As we open this maiden edition of the Body of Benchers Annual Lecture, I urge all legal practitioners to remain true to the ideals of honesty and fairness.
The judiciary has been urged by Vice President Kashim Shettima to resist temptation and uphold principles of integrity and equity. On Tuesday, March 26, Shettima issued the abdomition before he declared the Annual Lecture of the Body of Benchers, BoB, open in Abuja.
According to Shettima, it has been proved by President Bola Tinubu that the most effective method for the tripartite form of government in the country to function is when people do not see one another as enemies, but rather as allies who are committed to the republican qualities of the nation and the promotion of democracy.
Shettima said, “Laws are not mere technicalities; they are the scaffolding of civilisation. Without laws, there is no order. Without order, there is no society.
“Every time justice is delayed, every time the law is bent to serve the interests of agents of anarchy, and every time institutions waver in the face of blackmail, we erode the very foundation of our nation. And if that foundation crumbles, no matter how high we have built, everything falls apart.
“This is why the legal profession carries a burden, unlike any other. You, my lords, are not just interpreters of the law; you are custodians of justice. But this role is not without its burdens.
“The expectations are high, and the temptations are many. Yet, I urge you, my lords, to remain steadfast. To borrow the words of the eminent jurist, Lord Atkin, ‘’justice is not a cloistered virtue; it must be allowed to suffer the scrutiny of reasonable men.”
“Permit me, therefore, to reiterate that President Bola Tinubu has demonstrated that the best way for our tripartite system of government to function is when we do not treat one another as enemies, but as allies dedicated to the republican virtues of the nation and the advancement of our democracy.
“I congratulate you on the launch of the Body of Benchers Law Report. It is, without doubt, a reflection of our collective commitment to legal scholarship, the preservation of precedent, and the continuous refinement of our legal system.
“As we open this maiden edition of the Body of Benchers Annual Lecture, I urge all legal practitioners to remain true to the ideals of honesty and fairness.”