By Ebere Agozie

The Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Mr Kabir Akanbi, has called on members of the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents (NAJUC) to ensure balanced, fair and objective in reporting.

Akanbi made the call while receiving the Executive Members of NAJUC Abuja Chapter, who paid him a courtesy visit.

He urged them to protect the sector’s image and credibility through well informed, researched, unbiased and factual reportage of its activities.

He expressed dismay that reports in public space about the judiciary have been disappointing and uncalled for, especially from the social media.

Akanbi said judicial officers should not be disrespected, condemned and rubbished because of the perceived mistakes of a few.

“I make bold to say that majority of the judicial officers in the country are men of honour, integrity, highly educated and impeccable characters, who have been discharging their adjudicatory duties without blemish, fear or favour.

“It is very unpatriotic and unfair to label the Judiciary, particularly, judicial officers as generally not living up to expectations of Nigerians in terms of dispensation of justice, just because of a few lapses,” he said.

He noted that the few identified bad eggs are being called to order through the instrumentality of the National Judicial Council so as to maintain the sacred duty of the arm of the government.

He said that dishing out sensational reports by some media houses, especially social media in a bid to gain attention and visibility, only ends up rubbing off on the reputation of Nigeria as a country.

“Most of the reports are targeted at few judicial officers and the Bench because they don’t have information officers, or personal assistants that will speak in their defence.

“When these reports are reeled out to the public without proper fact checking, the public always believes, and at the end of the day, it is Nigeria as a country that has her name dragged into the mud’’.

He insisted that some of the reports tend to portray the country in bad image and have exposed Nigeria and Nigerians to ridicule and unfair treatment in some foreign countries.

Earlier, the Chairman of NAJUC, Abuja Chapter, Mr Kayode Lawal, thanked the Chief Registrar for finding time to play host to the executive members of the association adding that the visit was mainly to congratulate him on his appointment as the Chief Registrar.

Lawal reminded Akanbi that judiciary correspondents are also the spokespersons for judicial officers through the dissemination of their judgments to the general public, hence, the need to work in harmony.

He also reminded him of the enormous tasks as he spearheads the administrative leadership of the apex court and charged him to justify the trust and confidence reposed in him with the appointment.

Lawal expressed optimism that Akanbi would excel in the revered position, in view of his vast experience and rich background as a thorough bred lawyer, astute administrator and manager of men and resources.

He assured the Chief Registrar of NAJUC’s resolve to be factual, objective and fair in their day-to-day reportage of the Judiciary.

Mr Tobi Soniyi, Special Assistant (Media) to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, had informed the Chief Registrar that NAJUC and the Supreme Court have a long-standing relationship and pleaded that the cordiality be upheld and sustained. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Ebere Agozie

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, says the judgments of late Justice Emmanuel Ogwuegbu did not merely resolve disputes but elevated Nigeria’s jurisprudence.

Kekere-Ekun said this in Abuja, at a valedictory court session in honour of the late Ogwuegbu, Justice of the Supreme Court, who died on Oct. 28, 2024, at the age of 91.

She said that Ogwuegbu’s judgments and life also speak to the conscience of a nation, strengthening the pillars of democracy, and enriching Nigerian law with experience, compassion and wisdom.

“His contributions will continue to illuminate the courts and his legacy remains embedded in the moral and legal consciousness of the nation.

“Throughout his illustrious judicial career, he brought to bear a rare combination of erudition, clarity and compassion. He was a jurist who wrote with precision, reasoned with rigour and adjudicated with fairness.

“As a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, His Lordship contributed significantly to the shaping of our modern legal landscape.

“His Lordship’s deep insight and fearless reasoning were particularly evident in cases that advanced constitutional governance, individual liberties and the devolution of powers,’’ she said.

She said that Ogwuegbu was a torchbearer of justice whose career spanned more than four decades of unwavering dedication to the bench.

“He was a Judge of great dignity, humility, and empathy, qualities that humanised the law and brought comfort to those who sought justice.

“He listened intently, decided fairly, and treated all who came before him with respect and decency’’.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, charged judicial officers to live up to expectation.

Fagbemi stressed the need for judges to administer justice without fear or favour and paid glowing tributes to the late Justice of the Supreme Court.

The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, said a true measure of a judge is not in the length of tenure or the number of cases adjudicated, but in the debt of impact and integrity of decisions.

Osigwe noted that Ogwuegbu was a judicial titan who rendered clearer laws that made institutions stronger and democracy more stable.

“In an age where judicial courage is often tempered by politics or public pressure, His Lordship exemplified a rare independence of thought, tempered only by the boundaries of justice and the letter of the law. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz