OF JUDGES, LAWS AND JUSTICE

It did not come as a surprise when the President of NBA Olumide Akpata reacted to the out-cry of the 14 Justices of the Supreme Court through a protest letter for justice, to the Chief Justice Tanko Muahmmad, JSCN. S.6 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) like other previous constitutions gave the third arm of government, the Judiciary an independent status. That is the ideal situation that enhances separation of powers, as propounded by early constitutional philosophers like Montesquieu. However, practical experience has shown that it never had independence even though students and the public are thaught and to believe that the Judiciary is "independent". As a public institution the Judiciary depended on the public, especially the Bar to defend that status, because it would be seen to have lost that independence if it had to fight for itself at every front. Therefore the burden to protect the independence of the Judiciary is a Corporate Social Responsibility of the public. Without that there's a vacuum that exposes the Judiciary to the frontline. This burden to "give back" to society now behoves on Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), litigants, constitutional lawyers, human rights activists and the public Interest defenders as stakeholders to rise up to the occasion, with the hindsight that 'm'Lords' obviously have been groaning silently before they blew the lid. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and a former President of NBA Olisa Agbakoba fought for financial independence of the Judiciary to the Supreme court. After serving as a member of Confab 2014 he left his earnings to Federal Government (Executive) instead of the Judiciary. According to Patrick Devlin of blessed memories, author of "Enforcement of Morals" there are issues bordering on consiceince that are beneficial to society generally which are protected collectively like the silent Justices. Amidst all these prominent politicians afford N100 million for party nomination forms which are campaign slots since they're almost sure they wouldn't catch the nomination ticket because of the avalanche of competitors for the ticket. They would have made headlines nationwide if some of them decided for act of corporate social responsibility with a fraction or all the ticket/nomination jumbo bill. However, if they're not in the positive frame of mind being advocated here, they tacitly allign with PMB (Executive) who believes that the Judiciary is not helping his administration. So we're now at a crossroads of 'judging the judges ' #corporateleaders IKECHUKWU O. ODOEMELAM & CO Legal Practitioners Corporate Attorneys/Consultants legalservices.ike99@yahoo.com https://tapestri.io/members/join/now/ideaworkshop http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0075RXXLE COMPANY SECRETARIES HANDBOOK http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005783S6SDIRECTORS http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MKCESY MEETINGS: Dynamics and Legality .