Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wole Babalakin, has said that the condition of service of judges is a disgrace to senior lawyers as he noted that efforts must be made to place the law profession on a good pedestal.
Babalakin, who stated this at the valedictory court session for an Appeal Court judge, Justice Fatimo Akinbami, said the fight for a good condition of service could not be left for the judges alone.
He said the country was emulating the English judicial system but the government had been unable to make the judges comfortable just like it is done in the UK.
He stated, “The lawyers must realise that the legal profession is that of distinction, integrity and class. So, there is a need for senior lawyers to ensure that the job is placed on a good pedestal and that judges enjoy good condition of service.
“It is a personal disgrace for every senior lawyer that the job is not developing while judges do not enjoy good condition of service. We can’t leave the fight to judges alone. We are all guilty of this neglect and we must find a way to make it better.
“In a system where judges cannot meet their needs effortlessly, it shows that the system is not helping the judiciary.”
He also commended the retired judge, noting, “I hope in retirement she will still have more time to help develop society.”
The celebrant said it was an honour to serve the nation, while thanking her family for supporting her over the years. She also urged the government to encourage agriculture to enable the country to become self-sufficient in food production.
She added, “The focus of the new administration should be vigorously directed at getting unemployed citizens to engage in farming immediately. Food production must be pursued by all able-bodied adults. There is no alternative to food production locally, so ordinary people in Nigeria would have basic food to eat.
“There is a need to curtail the importation of food of any sort. Therefore, the pressure on the country’s foreign exchange would be used for more critical purposes to grow the economy.”
