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Lawyers caution judiciary against promoting religious bigotry  

Some lawyers in Lagos, yesterday, advised the judiciary against rulings and judgments that could promote religious bigotry.

[FILES] Lawyer

Some lawyers in Lagos, yesterday, advised the judiciary against rulings and judgments that could promote religious bigotry.

In interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, the lawyers said the judiciary remains the hope of the common man and should express the same in all its decisions.

They advised the third arm of government, particularly the Supreme Court, to ensure its rulings and judgments promote religious harmony since such decisions are final.

Mr. Spurgeon Ataene, also a social critic, said court decisions must reflect Nigeria’s status as a secular state. According to him, the apex court should correct any wrong judgment by overruling itself in the interest of Nigeria.

Ataene, the Head of the Civil Litigation Department of L’avocat Legal Practitioners, said although the country’s constitution provides for freedom of worship, no right is absolute.

Mr. Chris Ayiyi, the Principal Partner of Ayiyi Chambers, also advised the judiciary against controversial rulings and judgments to avoid heating up the polity.

A former Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association, Ikorodu Branch, Mr. Bayo Akinlade, told NAN that any wrong court decision could have a ripple effect on society.

According to him, any court decision that seems to protect only a particular religion can encourage others to seek to be recognised anyhow.

“It is a slippery slope in the sense that we may have a lot of other religions and cultures coming out to establish their own rights and self-determination,” Akinlade said.

Mr. Macaulay Ugwummadu, a former National President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, said rulings and judgments seeming to protect a particular religion would harm the secularity of Nigeria.

He appealed to courts, especially the Supreme Court, to be more careful while handling issues bordering on religion since its decisions would be final.

“The Supreme Court is final. Not because it is infallible. It is infallible because it is final,” he said.

The human rights lawyer said such decisions would have implications on the fundamental rights of citizens.

“The language of the Constitution is that the federation of Nigeria shall not adopt any religion as the state religion. Religion is a private and not a public issue,” Ugwummadu said.

Also, Mr. Ige Asemudara, a Lagos-based lawyer, urged that Supreme Court decisions should not over-stretch the limit of rights to religion.

The lawyer added that courts, in their decisions on issues relating to religion, should be sensitive to the religious rights of others.

He appealed to the Supreme Court to review any of its decisions posing a threat to the unity of the country.

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