By Ebere Agozie

Efficient justice delivery is central to the nation’s economic growth and development. Legal experts say justice is administration of what is just.

This is done through impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments. Justice delayed is justice denied is a maxim that highlights the importance speed in justice delivery.

The backlog of cases at different levels that overwhelm the justice delivery system, seems to hamper the principle of rule of law.

Nigerians have not hidden their desire for holistic justice sector reform to restore public confidence and trust in the sector and the rule of law.

The judicial system, therefore, experiences increasing demands for an improved institutional capacity to deliver effective justice.

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This demand presents a significant challenge as it reflects yawning gaps in the country’s capacity to deliver an efficient and responsive justice system to respond to the 21 century developments in the global justice system.

The justice sector, which is supposed to be the last hope of the common man, is squeaking under the weight of a heavy caseload and myriads of problems.

This perhaps, informed the decision of the Federal Ministry of Justice to organise a national summit on justice sector reform. It had as its theme “sitioning the Justice System: Constitutional, Statutory, and Operational Reforms for Access and Efficiency’’.

Stakeholders at the summit agreed that effective justice delivery is central to the nation’s economic growth and development and the wellbeing of its citizens.

They also agreed that a budding democracy depends heavily on the resolve of all stakeholders to commit to an efficient and robust judicial system.

Speaking at the event, President Bola Tinubu underscored the urgency for leaders of justice sector institutions to prioritise comprehensive reforms.

“I implore the nation’s judiciary to embark on reforms that would ensure a functional justice system that will support a rapidly growing economy, guarantee basic human and political rights of individuals, as well as provide security and justice to all Nigerians.

“Much can be achieved when institutions of government, including the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary, unite to acknowledge their challenges and brainstorm with a view to proffering solutions to the problems bedeviling Nigeria’’, Tinubu said.

Tinubu, who pledged that he will continue to be impartial and adhere to constitutional principles, outlined the preliminary measures he took in order to reposition the judiciary.

“My administration made funding for the third arm of government a top priority, doubling it in the Renewed Hope budget 2024 by more than 100 per cent from last year’s budget.

“My government has also made up the full complement of 21 Justices of the Supreme Court (JSCs) as required by law.

“This is for the first time after many years, and approved a substantial increase in the salaries and emoluments of judges, which is currently undergoing legislative action.

“I accordingly urge the leadership of all justice sector institutions to seek a new direction and focus on outcomes by creating a justice system that truly responds to the needs of our citizens”, he said.

There is a nexus between the welfare of senior judicial officers and their ability to deliver justice in timely and fair manner as alluded to by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.

, noted that Nigerians would suffer the consequences of injustice if judges are deprived of good salaries, allowances and official benefits and urges urgent steps to remedy the situation.

“The situation of judges across Nigeria is like one in a critical condition in the ICU. The beam, the schedule to the beam would stabilise the patient.

“The one captain in the appropriation door would have him moved from the ICU to the general ward.

“When a patient is in that condition, you don’t start physiotherapy at the ICU. You make sure he is stabilised, move to the general ward, gain some strength, and then you now look at physiotherapy and all other therapies.

“Do move quickly, move the patient out of the ICU to the general ward. Let us stabilise the patient, move him out of ICU and then we can talk about the rest later,” the CJN prescribed.

Questions have been raised about the sincerity of those who hold in trust the rule of law in the country and their seeming nonchalant attitude towards justice delivery.

There is also public concern about indiscipline at the Bar and on the Bench. Discipline or lack of it a significant contributor to the current situation in the nation’s justice sector..

Corruption in the judicial system is spoken about in hush voices and some stakeholders said they will leave no stone unturned to ensure that judicial officers within their fold acted in accordance with the law.

Benchers agreed that corruption has reached alarming proportions in the legal profession and that the practice permeates both the Inner and the Outer Bars.

“It is commonly believed that my colleagues of the Inner Bar perpetrate and involve themselves in unwholesome practices with impunity.

“I have challenged those I read and knew their authors on social media and I am waiting for proof on any of these allegations.

“There is need for all of us to be conversant with the Rules of Professional Conduct at the Bar published in 2023 and that are fundamental provisions that are a complete departure from all the previous Rules.

“The Body of Benchers will not fail in its duty to apply the Rules and enforce discipline no matter the status, position or rank of any legal practitioner involved’’, says Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Chairman of the Body  Bencher.

Awomolo said that attainment of national stability and development can only happen when the proper and the right instrumentalits of the law is enacted, faithfully implemented, obeyed and enforced.

He said that law is only meaningful when it addresses the common goal of government of the people, by the people and for the people.

He said that Nigeria has remained stagnated, poorly governed, and underdeveloped because of a deficit in the quality of governance by the people we elected into political offices, and those appointed into public offices.

“The country’s problems include a dysfunctional socio-political structure, entrenched corruption, and an unproductive economy, hence, there is a dispute over whether or not Nigeria is a failed State.

Corroborating Awomolo, another Senior Advocate of Nigeria Mr Chris Uche said sadly people of Nigeria have completely lost hope in the legal profession.

He, therefore, called on his learned brothers to have a rethink and help the society.

“The nation is almost dead. People have lost hope in this our profession, so we want to see how our gathering today will help to give us hope as lawyers.

“It has always been said that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man, but in recent times in this country that has become very debatable”.

He urged legal practitioners to use the law to build the society, to help the country, and to also help themselves.

News Agency of Nigeria.