adeniji Kazeem.

Usoro said that over the years the appellate courts were male-dominated.

He said that in 2005, out of 86 justices of the court of appeal, only 23 were females.

“With such a poor record in gender diversity, the epoch-making achievement of Bulkachuwa truly calls for celebration.

“Corrective steps should be taken in enlarging the coast of our diversity and gender inclusion,” the NBA chief said.

Responding, Bulkachuwa said she was able to attend school the time when female education was yet to be accepted because her father was educated.

She said her family supported her and encouraged her to be the best she could be.

“As I go into retirement, I will go with the lessons I have learnt from my experience so far.

“I want to be remembered as a woman who did the best she could in every situation and as a good citizen of Nigeria,” Bulkachuwa said.

Earlier, the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, Justice Mohammed Garba, said that Bulkachuwa brought unprecedented and enviable development to the court of appeal.

“Welfare of judges and that of members of staff as well as infrastructure have improved,” said Garba.

 

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