Vice President Yemi Osinbajo SAN is chairman of the Wole Olanipekun Justice Symposium 2.0 in Lagos, Nigeria. November 19, 2021. Photos; Tolani Alli
* VP describes Wole Olanipekun at 70, one of the most influential lawyers in the Commonwealth
According to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, the Nigerian judiciary urgently needs to address the issue of delays in processing cases by the courts.
Prof. Osinbajo, who had raised the issue on previous occasions, reiterated his position on Friday as he chaired a Wole Olanipekun & Co., WOC, Justice Summit on Justice Sector Reforms on the occasion of the 70th in Lagos.
The Vice-President described the problem of legal process delays as an “elephant in the room” and wondered what will happen to the country’s legal profession in “another 50 years given the deadlock in the handling of cases by the courts and the question of the integrity of the legal process, or better yet, the integrity of those involved in legal proceedings in Nigeria. “
The Vice President highlighted the delays in Nigerian courts and recalled “how the UK Court of Appeals had an opportunity to speak on the case (IPCO v. NNPC.) [2015] EWCA Civ 1144), where a challenge to enforcement of an arbitral award by a Nigerian arbitral tribunal has been filed before the English Court of Appeal. “
The Vice President stated that “the court described the delays in parallel trials in a Nigerian court as catastrophic and that it could take another 30 years to resolve.”
“The expert who testified about delays in Nigerian courts was a former Supreme Court judge who said it could take 20 to 30 years for a case to be resolved in a Nigerian court,” said the vice president.
Prof. Osinbajo called for further engagements from stakeholders on the integrity of the legal process and its key players, especially judges and lawyers, in order to provide solutions to the challenge of delays in legal proceedings.
“I look forward to the conversations we’re having today and I can suggest as a house rule that we focus on practical and actionable ideas, not on warming up the problems. We are all experts in knowing the problem. “
The vice president described the celebrant, Chief Olanipekun, “as one of the most consistent and influential lawyers in the Commonwealth,” adding that in addition to his awards and accomplishments, his friendliness, philanthropy and faith have influenced many lives.
He thanked God for giving the jurist “an always youthful physique and an always youthful disposition to let whole juries see his sometimes daring points; his disarming wit and humor, his sometimes lyrical and poetic remarks, quoting from classics and scriptures, easily make him one of the most outstanding minds in the advocacy of this or any other generation.
“But I’m sure what must have given him as much, if not more, satisfaction as his accomplishments in the legal profession is how he has influenced the lives of hundreds who have shown him his kindness, his many charities and charities, and his multiple contributions to the growth and reach of the gospel. “
For his part, the celebrant, Chief Olanipekun, SAN said the justice summit organized by his law firm is among his modest contributions to the advancement of the judicial system in Nigeria in the industry and remains a matter of concern and should concern stakeholders.
He urged speakers and attendees to persevere in their efforts to reform the judiciary and stressed that the progress that society is seeking is largely linked to justice and justice.
Panelists at the event included the immediate former Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University, Prof. Olarenwaju Fagbohun, who gave the keynote address on “Implementing Justice Sector Reforms”, the Chief Judge of Borno State, Hon. Judge Kashim Zannah, who spoke on the subject “ Anchoring the Integrity of Processes in Judicial Appointments ”, while a retired Supreme Court Justice Hon. Judge Paul Galumje spoke on the subject of“ Anchoring the Integrity of Processes in Judicial Reforms ”.
Others included human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, who spoke on the subject of “Political Influence on Judicial Appointments”; Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr. Abubakar Mahmud, SAN, who spoke on “How to Balance Diversity, Gender, Inclusion and Merit in Judicial Appointments” and Ms. Funke Adekoya, SAN, spoke about “Essential Collaboration for Successful Implementation” . judicial reforms. ”At the WOC Justice Summit, Ms. Ibukun Awosika, a non-lawyer spoke about the“ impact of judicial reforms on public trust ”.
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