CJN: Perception Of Judiciary Needs To Improve

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, has reiterated his commitment to improving the perception of the judiciary at the unveiling of an in-house publication of the Supreme Court called Apex Quarterly Magazine.

Onnoghen, at the ceremony on Wednesday, said one of his reform agenda on assumption of office as the head of Nigerian judiciary was improving the public perception of the judiciary.

The CJN noted that the poor public perception of the judiciary remains a grave concern that requires special effort to correct by telling the world the true state of things in the judiciary.

“Where people are well informed, incidents of rumours, fake news, false allegations, petitions among others are reduced.”

He said the Apex Quarterly Magazine is not the only step taken to show the world of the activities in the judiciary and added that, he had directed the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court to reconstitute the Court’s website management committee to ensure that chamber’s sittings are uploaded on the site within 24 hours after every sitting on Wednesdays.

The CJN also directed that the website be re-designed to render it compatible with both desktops and handheld devices and that the practice directions of the apex court should be regularly uploaded and updated while bio-data of Justices of the Court and cause list be updated regularly.

“In the same vein, I have directed that all judgments and decisions of the court should be uploaded on the website within seven days of delivery.

“The objective of these directives is to cautiously open the judiciary to the public,” pointing out however that the mandate of a judicial officer is adjudication and not advocacy.

“I have personally gone through this maiden edition of the 64-paged Apex Quarterly Magazine and, though there is room for improvement in subsequent editions, I am satisfied that it is completely devoid of propaganda.

“That is how every product of the judiciary should be- neutral,” the CJN said.

He called on the heads of all courts to put their information units to good use by directing them to make a contribution to the editorial content of subsequent editions of the magazine.