Vice President Kashim Shettima yesterday urged the judiciary to shun temptations and remain true to the ideals of honesty and fairness.
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Shettima, who gave the admonition before declaring open the Annual Lecture of the Body of Benchers (BoB) in Abuja, noted that expectations from the judiciary were high, even as he decried delays in the determination of cases.
He said: “Laws are not mere technicalities; they are the scaffolding of civilization. Without laws, there is no order. Without order, there is no society.
“Every time justice is delayed, every time the law is bent to serve the interests of agents of anarchy, and every time institutions waver in the face of blackmail, we erode the very foundation of our nation. And if that foundation crumbles, no matter how high we have built, everything falls apart.
“This is why the legal profession carries a burden unlike any other. You, my lords, are not just interpreters of the law; you are custodians of justice. But this role is not without its burdens.
“The expectations are high, and the temptations are many. Yet, I urge you, my lords, to remain steadfast. To borrow the words of the eminent jurist, Lord Atkin, ‘Justice is not a cloistered virtue; it must be allowed to suffer the scrutiny of reasonable men.’
“Permit me, therefore, to reiterate that President Bola Tinubu has demonstrated that the best way for our tripartite system of government to function is when we do not treat one another as enemies but as allies dedicated to the republican virtues of the nation and the advancement of our democracy.
“I congratulate you on the launch of the Body of Benchers Law Report. It is, without a doubt, a reflection of our collective commitment to legal scholarship, the preservation of precedent, and the continuous refinement of our legal system.
“As we open this maiden edition of the Body of Benchers Annual Lecture, I urge all legal practitioners to remain true to the ideals of honesty and fairness.
“The legacy we build today will outlive our titles, our offices, and even our ambitions. May we never be remembered as a generation that saw the light of justice dim and did nothing to keep it ablaze.”
According to him, the BoB represents the highest traditions of the nation’s legal profession.
Speaking further, Shettima said: “The pursuit of justice does not happen in a vacuum; it is shaped by the gatekeepers and personnel of the law, which is why the Body of Benchers is an essential pillar of our sovereign existence.
“Time and again, we are reminded that a nation is only as accountable, fair, and orderly as the people who make, enforce, and interpret its laws. Each of us is a stakeholder in this democratic arrangement.
“One of the gravest mistakes we make is believing that justice is the wish of the loudest party. In reality, justice is just as essential to the most voiceless individual.”
In her remarks, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, said it was worrisome that strict adherence to ethical principles in the legal profession and society at large was facing serious challenges.
“Today, more than ever, there is an urgent need to recommit ourselves to the fundamental values of ethics, discipline, and professional responsibility.
“It is instructive to note that the Body of Benchers, as the apex institution of the legal profession in Nigeria, is uniquely positioned to lead the charge in this regard.
“The responsibility of upholding the legal profession’s sanctity rests heavily on its shoulders, and I have no doubt that the Body will continue to rise to the occasion.
“The enforcement of professional discipline among legal practitioners, through the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), is a vital function that must be pursued with fairness, transparency, and unwavering resolve,” the CJN stated.
Delivering the keynote address, former governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, said there was a need for the judiciary to be concerned about public perception, especially on the issue of justice administration.
“There should be room to accommodate the legitimate concerns of those who consume the outputs from our courts,” Fashola argued.
He urged the BoB to “lead a crusade of urgency to remove unsuitable persons and characters before they bring down the house.”
“Our judicial system, which is one of the most revered judicial systems in the Commonwealth, is facing scrutiny under a large microscope.
“The reasons for scrutiny are not far-fetched. Some of the outcomes from the legal system raise more than an eyebrow.
“If the outcomes raise concern, certainly we must interrogate the input, which is the quality of persons admitted to the Bar by the Body of Benchers.”
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