By Frank Tietie
I have just finished reading Prof. Chidi Odinkalu’s latest article in his continuing quest to sanitise a Nigerian judiciary that is generally perceived by the public to be corrupt and offers justice for sale. I was particularly fascinated by the title of the piece, “Mr Justice Steppin’ Razor,” being an allusion that instantly calls to mind the unusual refrain, “I am dangerous, said I am dangerous,” from Stepping Razor, the classic hit by Peter Tosh.
According to the learned Professor, the two justices, Flora Azinge and Polycarp Nwite, who warned lawyers and members of the public to desist from approaching them with bribes to influence cases in their courts, if sincere, ought to have applied any of the remedies available to them. These, according to the learned Professor, include: reporting the matter to the police or the Attorney-General for investigation and prosecution; punishing the offender summarily for criminal contempt; referring lawyers or other regulated professionals for disciplinary proceedings; or using the judicial bully pulpit to name and shame by inviting the perpetrator to admit the facts in open court and then reprimanding them.
One recommendation that, in my view, did not quite fit neatly into the Professor’s framework is that a judge also has the power to immediately arrest an ambitious bribe-giver, whether the approach to give the bribe is made in chambers, at home, or in the hotel rooms where such exchanges are often attempted.
Meanwhile, there is another dimension to corruption in governance in Nigeria, particularly within the judiciary and public service, that deserves attention in the lives of every Nigerian who is a person of faith. Religious leaders and their followers rarely frame corruption as the principal “devil” behind many of the problems they pray against.
As a casual observer and fan of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries and its leader, Daniel Olukoya, who popularised the “fall down and die” imprecations against enemies of prosperity, one wonders why we seldom hear prayers directed squarely at public corruption. Imagine prayers such as: “Any judge in Nigeria who collects money to twist or pervert justice, fall down and die,” or “Any politician or public servant who embezzles funds meant for hospitals, schools, and good roads, fall down and die.”
Such prayers, however, should probably not be extended to lawyers who aid and abet corruption and criminality; if the Almighty were to answer such prayers literally, there might well be no legal profession left in Nigeria, and such lawyers who would die from such answered prayers would hardly make it to heaven. Therefore, such prayers against lawyers should be omitted and abandoned in good faith.
More seriously, Nigerians do not often pray against corruption and corrupt officials because it is difficult to pray against ourselves and those who are like us. Deeply ingrained among us is a perception that views government and access to public office as an opportunity for self-enrichment at the expense of the public good. To many people of faith, what is called “corruption” is, disturbingly, perceived as the answer to their prayers.
A corrupt judge is worse than a thousand lethal terrorists. Terrorists may strike, yet a society can still mobilise to address their menace. A corrupt judge, however, slowly destroys the foundations of society, leaving little hope of recovery after the collapse. When people lose faith in the judiciary and resort to self-help, anarchy sets in, and social disorder reigns.
Judges are often described as next to God on earth because of the immense powers they wield. Such powers must be exercised with utmost devotion to truth and a conscience governed by the fear of God.
Although the appointment of judges is a political process, it does not render a judge a politician, nor does it grant them the license to dispense justice with political, religious, or monetary interests in mind. The stability of a society like Nigeria rests mainly on the ability of judges to dispense justice without fear or favour, according to the law, and entirely free from corruption.
It’s time, Nigerians, especially people of faith, to declare zero tolerance for corruption in public service, especially in the judiciary. Continuously glossing over the overwhelming impact of corruption in Nigeria amounts to a costly hypocrisy.
Frank Tietie
Lawyer & Executive Director
Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights (CASER)
