Supreme Court Moves to Improve Public Perception of Judiciary

In what can be considered as a move aimed at improving
public perception of the judiciary, the Supreme Court wednesday in
Abuja unveiled its first magazine titled: ‘Apex Quarterly
Magazine’.

The magazine which was launched at the premises of the Supreme
Court in Abuja, according to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN),
Justice Walter Onnoghen, provides a veritable platform for the
judiciary to tell its own story to the world.

Onnoghen said worried by the battered image of the judiciary on
assumption of office, he proposed the presentation of some
enlightenment judicial programmes to be featured in both the print
and electronic media, “With the belief that the widespread
perception of the judiciary as an inefficient and corruption-ridden
institution lacking integrity and efficiency in the performance of
its functions will be greatly reduced, if not eliminated.”

He expressed the belief that a cautious opening up of the
judiciary to the public would help change the wrong perception
people have concerning the judiciary.

“Where people are well informed, incidents of rumours, fake
news, false allegations, petitions, among others, are reduced,” he
said, adding that, “This effort will ensure that we do less of
damage control, and more of proactive dissemination of
information.”
The CJN however revealed that other efforts the apex court has
introduced in winning the confidence of the public include the
reconstituting of the court’s Website Management Committee, with a
mandate to upload sittings at the apex chamber not later than 24
hours after sitting on Wednesdays.

Also to be uploaded and updated regularly are practice
directions of the court, bio-data of Justices of the Supreme Court,
cause list and all judgments of the apex court which should “Be
uploaded on the website within seven days of delivery.”

In what can be considered as a move aimed at improving
public perception of the judiciary, the Supreme Court wednesday in
Abuja unveiled its first magazine titled: ‘Apex Quarterly
Magazine’.

The magazine which was launched at the premises of the Supreme
Court in Abuja, according to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN),
Justice Walter Onnoghen, provides a veritable platform for the
judiciary to tell its own story to the world.

Onnoghen said worried by the battered image of the judiciary on
assumption of office, he proposed the presentation of some
enlightenment judicial programmes to be featured in both the print
and electronic media, “With the belief that the widespread
perception of the judiciary as an inefficient and corruption-ridden
institution lacking integrity and efficiency in the performance of
its functions will be greatly reduced, if not eliminated.”

He expressed the belief that a cautious opening up of the
judiciary to the public would help change the wrong perception
people have concerning the judiciary.

“Where people are well informed, incidents of rumours, fake
news, false allegations, petitions, among others, are reduced,” he
said, adding that, “This effort will ensure that we do less of
damage control, and more of proactive dissemination of
information.”
The CJN however revealed that other efforts the apex court has
introduced in winning the confidence of the public include the
reconstituting of the court’s Website Management Committee, with a
mandate to upload sittings at the apex chamber not later than 24
hours after sitting on Wednesdays.

Also to be uploaded and updated regularly are practice
directions of the court, bio-data of Justices of the Supreme Court,
cause list and all judgments of the apex court which should “Be
uploaded on the website within seven days of delivery.”