Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere Ekun has tasked women judges, magistrates and female lawyers in the country to address the erroneous perception in some quarters that the judiciary is corrupt.
She stated that Nigerian women have made remarkable progress in the legal profession and suggested that female judges should be appointed to ensure equitable gender representation.
She spoke during a two-day National Association of Women Judges of Nigeria (NAWJN) South East Zonal Workshop held in Umuahia, Abia state capital with the theme: “Breaking Leadership Barriers For Women in the Legal Profession in Nigeria.”
The CJN urged the participants to utilise the lessons of the workshop to surmount the hurdles faced by women in the legal profession. Speaking, Abia State Chief Judge, Justice Lilian Abai, said the workshop was part of the commitment of the NAWJN towards enhancing the lives of young female lawyers/participants.
“It is geared towards training and mentoring young women lawyers in handling the various challenges associated with work and health in aspiring to leadership positions in the legal profession and also positively impact the lives of the participants who were drawn from the bar and the bench,” she explained.
Addressing the workshop, Governor Alex Otti described the theme as apt, saying that it provided a golden opportunity to look into the entire architecture of the legal system in the country.
Doing so, he said, will help to identify policies, practices and conventions that even when well-intended, can become very strong obstacles to the rise of women in the profession.He tasked the women to evolve ways of building their capacity in the legal profession to enable them to stand out in the industry and stay beyond reproach in the discharge of their duties.
He stated that his expectation at the end of the day would be to “identify clear-cut measures that will make it easier for highly qualified women in the system to progressively climb and ultimately reach the zenith of their careers.”
In her keynote address, Justice Chidiebere Uwa, a justice of the Supreme Court of Abia state origin, explored the challenges and the barriers faced by women, highlighting the progress women made in the legal profession, barriers they broke due to tenacity, determination and relentless pursuit of justice.
Justice Uwa said because women have historically faced numerous obstacles and biases, their accomplishments are made even more commendable, adding that “the modest accomplishments of female lawyers and judges in Nigeria serve as a reminder that progress is possible and barriers can be overcome for a more just society.
According to her, out of the 897 Senior Advocates of Nigeria in 2024, less than 40 are women – a paltry five per cent, while the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has had a female president only once.
She noted, however, that the current NBA National Executive Committee comprises five males and five females.Justice Uwa said that the Supreme Court presently consists of 14 men and six women justices headed by a female, while the Court of Appeal has 59 men and 27 women.
The Federal High Court, she said, has 54 men and 32 women, the FCT High Court, has 37 men and 29 women, while Abia State has 17 male and eight female judges with a female as Chief Judge.
Justice Uwa stated that the underrepresentation of women in senior legal positions is attributable to the misogynistic perception of female capacity in a largely patriarchal society. She stated that female judges and lawyers are doing excellently in Nigeria, and have broken barriers, yet challenges persist.
Chairman, Abia State Magistrates’ Association of Nigeria, Mr Nnaemeka Orji; Chairman, State NBA chair, Mr Issac Anya and Chairman South East Zone, African Women Lawyers Association, Mrs Chinenye Akuegbunam corroborated the call for the inclusion of Magistrates as judicial officers. The State President, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Mrs Akudo Amanamba canvassed more positions for women in the legal profession.
