Ways Of Enforcing The Directive Issued By The Chief Judge Of FCT- Abuja On Issuing Notice To Lawyers At Least 48 Hours Before The Non-Sitting Day

By Hameed Ajibola Jimoh Esq.

Sequel to my appeal to the Honourable, the Chief
Judge of FCT High Court in that regard by
my letter dated the 17th day of March, 2021, and submitted to His
Lordship’s Chambers on the 18th day of March, 2021, on the
29^th June, 2021, the Chief Registrar of the High Court
of the Federal Capital Territory- Abuja, on the
authority of the Honourable, the Chief Judge of the High Court,
issued a directive directing all registrars of courts as
follows

‘prior notice of at least 48 hours must be given to
all parties in a suit where the Court is indisposed or will not sit
on a date earlier on agreed or communicated to parties. This notice
could be via text (SMS) or Email. ‘Parties’ includes the Prison
Officer in-charge of Courts, please.

While exemptions could be made in cases of emergency
or unforeseen events, this notice takes immediate effect and
Registrars of all High Courts and Magistrate Courts should take
note and ensure strict compliance with this
directive’.

Some lawyers have been pessimistic with due respect to them,
that the directive would not be complied with! I however beg to
differ on their stand and or arguments. Therefore, I wish to give
this tip as a way of enforcing this directive on all
registrars.

In my humble advice, every lawyer has the duty to ensure
compliance with this directive even with passion because it is a
tool in the development of administration of justice and having
regards to the advantages of the directive in the administration of
justice. Therefore, I humbly advise that where a court is not
sitting and the registrar of the court does not or did not and or
refused and or failed and or neglected to give notice to any
concerned lawyer and or litigant, such lawyer and or litigant
should not hesitate to petition (or complain in writing) the Chief
Judge or the Chief Registrar of the High Court against such
registrar of the court (including Magistrate/District Courts) for
non-compliance with the directive. Furthermore, the High Court of
FCT has a standing staff disciplinary committee which would take up
such complaint and ensure that necessary disciplinary measures are
taken against such registrar violating such directive of the
Honourabe, the Chief Judge of the Court. In this way, the
registrars would definitely take the directive seriously and the
purpose of the directive would have been fulfilled except with
exemptions which could be made in cases of emergency or
unforeseen events. One should not be discouraged and
not be tired as to whether the petition would be taken up or not.
There is need for continuous efforts in this petition by lawyers
and litigants and all is good for all of us!

Furthermore, I humbly recommend the Honourable, the Chief Judge
of the High Court of the FCT to set up a complaint mechanism to
assess compliance with this directive. I also recommend the
Nigerian Bar Association’s branches to do the same, especially
those branches in Abuja. Human and socio-economic rights activists
too and members of the public affected by the non-compliance must
be crusaders in ensuring that the registrars comply with the
directive issued by the Honourable, the Chief Judge, through their
continuous petitions and or complaints to the Courts’
authority.

Finally, in my humble view, I am very hopeful that if we
(lawyers) are ready to ensure compliance, then, the court system
would make us all happy and enable us to carry out our professional
duties with ease and joy.

Email: hameed_ajibola@yahoo.com^[1]

By Hameed Ajibola Jimoh Esq.

Sequel to my appeal to the Honourable, the Chief
Judge of FCT High Court in that regard by
my letter dated the 17th day of March, 2021, and submitted to His
Lordship’s Chambers on the 18th day of March, 2021, on the
29^th June, 2021, the Chief Registrar of the High Court
of the Federal Capital Territory- Abuja, on the
authority of the Honourable, the Chief Judge of the High Court,
issued a directive directing all registrars of courts as
follows

‘prior notice of at least 48 hours must be given to
all parties in a suit where the Court is indisposed or will not sit
on a date earlier on agreed or communicated to parties. This notice
could be via text (SMS) or Email. ‘Parties’ includes the Prison
Officer in-charge of Courts, please.

While exemptions could be made in cases of emergency
or unforeseen events, this notice takes immediate effect and
Registrars of all High Courts and Magistrate Courts should take
note and ensure strict compliance with this
directive’.

Some lawyers have been pessimistic with due respect to them,
that the directive would not be complied with! I however beg to
differ on their stand and or arguments. Therefore, I wish to give
this tip as a way of enforcing this directive on all
registrars.

In my humble advice, every lawyer has the duty to ensure
compliance with this directive even with passion because it is a
tool in the development of administration of justice and having
regards to the advantages of the directive in the administration of
justice. Therefore, I humbly advise that where a court is not
sitting and the registrar of the court does not or did not and or
refused and or failed and or neglected to give notice to any
concerned lawyer and or litigant, such lawyer and or litigant
should not hesitate to petition (or complain in writing) the Chief
Judge or the Chief Registrar of the High Court against such
registrar of the court (including Magistrate/District Courts) for
non-compliance with the directive. Furthermore, the High Court of
FCT has a standing staff disciplinary committee which would take up
such complaint and ensure that necessary disciplinary measures are
taken against such registrar violating such directive of the
Honourabe, the Chief Judge of the Court. In this way, the
registrars would definitely take the directive seriously and the
purpose of the directive would have been fulfilled except with
exemptions which could be made in cases of emergency or
unforeseen events. One should not be discouraged and
not be tired as to whether the petition would be taken up or not.
There is need for continuous efforts in this petition by lawyers
and litigants and all is good for all of us!

Furthermore, I humbly recommend the Honourable, the Chief Judge
of the High Court of the FCT to set up a complaint mechanism to
assess compliance with this directive. I also recommend the
Nigerian Bar Association’s branches to do the same, especially
those branches in Abuja. Human and socio-economic rights activists
too and members of the public affected by the non-compliance must
be crusaders in ensuring that the registrars comply with the
directive issued by the Honourable, the Chief Judge, through their
continuous petitions and or complaints to the Courts’
authority.

Finally, in my humble view, I am very hopeful that if we
(lawyers) are ready to ensure compliance, then, the court system
would make us all happy and enable us to carry out our professional
duties with ease and joy.

Email: hameed_ajibola@yahoo.com^[1]