To enhance the judiciary’s standard, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Dr Anthony Idigbe, has urged SANs to consider serving as judges of higher courts.

According to him, doing so will help transform Nigeria’s jurisprudence.

The SAN also called for legal and judicial reforms, including revamping the regulatory framework, as well as adherence to ethical standards.

Idigbe delivered the speech at a pre-SAN conferment dinner organised by a law firm, Pinheiro LP.

Initiated in 2018 by the principal of the firm, Dr. Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) as the Cilantro dinner series, it is an informal forum where experienced SANs share ideas and convey softer skills to new members of the Inner Bar.

Among them was Mr Chukwudi Enebeli of Pinheiro LP who was also elevated to the SAN rank.

Idigbe suggested that those who have achieved the rank of SAN could consider other opportunities the rank provides, including serving as judges.

He said: “From my experience, I suggest you do it early, say three or four years after elevation.

“I recall Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) encouraging me to apply for an appointment as a Supreme Court judge and telling me about 13 years ago that he would have done the same, but for his age, which was too close to the then retirement age of 65 years.

“Many of us are passionate about mixing the backgrounds of those in the policy court.

“Unfortunately, I must share the same sentiment as Chief Olanipekun with you today: I’m getting dangerously close to my potential exit even if I get the opportunity.”

Addressing the new SANs, Idigbe advised: “You are young and can enter the judicial space now and impact the jurisprudence.

“I suggest that some of you explore becoming judges at the entry-level of the High Court, say three to four years from now.

“Once SANs begin to be appointed at that level, it would soon become the norm, and the season of appointment of only failed practitioners to the junior bench will be a thing of the past.”

On why SANs should be accepted to serve on the Bench, Idigbe said the jurisprudence coming from the courts was disappointing.

He explained that while his practice brings solutions to clients, he could not impact the general jurisprudence from the outside.

“Maslow’s laws of the hierarchy of needs applied at some point, and I then understood why my father abandoned successful legal practice twice to go to the Bench,” he stated.

Idigbe also urged legal practitioners to uphold the profession’s ethics, otherwise the entire legal system risks collapse.

“It has also become increasingly alarming how some lawyers have continued to engage in ‘Jankara practice.

“Recently, a Senior Advocate sued me and used a fake address for service, a tactic more reflective of the ‘sharp practice’ he must have engaged in before his conferment as SAN,” he declared and urged SANs to unite in fighting for legal and judicial reforms.