Admin l Saturday, November 16, 2019
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria(CLASFON) recently paid courtesy call on the Chief Justice of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba at his office in Ikeja, Lagos.
He thanked CLASFON delegates as individuals and as a body and that he is not a stranger to CLASFON having attended their Memorial Lecture on various occasions.
He mentioned that he has a Christian educational background and advised the delegates to hold on to the tenets of Christianity. According to the Chief Judge, Nigeria and indeed the world have lost the critical values necessary for their sustenance. He said that the loss has birthed the current problems in the world and nation. He also mentioned that the present calamities point to the fact that the end is near.
He acknowledged that congestion remains a big challenge and that lawyers have equally contributed to the current mess, noting that a pointer to this fact is that some lawyers who know that their cases do not stand a chance of success on appeal insist on appealing just to prevent quick execution of judgement.
He noted that when an appeal is filed and accompanied with various motions, the properties already levied cannot be sold, resulting in the congestion of the court premises and problems for everyone.
The Chief Judge intimated the delegates of his intention to call a stakeholders meeting involving lawyers and the general public noting that the CLASFON coordinator, Prince Okey-Joe Onuakalusi struck a sensitive issue, earlier. He mentioned that a suggestion may be to sell the properties and put the proceeds in an escrow account while an appeal on the judgement may be pending.
He regretted that the appeal was sometimes eventually abandoned, and that the goods diminish in value. He equally noted that this issue raised by the coordinator shows how proactive and realistic the Coordinator has been in the consideration of the issues facing the Lagos State judiciary.
The Chief Judge promised to treat the issue as an emergency, noting that the problem has been exacerbated because the judiciary does not have an operational warehouse. He listed warehouses owned by the judiciary and their current inoperable state. He assured that the stakeholder’s forum will come up early next year.
Dealing with the issue of the poor operations in the Sheriff’s Department, he noted that sheriffs have become principalities and that the judiciary is bringing in new Sheriffs, but regretted that the new ones were being contaminated by the old ones.
He also regretted that lawyers are aiding the sheriffs to break the rules. He assured the delegates that any lawyer implicated will be duly sanctioned through the channels of judiciary and bar engagement except where it is too serious. He noted the clean-up of the department will not be a day’s job.
With regards to the LMDC, the Chief Judge noted that funding will not permit the establishment of more multi door courts as suggested by the chairman. He stated that the district settlement week embarked upon in the various magisterial districts by the judiciary with recorded successes should hopefully bring the process closer to litigants in the various jurisdictions.
The Chief Judge mentioned that he was not really in the know of the staff retention rate and that his thoughts are that staff retire when they are due.
Honourable Justice Oyebanji, who is one of the directors at the LMDC who was present at the meeting mentioned that some staff are indeed dissatisfied with their career progression and have resigned. The Judge noted that the LMDC has done an investigation into the pros and cons of joining the Oracle (the Lagos State Judiciary payment system).
The Chief Judge acknowledged that career progression is always an issue and perhaps some of the staff were using the place as a training ground to bolster their chances for better employment and announced that he will like to be part of the CLASFON hosted Hon Justice Adefarasin Memorial Lecture holding next year.
Earlier in his introduction, CLASFON coordinator stated that the purpose of the visit is to rub minds with the CJ. According to him, Lagos State Judiciary is a pace setter and congratulated the Chief Judge on his elevation, and commended him for the gains of his administration so far.
He pointed out that there is an urgent need to address the low-retention of staff at the Lagos Multi Door Court (LMDC) and suggested that LMDC should be established in other jurisdictions to cater for parties in those jurisdiction.
He called on the CJ to look at the issue of congestion of the court premises with properties from the enforcement of judgment by litigants. He then highlighted the poor operations of the sheriff’s department as another pressing issue.
The Coordinator reiterated the support of CLASFON to the current administration and that his association has always hosted the Hon Justice Ade Tunji Adefarasin Memorial Lecture and intimated the Chief Judge of the intention to continue with the tradition. He said the event will hold second week of February 2020 subject to the convenience of the Chief Judge.
In his contribution, Mr. Tunji Omole, CLASFON National Secretary talked about innovations in the probate department and suggested that the process should be fully automated like the CAC platform.
Others in the delegation are Dr. Wole Olufon (First President of Clasfon and the Chairman Board of Trustees), Prince Okey-Joe Onuakalusi (Coordinator of the Clasfon Lagos Sub Region), Mr. Justus Imafidon (Prayer Secretary Lagos Island Branch) Mrs. Obianozie Nkeiruka (Chairperson of the Ikorodu Branch) Mr. Segun Soji (Secretary Clasfon Ikorodu Branch) Mrs. Ogunmeru Olubunmi Olukemi (Assistant Secretary Ikorodu Branch) and Mrs. Oluremilekun Titilope Oshikoya (Financial Secretary Ikorodu Branch).
