THUR MARCH 27 2025-theGBJournal| The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has enjoined the nation’s judiciary to remain steadfast in the face of blackmail, saying as custodians of the law, the third arm of government must shun the temptation of tinkering with justice to serve parochial interest.
Specifically, he reminded the judiciary that it is an essential pillar of Nigeria’s sovereign existence because “a nation is only as accountable, fair, and orderly as the people who make, enforce, and interpret its laws”.
The Vice President, who gave the charge in Abuja on Wednesday when he officially declared open the maiden Body of Benchers Annual Lecture and public presentation of the report of the directions of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, cautioned judges and other legal practitioners against yielding to the temptation of tinkering with the law to serve the selfish interests of those he described as agents of anarchy.
“Laws are not mere technicalities; they are the scaffolding of civilisation. Without laws, there is no order. Without order, there is no society. Every time justice is delayed, every time the law is bent to serve the interests of agents of anarchy, and every time institutions waver in the face of blackmail, we erode the very foundation of our nation. And if that foundation crumbles, no matter how high we have built, everything falls apart,” he stated.
Faulting the notion that justice is the wish of the party with the shrillest voice, an impression he referred to as one of the gravest mistakes being made, VP Shettima acknowledged however that the judiciary has lived up to its duty by discouraging such belief, recalling how the court upheld the mandate entrusted to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the face of political blackmail.
“In reality, justice is just as essential to the most voiceless individual. It is the clearest affirmation that a nation is not governed by a mob. That is why we recognise that the mandate entrusted to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was affirmed by a judiciary that did not yield to the weight of vested interests—a judiciary that understood that the fate of a nation is too sacred to be intimidated by any party or bartered for compromise,” he said.
Senator Shettima observed that while “the foundation of every great nation is built on the ethical sensitivity of the institutions that uphold justice”, it is such moral requirements that prepare judges “to refuse to bend to divisive sentiments and to stand firm against the currents of expediency.
The VP reassured the judiciary of President Tinubu’s resolve to maintain cordiality among the three arms of government, adding that the President “has demonstrated that the best way for our tripartite system of government to function is when we do not treat one another as enemies, but as allies dedicated to the republican virtues of the nation and the advancement of our democracy.”
Applauding the Body of Benchers for the launch of its Law Report which, according to him, is a reflection of the “collective commitment to legal scholarship, the preservation of precedent, and the continuous refinement of” the nation’s legal system, Vice President Shettima urged “all legal practitioners to remain true to the ideals of honesty and fairness.
“The legacy we build today will outlive our titles, our offices, and even our ambitions. May we never be remembered as a generation that saw the light of justice dim and did nothing to keep it ablaze,” he added.
In her remarks, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, commended the Body of Benchers for their foresight and dedication in initiating the annual lecture.
Emphasising ethical practice within the legal profession, the CJN observed that the sanctity of the profession in Nigeria rests solely on the shoulders of the body, even as she expressed hope that the body would rise to the occasion.
She said, “The forum is not only a testament to the progressive evolution of the body but a much-needed platform for intellectual engagement for practical and introspective reflection on the role of the body of benchers within the legal profession.
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