Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), had urged judicial officers to uphold respect, obedience, and foster a collaborative working environment as they carry out their adjudicatory responsibilities.

The CJN made the appeal on Monday in Abuja during the opening of a hybrid refresher course for lower court judges, organised by the National Judicial Institute (NJI).

The theme of the workshop is: “Enhancing Judicial Efficiency and Quality of Decision-Making”

Justice Kekere-Ekun says a judiciary that functions optimally is one where judicial officers respect the authority of their heads of court and adhere to lawful directives issued in the administration of justice.

She told the judges that they must not be seen as separate and distinct from the high courts in terms of justice delivery but rather, they should be seen as an integral part of the State or Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) judiciary.

The CJN who was represented by a Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Ibrahim Salauwa, reminded judicial officers that a judiciary plagued by internal discord could not effectively discharge its Constitutional mandate.
She encouraged participants to remain dedicated to cultivating a judicial culture rooted in mutual respect and a collective commitment to upholding the rule of law.

Earlier, retired Justice Salisu Abdullah, Administrator of the institute, said the early scheduling of the training was done with the aim of revitalising the knowledge of participants on the fundamentals of adjudication.

He said it was also to foster the cross fertilisation of ideas on recent and crucial developments in the judicial landscape.

Justice Abdullahi, said the course would avail the judges the opportunity to acquaint themselves with global best practices.

He reminded the participants that as arbiters in the temple of justice, the judiciary carried the immense responsibility of upholding the rule of law while maintaining public confidence.

“Doubtless, achieving this inevitably requires a commitment to refining our existing processes and improving the quality of our decisions.

“It is important to emphasise that judicial efficiency is not merely a function of speed but about also speaks to the ability to handle cases with precision, fairness and objectivity.

“The quality of decision-making, on the other hand, is a reflection of the judiciary’s credibility and its ability to provide well-reasoned judgments that uphold justice and equity,” Abdullahi said.

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