#Judicial Appointment Should Be Based On Integrity And Sound Wisdom — JS Okutepa, SAN

— Says Use of Primordial And Political Basis For Appointment
Will Lead To Injustice

A foremost Legal Practitioner and Senior Advocate of Nigeria,
Mr. Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, has called on the Judiciary to ensure that
the appointment of persons into the Bench is solely based on,
strength of character, as well as integrity, as against an
appointment based on political or primordial sentiments.

The learned Senior Advocate noted that previously, the
recruitment process of Judges or persons into Judicial offices were
majorly based on an independent assessment of lawyers by Judicial
officers, who in turn recommend same for appointments, noting that
any irregularity or challenge with the character of any would-be
lawyer or magistrate, was sufficient to ensure the said individual
does not get the said appointment.

“The recruitment process to the Bench in Nigeria needs to be
fine-tuned to accommodate more seasoned legal Practitioners of
courage and character. In those days no one lobbies to be appointed
judicial officer. Those on the bench with intergity and good omen
watched lawyers, assess them and their characters and recommend the
legal Practitioners concerned for recruitment to the Bench. Not
many lawyers then get recommendations. Once there was question
marks on your intergity as lawyers or magistrates, you can’t get
recruitment to the Bench.” The statement notes in part.

Furthermore, he considered that due to the complexity associated
with the duties of a Judge, the need to have only men and women of
good character and sound wisdom cannot be overemphasized.

“The job of a judge or judex is a very complex one. No man or
woman should be made or appointed a judge if he or she lacked
strength of character and wisdom. The qualities that those to be
appointed judges need to possess have been set out in the Holy
Book. Those to be appointed judges must be able men and women such
as fear God, men, and women of truth, hating covetousness who can
judge the people at all seasons”

“…As long as we recruit judges not on the basis of their
strengths of characters and integrity, but on the basis of
primordial political and other concerns, so we will have judgments
that are completely devoid of logic and justice.” The statement
reads in part.

— Says Use of Primordial And Political Basis For Appointment
Will Lead To Injustice

A foremost Legal Practitioner and Senior Advocate of Nigeria,
Mr. Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, has called on the Judiciary to ensure that
the appointment of persons into the Bench is solely based on,
strength of character, as well as integrity, as against an
appointment based on political or primordial sentiments.

The learned Senior Advocate noted that previously, the
recruitment process of Judges or persons into Judicial offices were
majorly based on an independent assessment of lawyers by Judicial
officers, who in turn recommend same for appointments, noting that
any irregularity or challenge with the character of any would-be
lawyer or magistrate, was sufficient to ensure the said individual
does not get the said appointment.

“The recruitment process to the Bench in Nigeria needs to be
fine-tuned to accommodate more seasoned legal Practitioners of
courage and character. In those days no one lobbies to be appointed
judicial officer. Those on the bench with intergity and good omen
watched lawyers, assess them and their characters and recommend the
legal Practitioners concerned for recruitment to the Bench. Not
many lawyers then get recommendations. Once there was question
marks on your intergity as lawyers or magistrates, you can’t get
recruitment to the Bench.” The statement notes in part.

Furthermore, he considered that due to the complexity associated
with the duties of a Judge, the need to have only men and women of
good character and sound wisdom cannot be overemphasized.

“The job of a judge or judex is a very complex one. No man or
woman should be made or appointed a judge if he or she lacked
strength of character and wisdom. The qualities that those to be
appointed judges need to possess have been set out in the Holy
Book. Those to be appointed judges must be able men and women such
as fear God, men, and women of truth, hating covetousness who can
judge the people at all seasons”

“…As long as we recruit judges not on the basis of their
strengths of characters and integrity, but on the basis of
primordial political and other concerns, so we will have judgments
that are completely devoid of logic and justice.” The statement
reads in part.