From: Moses Emorinken, Abuja
Rebuilding the nation post- covid-19 will require effective leadership, as the pandemic is not only a public health crisis, but has also heavily impacted and disrupted economic, political and judicial spaces.
The founding Principal Partner of J-K Gadzama LLP, Joe-Kyari Gadzama (SAN), said this in Abuja, during the firm’s 12th annual public lecture with the theme: “Rebuilding the nation post covid-19 outbreak: the judicial, economic and political perspectives,
Gadzama also emphasised the need to institutionalise the use of technology in the administration of justice in the country. He canvassed the need for government at all levels to be more responsive to the needs of the people by bridging the gap in trust and confidence between the citizens and the state.
Gadzama said: “It is a notorious fact that the virulence of Covid-19 and its ravaging effects have brought about seismic changes around the world, with its impact heavily felt in arguably all facets of human existence. How we live and interact with each other, how we work and communicate how we move around and travel; every aspect of our lives has been affected.
“As a matter of emphasis, COVID-19 is not only a global pandemic and public health crisis; it has also severely affected major pillars of various nations’ existence, with Nigeria getting its fair share of the spoils. On the economic front, it has brought about significant reductions in income, rise in unemployment, disruption in the transportation services, losses in service industries, low productivity in the manufacturing industry, increase in prices of goods and services, to mention but a few. This has triggered the urgent need to chart a way forward towards rescuing our economy.
“In the judicial sector, prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, courts were laboring under overloaded dockets and case files. The closure of the courts arising from measures aimed at curbing the pandemic sadly exacerbated the problem. Awaiting trial detainees had their hearings which may have led to their release from custody stalled, litigants were left frustrated by the impasse as cases slated for hearing within the period of suspension were stalled, and cases whose cause of action arose within the period of suspension could not be heard.
“The reopening of courts created nightmarish scenarios as judges, court staff, lawyers and litigants battled to reschedule hearings that could not take place during the lockdown. The result was a backlog that tested the limits of the Nigerian judiciary, bearing in mind that the system is already bedeviled by protracted trials and undue delay. Justice delayed, they say, is justice denied.”
Gadzama added: “Without doubt, the Nigerian judiciary has been stuck in analogue mode for so long, to our extreme and untold detriment. It would not be out of place to opine that the Covid-19 pandemic came as a wake-up call on the need to deliberately bolster the institutionalization of the use of technology in the administration of justice in Nigeria.
“The Political structure is also not left out. The pandemic highlighted the need for leaders across all levels of government to be more responsive to the needs of the people. As we all know, there is a yawning gap in trust and accountability between citizens and the state in Nigeria. There have to be viable attempts to bridge this gap because ultimately, power resides in the people. Effective leadership to build confidence and trust is vital.
“Having largely ignored the needs of Nigerian citizens for decades, Nigerian leaders must work towards building trust with the population. Earning this trust is not only crucial for the struggle against Covid-19 but also for the progress of Nigeria’s political system.”
In his keynote address, the Chairman of Dialogue Groups, Dr. Mahdi Shehu, stressed the need to have selfless and well-intended political leaders, resilient political institutions and structures, sound economic policies, and reliable and dependable justice system, in order to rebuild the nation.
“Indeed, nation building has everything to do with respect for rule of law and maintenance of law and order at all times. Only a solidly built and unbiased judiciary is capable of doing the painstaking task of building a nation.
“No matter the economic circumstance of a nation, only a solidly built and unbiased judiciary can help in stabilizing the nation’s economy.
“No matter how selfless and well-intended our political actors and actresses are. No matter the strength and resilience of our political institutions and structures. No matter how sound and strong our economic policies are. No matter the brilliance and synergetic nature of those managing our economy. No matter how much our economy is protected. No matter how reliable and dependable our justice system is. No matter how honest and sincere our lawyers in per suit of Justice, equity and fairness are, in course of their practice in court or their attitude in public and private lives. No matter how well informed, well learned, honest, sincere and incorruptible our judges and other judicial officers are. No matter the trust they earn. The bottom line is that Building or rebuilding a nation is everybody’s business. It is a collective responsibility,” Shehu said.
The Chairman on the occasion, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, hailed J-K Gadzama LLP for its consistency in organising its annual lecture series as part of its corporate social responsibility, and for bringing on board some of the brightest minds in Nigeria to discuss very pertinent issues and to chart a way forward for the country. He described this year’s theme of the lecture series as timely given the current situation in the nation and globally.
