Legal luminary,Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, has urged Government at all levels to rescue Judiciary in the country from dilapidating state of courtrooms in Nigeria for effective judicial system.
Olanipekun who called for urgent intervention in the poor condition of courtrooms pleaded and appealed to governments and well meaning individual to provide good facilities in all the courts in the country.
According to the legal giant, “the walls and roofs of a good number of our courtrooms are collapsing and outdated
“Basic facilities such as toilets are not available in a good number of courts all over the country
“Water and electricity are lacking. In most instances, functional libraries are not available. A sad spectre or scenery if lawyers scrambling to secure seats with litigants or sharing the meagre available accommodation within the “sardine – packed” courtrooms menacingly intimidate judges, counsel and litigants”
Olanipekun, said the ambience of a typical or average courtroom should reflect an atmosphere of learning which judges and lawyers subscribe to, and are known for, rather than representing, both from unkempt theatre.
“I venture to submit that a good courtroom with up-to-date facilities will attract the confidence of litigants in our judicial system.
“If we continue to fail, refuse and neglect to maintain Justice, Justice, in turn, may refuse to regulate us, and eventually desert us”
Wole Olanipekun, SAN, made the remarks yesterday in Ikere-Ekiti, his country home at the commissioning of the Ultra-Modern Court Room, which he built and donated to the Ekiti State High Court, Ikere Judicial Division.
Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, while commending Chief Olanipekun and the family for the donation of the High Court, Ikere division, said there is no doubt that Olanipekun is a man who takes pleasure in giving back to the society and the institution that once nurtured him.
Governor Oyebanji, said “this is yet another demonstration of his commitment to giving back to the Law profession where he has made his mark as a distinguished member of the Bar and the Bench.
“I therefore call on all Ekiti indigenes all over the world to emulate this act of generousity in giving back”
The state Chief Judge CJ, Justice John Adeyeye decried that some of the judicial division were constructed four decades ago, saying out of 10 judicial division, six of them are at various stages of dilapidation, including Omuo, Ikole, Efon, Emure, Ilawe and Ido Ekiti divisions.
“20 out of 29 customary courts are yearing for renovation. Their urgent intervention can therefore not be overemphasized.
“As the last hope of the common man, the judiciary can’t be an appendage of another arm of government. It must be independent in positive partnership with other organ of government for a better society. This independent can only be achieved if judiciary is allowed to function well in a conducive environment.”
Sections in the newly constructed High Court complex were named after some illustrious sons of the state -Honourable Justice Olajide Olatawura, Honourable Justice Micheal Ekundayo Ogundare and Founder of Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) Aare Afe Babalola.