The Credibility Of Legal Profession Lies In Judges And Lawyers’ Dignity Says Kogi CJ

Maintaining personal and professional honour and dignity by Judges and Lawyers in the practice of the legal profession in Nigeria is panacea to sustenance of the credibility and value of the profession before litigants and the general public according to the Chief Judge of Kogi State, Hon. Justice Josiah Majebi.

Justice Majebi made this assertion yesterday in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, when he received the new leadership of the Lokoja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Confluence Bar, in his office at the judiciary headquarters.

The Chief Judge was reacting to the expression of gratitude and appreciation by the Bar for the role played by Judges of the state judiciary in ensuring the successful marking of the association’s 2025 Law Week themed: Strengthening the Bar-Bench Synergy in the Effective Delivery of Justice and Nation Building.

In his reaction to the theme of the Law Week, the CJ stressed the need for the Bench and the Bar to be more synergetic in the discharge of their duties noting that as ministers in the temple of justice, both judges and lawyers are products of the same profession who only found themselves on different faces of the same coin that is meant to efficiently procure one single item, the fair and effective administration of justice.

The Chairman of the branch, Barr. Sumaila Abbas, had particularly eulogized Hon. Justice Abdul Awulu of the High Court of Justice of the state, who stood in for the Chief Judge, for his excellent coordination of the activities of the Law Week when the Bench’s inputs were required.

He had said that the choice of the theme was carefully made after deliberation with stakeholders and some unofficial complaints by some of his members over negative and unfair treatment by some Judges. He however said the Judges and Senior Advocates of Nigeria who handled the topic did justice to it and the Bar was looking forward to putting the discourse into practice just as the NBA was prepared to deal with any member who derails from the ethics of the profession. He said the Bar had instituted a policy to receive and appropriately handle official complaints from any of his member who feels aggrieved by the conduct(s) of any Judge and wished the same be extended to the Bench to ensure sanity and mutual respect between the Bar and the Bench in the administration of justice in the state without fear or favour.

“We're committed to work hand-in-hand with judges in the state in any area the Chief Judge wants us to play vital role as the Exco is ready to work in unison with the Judiciary in Kogi State and beyond” said the Chairman.

Hinting, in his response, that the Judges of Kogi State judiciary have been found to live above board over the years, the CJ said it was important to note that the kind of cases handled by the Judges do not provide enabling environment for recklessness on the part of judicial officers in the state nor to be corrupt as he indicated that the Judges were credible aside the fact that any bribe intended for any judge would have to be contributed by the communities, since they are majorly land or chieftaincy matters, and no Judge in the state would trade his reputation for such pot of porridge.

Even though the NBA Chairman disclosed that no untoward report has been made of any Judge in the state by any of his member, the CJ however encouraged the Bar to be free to lodge complaints against any erring Judge despite receiving none so far this year. He reiterated the need for lawyers to be on the same page with Judges in tackling challenges facing the administration of justice in the state for the judiciary to attaining its desired goals in the state.

While Mr. Abbas also used the opportunity to ask for a downward review of the cost of the state’s newly reviewed High Court Civil Procedure Rules he was however convinced after the CJ broke down the cost of production and the quality of the copies which he said was mostly concerned with durability, especially considering the economy of publishing in the country.

The NBA Chairman was accompanied in the visit by his other executive members just as the Hon. Chief Judge had the Chief Registrar, Oladimeji Ibrahim Esq. and other members of the High Court Mismanagement Board in receiving them.

*Information Unit, High Court of Justice, Lokoja.*