In a recent TV interview on Arise TV, Prof. Cyprian Edward-Ekpo talked about issues bothering the Judiciary; and some of the flaws hampering our justice system.
“My opinion, I know the Supreme Court is a court of Law and a court of policy. It makes Law and it develops the Law and it redefines the Law. It has the power to do that. The Supreme Court of any country across the world (has the power to do that), but I don’t buy the idea of courts having the habit of slamming lawyers with costs. I think it impeaches the principles of the pursuit of Justice.
“The provision of Section 66A and B of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has it that the duty of the court is to entertain grievances and to address it and to give a direction on what to do, and that is how countries are governed, and that is the spirit of the Law.
“When the Justices have the habit of attacking people who approach the court, I think that technically the Judges are encroaching on the inner morality of the Law,” Prof. Cyprian Edward-Ekpo said.
Prof. Cyprian Edward-Ekpo who is also the Author of the book, ‘Law In Tears’ asserts that people go to court over grievances and/or for address of controversies and that hence the Judiciary should redefine its course.
He made it clear that the purpose of the court all over the world is to entertain grievances.
“The purpose of the court is to define what is the position of the law and that in turn gives birth to Justice. I don’t see people going to court as being frivolous,” Ekpo further said.
Ekpo said further that accusing litigants of being frivolous is another way of discouraging litigation.
“Litigation is not an offense, it is not an abnormality. Litigation is a right of all citizens,” Ekpo said.
He spoke about his book titled ‘Law in tears’ in which he addressed the corrupt nature of the Judiciary.
He condemned the idea of blackmailing Judges via any means whatsoever as he said it is not common in civilized countries.
“The Judiciary has a problem, let’s face the truth, the Nigerian Judiciary has constituted itself as an odium of the country,” Ekpo said.
He lamented that there are judgements one will read and one will wonder how the Judge who passed the judgement became a Judge.
He lamented that many at times Judges are not hired to the bench on account of merit but on account of partisan connection or connection to highly-placed people within the Nigeria Judicial Council (NJC).
