How judges can avoid delays, by CJN
President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Afam Osigwe (SAN), has called for a radical expansion of judicial reforms to cover commercial, criminal and fundamental rights cases, arguing that the present “time-bound” success seen in election petitions could be replicated across all sectors of the legal system.

Meanwhile, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has given hints on how judges could avoid delays and ensure prompt justice delivery.

Speaking at the public presentation of the book, The Bar, Bench and Good Governance in Africa: Legal Essays in Honour of Afam Osigwe, SAN, the NBA president lamented that while the country mastered speedy resolutions for political disputes, the “simple transactions that drive the economy” remain bogged down by delays.

Emphasising that restoring public confidence is inextricably linked to the predictability and speed of court judgments, Osigwe noted that “the judicial system’s credibility is at risk because citizens feel they are getting judgment without getting justice”.

He added: “We seem to have got it right in having a Constitution amendment that ensures that pre-election matters and electoral matters are delivered within a certain time, but not about commercial transactions, not about criminal trials, not about fundamental rights, not about simple transactions that will drive the economy.”

Addressing the role of the Bar in governance, Osigwe defended the association’s right to critique the system, provided such criticisms lead to “workable solutions.”

Arguing that the Bar’s strength lies in its advocacy for legislative and judicial reforms, particularly in amending court rules and ensuring merit-based appointments to the bench, he was equally firm in his call for internal accountability within the legal profession.

“We must do it with a view to solving problems and proffering workable solutions, also holding accountable the judicial officers, who make it difficult for us to have good governance by their own decisions, and our colleagues who file cases that have no basis,” he added.

Justice Kekere-Ekun said that where judges familiarise themselves with relevant laws and case management techniques, their decisions would be swift and cases would be determined on time.

The CJN spoke in Abuja yesterday during the opening session of a refresher course for judges of the superior courts on “the management of evidence in trial,” organised by the National Judicial Institute (NJI).

She said, “The modern judge is not a passive arbiter. While impartiality remains paramount, judges are expected to exercise informed and active control over proceedings to ensure fairness, efficiency, and procedural discipline.

“This responsibility necessarily requires a firm mastery of the Evidence Act, so that rulings on the admissibility of evidence can, in appropriate circumstances, be delivered from the Bench with clarity and confidence.”
 
Kekere-Ekun stressed the importance of evidence in any trial process and why judges must develop effective evidence management skills.

The CJN noted that evidence remains the foundation upon which judicial decisions are built, adding that it is through evidence that facts are established, credibility is assessed, and the law is applied.