03 Jul 2005 |
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| By Adebayo Adejare The Hon. Mr. justice Christopher Segun’s tenure as chief judge of Lagos State ended on May 26,2001. He served in that office office between may 24,1999 and May 26,2001. This writer was not privileged to be present at the valedictory session for His lordship, so I am not privy to whatever was said on that occasion. Eminent lawyers have observed that the Valedictory Sessions are just one big joke. It’s a free day off for everybody and dedicated to eulogise the celebrant in spite of whatever his record of service has been. Hence we have Judges appointed in spite of numerous Petitions and (in some cases) litigations and who celebrated their retirement more for being let off the hook of the numerous pending petitions than for a career successfully and gloriously concluded. Huge sums of tax-payers funds are released by Alausa for the event which some lawyers attend to “mark the roll” and secretly celebrate an alternative rout to justice for their clients since Appeals are still a slow method of correction. So exasperating was the situation that the former Federal Attorney General Dr Olu Onagoruwa in a 1985 Newspaper article countered all the encomiums poured on a retiring Federal high Court Judge and rather condemned him for recklessness on the Bench. A probable way out is to vote huge sums to celebrate the genuinely successful exits but vote token sums for the undeserving few often described as notoriously corrupt and more of liabilities to the Bench. It is uncharitable to observe that Judges are corrupt because not all Judges are. In fact the few corrupt ones have always been a monumental embarrassment to the incorruptible ones who are condemned to silence in the circumstances. But to also overlook excellence is iniquitous. Equality in this case is inequity. This is why we owe no apologies for celebrating the distinguished and highly successful tenure of Hon Justice Christopher Segun as Chief Judge of Lagos State. He set a record of success that constitutes a challenge to succeeding Chief Judges of the state. His was a very well deserved valedictory. Those who know His Lordship very well as well as those who closely observe the politics of judicial appointments in Lagos State would easily bear witness that his achievements as chief judge came as a pleasant surprise and despite some hitherto held prejudices against suitability of certain lawyers for appointment into judicial office. Because he served on the bench lower and high for so long, it is easy to forget that Hon. Justice Segun in fact stated his career as practicing lawyer along with some colleagues in old Yaba Road Ebute Meta. He practiced for only about 4 years before throwing in the towel to take up magisterial appointment. As any other human being, Justice Segun had his own Achilles heel and these were many. He was known to have enjoyed his fair share of domestic and matrimonial blues but never had a divorce. He was also known to Practicing Bar as a very short tempered judge. He often acted impulsively on the bench and you need not stay long in court during in a case to know what side the judge leaned. It is on record that even in a very sensitive case as the Bamaiyi murder case, His Lordship’s observation that “I don’t allow criminals to seat in my court” caused the case to be transferred to another judge. But we also know that whatever he did in his capacity as a judge were not motivated by bribes. He accepted the Lord Jesus as personal Lord and Saviour. His relation, Bishop Festus Segun was Bishop of Lagos Dioceses of the Anglican Church for many years. By his excellent performance as C.J. His Lordship has “atoned” for his frailties in the early years of his career. While not trying to create an image of perfection, it must be re-iterated that Justice Segun firmly and openly resisted the temptation to offer and utilize the powers of the office of Chief Judge for filthy lucre. He ran an efficient Chief Judges chambers. Staff of his chambers would testify to the fact that Justice Segun READ and acted upon ALL correspondence addressed to him as chief judge within 24 hours. Lawyers who had urgent matters in court could assure their eager clients that once their case files entered the Chief Judges chambers it would come out within 24 hrs unless he traveled out of town. He is known (on several occasions during his tenure) to have driven straight from the airport (from Abuja) to his office to first clear all outstanding correspondence before going home. Incidents of suppression of litigants and lawyers petitions to the Chief Judge were very rare if ever. He was fair and firm to both his brothers on the bench as well as his colleagues at the bar, but most notably, Justice Segun left no one in doubt as to his burning desire to make heaven. Hence he persistently took steps to see that justice is delivered promptly to all who had cases in court. The Chief Judge’s power of transfer was exercised in consultation with his brothers on the bench who at all times got a hearing before pending matters were transferred from their courts. He had a reputation for sitting in court promptly at 9 o’ clock and you could be sure that he was in the Chief Judges chamber at that time everyday. As for his supervisory powers over Magistrates and other Judicial Staff he was firm and fair. Justice Segun’s style of administration was revolutionary in two respects. He brought relief to his colleagues, lawyers and litigants by moving the court Registrars around. Some had become institutions in their Courts and some Judge’s sincere efforts to render speedy justice were being hindered. Lawyer’s complaints and Petitions over the excesses of these powerful few often ended in the dust bin. They exercised unchallenged “jurisdiction” over which cases get called listed or tried first, which orders prepared, which Judgments issued and which correspondence /process gets received or gets courts attention and even the Assistant Chief Registrars (and lawyers alike) had to “parley” with them to avoid imminent frustration. At last most of the silently displeased judges lawyers litigants and ACRs got rescued by the singular act of re-posting. But some affected Registry Staff called it a disciplinary action and lobbied unsuccessfully for a reversion. We lost a few excellent “TEAMS” by the exercise but the institution itself needed rescue. Justice Segun’s efforts at sanitizing the Judiciary is now history. A few corrupt Magistrates wallowed in the wrongdoing because the job of SUPERVISION by the CJ had become very onerous. It was impracticable to read the numerous petitions pouring in daily few of which were unfounded but the majority were meritorious. Rather than get thrown into thrash or shredded over a cup of tea with the offender, he took pains to read and investigate every Petition. There were one or two incorruptible Magistrates that fell victim of the measures and this is regrettable but without the measures progress would have been a mirage. On the plus side, numerous judicial appointments were approved during His Lordship’s tenure. For once, attempt was made to fill all vacancies so as to expedite court proceedings. Many perquisites were added to the offices. His Lordship declined to take credit for all these. But the greatest legacy left by His Lordship to the Office of Chief Judge is the assurance that correspondence to the Hon. C.J. reach him, be personally attended to and the file exits the C.J’s chambers within 24 hours. The society expects no less from his successors particularly the incumbent. |
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