VOL.14 NO. 1 07-10-13
Your Lordship,
Good
morning sir. I believe that you still enjoy excellent health, courtesy of his
Grace. We remain grateful to God for your life.
I
feel constrained to write this letter to you, not only because you are a former
(not retired) justice of our nation’s apex court, or because you are now an old
man, a gallant elder at those that may be properly regarded as fathers in the
law.
I
have been at a few for a where you spoke on the state of affairs of our nation,
particularly vis a vis the legal profession.
On
these different occasions, the distinct impressions I took away from your
contributions were that you are one jurist who is an incurable champion of
justice delivery, justice promotion, ethnical and responsible conduct on the
part of judges and lawyers alike.
Thus
I was absolutely shocked even bewildered to see you on the ripened morning of
Thursday 24th October 2013 at the Foyer, of the Lagos High Court
Igboseere, playing the role of Chairmanship at the launch of a book dedicated
in honour of Hon. Justice Ayotunde Phillips, the Chief Judge of Lagos State.
I
really thought a jurist of such a high should not be caught at such a function!
Are
you surprised sir at my contention? You may wonder at my taking you to task
over your presence a boo launch in honour of a judge?
My
grouse sir, is not with the Book that was launched, the bodies who launched
same and the worthy in whom honour of whom it was dedicated.
My grouse is the timing of the launch –
11.00am on a working day! Sir what do you think the goddess of justice thought
of such an event holding in the heart of her hours?
As
you would agree with me sir, aside the honouree of the day, to wit Hon. Justice
Ayo Phillips herself, there were no less than forty serving Lagos State High
Court judges and several magistrates in attendance.
Clearly
the programme which essentially was a private affair of the publishers of the
book (ENTITLED “A REFORMATORY APPROACH
TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN NIGERIA) disrupted the administration of
Justice in Lagos State on Thursday 24 October.
Out
of the fifty high court judges in Lagos, less than fifteen sat on that day. And
of thus number, not up to four sat for more than an hour or two.
And,
all for what?-The affected judges and magistrates shut their various temples of
justice to spectate on a fund Raising Ceremony.
And
where is the money raised at the Book launch going to? Coffers of the Lagos
Judiciary or the Lagos State Government? Of course the answer is ‘no’
The
proceeds go to the account of the publishers of the book. Now because of the
book launch hundreds of litigants and their respective counsel could not have
their day in court. Some came even outside jurisdiction. Some came with great
difficulty and cost but almost all would have came with reasonable expectation
of adjudication on their matters.
Alas
most went home disappointed-the judges were not there for them. And only for
the reason that the judges had left their courts for a social event!
I
really feel that your Lordship as an elder of a commanding height ought to have
counseled against holding the Book Launch on a work day and if it Must be a
work day then certainly not before 3.00pm, thus, so that our judges and
magistrates would have done first things, first.
In my candid opinion that Book Launch of
Thursday 24th October 2013 that started about 11.00am and ended at
about 2.00pm was insensitive, abuse of office, abuse of privilege and smacks
quite strongly of what Yoruba people call “Iwa a wa lawance, ta ni o mu wa? (we
are in power and who dare challenge us?) and overall unjust.
One
may like to ask what example was the Chief Judge setting by allowing a book in
her honour to be launched during at the peak time of office hours in a work
day.
Would
the Chief Judge have approved such a programme of any other judge, magistrate
or any judiciary staff?
Thank you sir
for your kind and patient perusal of my feeble writing.
I only hope it
makes more sense than nonsense to your Lordship
Very faithfully
yours
Adesina Ogunlana
Esq.
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