Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Olukayode Ariwoola has stressed the need for the Judiciary to fully adopt technology for efficiency.
“I must reiterate that as we move forward into this digital age, we must embrace the potential of technology.
“It would significantly enhance efficiency by streamlining administrative tasks, aid legal research, reduce having a backlog of cases, and generally improve transparency and efficiency in the administration of justice,” he said.
Chief Justice Ariwoola spoke at a three-day retreat for Justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, organised by the Attorney General Alliance-Africa (AGA-Africa) in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
The CJN, represented by Justice Helen Ogunwumiju, said the theme of the retreat: “Achieving efficiency and effectiveness in a judicial system in Nigeria” was apt.
Chief Justice Ariwoola believes the judiciary cannot effectively carry out its role as a neutral arbiter and sustainer of democracy without adapting to the digital age.
He said,
“Democracy can only thrive on the respect for the rule of law.
“Its principles also advocate the independence of the Judiciary, the doctrine of separation of powers, the guarantee of fundamental rights, freedom of expression epitomised by free press and media as well as free and fair elections, all of which can only be guaranteed by an efficient and effective judiciary.
“Therefore, efficiency and effectiveness are not mere aspirations but essential foundations upon which our justice system rests.
“They are also the cornerstone of a judiciary that earns the trust and confidence of its people.
“In order to achieve this, it is imperative to explore innovative case management techniques, embrace modern technologies to streamline court processes, and generally dispense justice in a manner that restores faith in the rule of law.”
NJI Administrator, Justice Salisu Garba Abdullahi, added that a vibrant and independent Judiciary manned by upright judicial officers remained indispensable to the sustenance of public confidence in the administration of Justice.
He said,
“The pursuit of Justice is the cornerstone of any thriving democracy.
“It is essential that our judicial system operate with utmost efficiency and effectiveness to uphold the principle upon which our nation was founded.
“In this light, concerted efforts must be made towards the timely resolution of cases, the streamlining of legal procedures and the elimination of unnecessary delays.
“Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to invest in several key areas such as ICT and also leverage on case management among many others.
“We must ensure that Justice is not only done but should be seen to be done in a manner that represents the rights and needs of all parties involved as speedy Justice delivery instils confidence in our legal system.
“On our part, the NJI will not relent in fulfilling its mandate of delivering quality judicial education to our judicial officers by organising workshops, seminars, conferences and by collaborative efforts to hold retreats such as this to improve the quality of judicial decisions and enhance the overall effectiveness and efficiency of our judicial system.”
AGA Africa Programme Director, Chukukere Unamba-Opara, said the organisation works to strengthen the legal landscape and enhance the judicial capabilities.
“Our collaboration has seen us engage in various meaningful initiatives, including but not limited to other retreats for esteemed Supreme Court and Court of Appeal Justices.
“We have also conducted workshops on asset forfeiture regime under Nigerian law, the bench’s perspective on the capital market, effective administration of criminal justice and oral advocacy and electronic evidence.
“This history of collaboration seamlessly paves the way for our continued support of this event.
“These workshops are reflective of the work that we do across our partner countries – Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, and Nigeria in the areas of transnational organised crime, including trafficking, money laundering, and wildlife crime.”
He added,
“The breadth and scope of our work demonstrates the AGA-Africa Programme’s understanding that transnational organised crimes cannot be tackled without cross-border cooperation between countries.
“If crime crosses all borders, so must our work as criminal justice actors.
“If organised criminal groups can exploit the openness and opportunities of globalisation for their purposes, then we must exploit those very same factors in the pursuit of access to justice.”
He said AGA Africa would leverage the impact of integration to develop multi-lateral strategies towards addressing common problems.
Unamba-Opara expressed appreciation to the NJI for its support in making the workshop possible.
Also at the event were Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaette Obot; Justice Nicholas Colin Browne-Marke of the Supreme Court of Sierra-Leone, Justice Smokin Wanjala of the Supreme Court of Kenya and Partner, PUNUKA Attorneys & Solicitors/ AGA Africa Country Coordinator Mrs Ebelechukwu Enedah, among others.
