I woke up around 6am on 14th February 2018 and behold there was
a coded message on my phone purportedly from the office of the Hon.
Chief Judge of Lagos State, urging me to see her Lordship by 9am at
Igbosere without disclosing the purpose of the invitation
By almost 8am on the dot, I dashed out of my house enroute
Igbosere, ignoring every other appointment and itinerary for that
day: even the usual Valentine distraction!
On getting to the CJ’s lobby, I saw Mr. Bayo Akinlade who wasted
no time to introduce me to three members of the “Fight Against
Corruption in the Judiciary team”. Incidentally, Bayo’s invite was
as coded as mine.
Low and behold, we were ushered into the CJ’s office by her
Lordship’s PA where we met Hon. Justice Okuwobi (one of the Adm
Judges), with the Chief Registrar, Mrs Sholadoye. Hon. Justice
Alogba joined us afterwards. At that point, the CJ informed us that
she invited us for a “sting operation” at the probate Registry at
Igbosere. She informed us that she deliberately coded our
invitation to avoid a spill
In few minutes, a handful of men joined us and were introduced
as detectives from the Governor’s office, and representatives of
the Ministry of Justice. At that point it dawned on me that I was
the only NBA Branch leadership that was invited for the sting
operation!
Immediately, we set out practically unnoticed until we entered
the Probate Registry at Igbosere and I am sure you would easily
predict what we saw and possibly, what we couldn’t see! We can’t
say everything we saw, but we saw a rot, a decadent environment, a
judicial department operated in a cabal-like fashion, if I am
permitted to qualify our experience.
Briefly, we observed mere office attendants/cleaners in charge
of tables and handling sensitive files, we observed school cert
holders and dropouts handling sensitive files, we observed many
sensitive files lying on the floor without anyone taking or
accepting ownership and responsibility,
we observed serious racketeering in the Registry: whilst we saw
old files practically unattended to, we saw new files with juicy
sums enjoying unprecedented accelerated hearing, we observed
indiscriminate late coming to work, we observed the necessity and
inevitability of space and e-filing options at the Registry, et
cetera
At the end of the operation which I considered timely,
well-executed, salutary and effective, some officers of the
Registry were whisked away for further interrogation by the DSS
Team, whilst the rest of us returned to the Hon. CJ’ s office to
brainstorm on the outcome of the operation.
An impromptu presentation was made by Mrs. Bunni Ibraheem, a
member of FIACIJ. After all deliberations, her Lordship, the Hon.
Chief Judge of Lagos state, Hon. Justice Olufumilayo Opeyemi Oke
(Mrs), opted instant to constitute a Committee to have another look
at the Probate Registry with suggestions on the way forward.
The Committee would be headed by one of the Adm Judges, Hon.
Justice Okuwobi. I sincerely believed that the exercise has brought
instant result and positivity in the way and manner business is
being run at the Registry. Lawyers are to take advantage of this
development.
One must equally point out the discovery and near consensus that
every corrupt practice in the Probate has the “connivance” of a
lawyer! This is very very unfortunate and would boomerang at the
appropriate time……………, hence my caution to our colleagues who are
tools in this unwholesome venture!
Below are some of the few pictures taken during and after the
operation: we couldn’t take much because the DSS operatives were
picture shy, though professionally:………..
I woke up around 6am on 14th February 2018 and behold there was
a coded message on my phone purportedly from the office of the Hon.
Chief Judge of Lagos State, urging me to see her Lordship by 9am at
Igbosere without disclosing the purpose of the invitation
By almost 8am on the dot, I dashed out of my house enroute
Igbosere, ignoring every other appointment and itinerary for that
day: even the usual Valentine distraction!
On getting to the CJ’s lobby, I saw Mr. Bayo Akinlade who wasted
no time to introduce me to three members of the “Fight Against
Corruption in the Judiciary team”. Incidentally, Bayo’s invite was
as coded as mine.
Low and behold, we were ushered into the CJ’s office by her
Lordship’s PA where we met Hon. Justice Okuwobi (one of the Adm
Judges), with the Chief Registrar, Mrs Sholadoye. Hon. Justice
Alogba joined us afterwards. At that point, the CJ informed us that
she invited us for a “sting operation” at the probate Registry at
Igbosere. She informed us that she deliberately coded our
invitation to avoid a spill
In few minutes, a handful of men joined us and were introduced
as detectives from the Governor’s office, and representatives of
the Ministry of Justice. At that point it dawned on me that I was
the only NBA Branch leadership that was invited for the sting
operation!
Immediately, we set out practically unnoticed until we entered
the Probate Registry at Igbosere and I am sure you would easily
predict what we saw and possibly, what we couldn’t see! We can’t
say everything we saw, but we saw a rot, a decadent environment, a
judicial department operated in a cabal-like fashion, if I am
permitted to qualify our experience.
Briefly, we observed mere office attendants/cleaners in charge
of tables and handling sensitive files, we observed school cert
holders and dropouts handling sensitive files, we observed many
sensitive files lying on the floor without anyone taking or
accepting ownership and responsibility,
we observed serious racketeering in the Registry: whilst we saw
old files practically unattended to, we saw new files with juicy
sums enjoying unprecedented accelerated hearing, we observed
indiscriminate late coming to work, we observed the necessity and
inevitability of space and e-filing options at the Registry, et
cetera
At the end of the operation which I considered timely,
well-executed, salutary and effective, some officers of the
Registry were whisked away for further interrogation by the DSS
Team, whilst the rest of us returned to the Hon. CJ’ s office to
brainstorm on the outcome of the operation.
An impromptu presentation was made by Mrs. Bunni Ibraheem, a
member of FIACIJ. After all deliberations, her Lordship, the Hon.
Chief Judge of Lagos state, Hon. Justice Olufumilayo Opeyemi Oke
(Mrs), opted instant to constitute a Committee to have another look
at the Probate Registry with suggestions on the way forward.
The Committee would be headed by one of the Adm Judges, Hon.
Justice Okuwobi. I sincerely believed that the exercise has brought
instant result and positivity in the way and manner business is
being run at the Registry. Lawyers are to take advantage of this
development.
One must equally point out the discovery and near consensus that
every corrupt practice in the Probate has the “connivance” of a
lawyer! This is very very unfortunate and would boomerang at the
appropriate time……………, hence my caution to our colleagues who are
tools in this unwholesome venture!
Below are some of the few pictures taken during and after the
operation: we couldn’t take much because the DSS operatives were
picture shy, though professionally:………..