Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Professor Itsejuwa Esanjumi Sagay, has recently engaged in a critical discourse on the current state of Nigeria’s Supreme Court. Through his comparison of the present bench with the ‘golden era’ of the court, he has brought to light the decline in quality and the trivial nature of cases it presently handles.
As Sagay recalls, the court’s ‘golden era’ was a period marked by certainty, predictability, and stability. It was a time when justices such as Kayode Esho, Chukwudifu Oputa, and Augustine Nnamani led the bench, setting higher standards for judicial proceedings. The stark contrast with the present day has led Sagay to propose several suggestions for improvement.
One of his primary suggestions is to limit appeals to the Supreme Court, allowing only political, constitutional, and human rights matters to be heard. This would leave other cases to the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal. According to Sagay, this change would help alleviate the Supreme Court’s excessive workload, which currently results in new cases potentially waiting for a decade to be heard, a situation he describes as scandalous.
Furthermore, he has brought attention to the issue of judicial remuneration. Sagay believes that increasing the pay for justices could reduce their susceptibility to corruption. He has called on the president to take action, highlighting the unjust discrepancy between the salaries of National Assembly members and Supreme Court justices. To maintain the integrity of the court and return it to its former glory, Sagay insists on significantly improving the remuneration and conditions for justices.
In addition to these concerns, he has also expressed dismay over recent Supreme Court decisions that have tarnished its image, such as the endorsement of candidates like Ahmad Lawan and Godswill Akpabio, which goes against the Electoral Act. These actions, he suggests, further emphasize the need for reforms in the court system.
