The Court of Appeal has commenced activities lined up to mark its 50th anniversary with a Special Court Sitting at the Lagos Division of the Court, where it all began.
In her opening address, the President of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, CFR, expressed gratitude to God for the opportunity to preside over a Special Sitting of the Court in Lagos, marking the commencement of activities to celebrate the Court of Appeal’s 50th Anniversary.
“I thank God Almighty for the privilege to preside at this Special Sitting of the Court of Appeal, in this Golden Jubilee year of the Court in Lagos, where the Court initially started,” she said. She noted that the Special Sitting, held in the first month of the Court’s 50th anniversary celebrations, ushers in a series of lined-up commemorative activities.
According to her, the sitting reflects the Court’s deliberate and sustained commitment to enhancing efficiency in the administration of justice by addressing the growing volume of appeals across its Divisions. She observed that Lagos, as the commercial nerve centre of the nation, bears a substantial share of appellate litigation, making it timely and necessary to take proactive measures to decongest the Division’s docket and ensure the prompt and effective delivery of justice.
She added that the sitting also provides other Justices of the Court a unique opportunity to experience the variety of matters and appeals being managed by the Lagos Division.
In this regard, she expressed profound appreciation to the Office of the Honourable Attorney-General of Lagos State for collaborating with the Honourable Presiding Justice and herself to ensure the success of the week-long exercise, noting that “ordinarily our slim resources will not be able to convene as many Justices as are here today.”
For the exercise, the Court has constituted sixteen (16) panels comprising forty-eight (48) Honourable Justices drawn from various Divisions of the Court, including the President herself. She explained that the panels would sit throughout the week in scheduled sessions, with some sitting at the Lagos Division and others at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) Court Complex, to ensure optimal utilization of available judicial facilities and resources.
She specially appreciated the Honourable President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria for accommodating the Court with both courtrooms and residential accommodation. “The NICN has been able to extend its benevolence to us and we appreciate. We hope that in due course, we will be able to come out of our penury and be able to extend such goodwill to other institutions too,” she said.
The President disclosed that a total of three hundred and sixty (360) appeals have been listed for hearing before the sixteen panels, all of which are ripe for hearing. She urged learned counsel and parties to take full advantage of the opportunity by ensuring readiness, punctuality, and strict adherence to applicable rules of procedure.
“We expect that learned Counsel will take their time before appearing in Court. Counsel are enjoined to look at their processes so that if there is any character that may cause delay in hearing of the appeal, steps could be taken to remove the obstacle,” she said, appealing to counsel to take the exercise with seriousness and commitment.
She further explained that the Justices would sit in carefully constituted panels, with emphasis on effective conferencing in line with the Court’s long-established practice, which promotes collegial deliberation, consistency in decision-making, and the delivery of well-reasoned judgments, while reducing conflicting decisions and strengthening the quality of jurisprudence.
The President expressed profound appreciation to her brother Justices for their sacrifice, cooperation, and commitment to duty. She also commended the Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal and his team, the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Lagos Division, and the entire registry staff, as well as staff drawn from neighbouring Divisions, for their meticulous planning and tireless efforts. She also appreciated the Honourable Presiding Justice of the Lagos Division for his organisational skills.
She acknowledged and commended members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm and other justice sector stakeholders for their sustained support and constructive engagement with the Court, appealing to members of the media to seek clarification where necessary to ensure accurate reporting. “We appreciate your good work in telling the world about the Judiciary, but it is important that correct information goes out,” she said.
As the Court embarks on its Golden Jubilee year, she urged all stakeholders to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and respect for the Court, stressing that justice must not only be done but must be manifestly seen to be done in order to preserve and strengthen public confidence in the judiciary.
Welcoming the Justices, learned silks, counsel, and parties to the one week Special Sitting, she urged all participants to take full advantage of the opportunity, noting that it may not come again during the jubilee year due to the many activities lined up. She concluded with prayers for wisdom, strength, and protection, thanking all present for their support and cooperation.
Responding on behalf of the Bar, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, described the Special Sitting of the Court of Appeal in Lagos as an auspicious and unprecedented occasion for members of the Lagos Bar.
Addressing the President of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, CFR, the Presiding Justices and Justices of the various Divisions of the Court of Appeal, the Chief Registrar and other staff of the Court, learned silks, members of the inner and outer Bar, as well as members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm, Adegboruwa said the event afforded the Lagos Bar a rare opportunity to benefit from the presence of an array of wise and learned Justices drawn from different Divisions of the Court.
He expressed the profound gratitude of the Bar to the President of the Court of Appeal for the initiative aimed at clearing the backlog of cases pending before the Lagos Division. According to him, the Bar fully appreciates the importance of the exercise and the sacrifice being made by the Justices in furtherance of justice delivery.
Adegboruwa assured the President of the Court of Appeal and the Justices that the Bar was ready and committed to facilitating the speedy and expeditious hearing of all pending appeals. He noted that it was in the interest of both counsel and their clients to ensure the success of the exercise, adding that members of the Bar had long looked forward to such an opportunity.
He congratulated the Court of Appeal on its Golden Jubilee celebration, commending the Court for its immense contributions to the administration of justice in Nigeria over the years and expressing confidence in its continued impact in the future.
Speaking specifically on behalf of the Lagos Division, Adegboruwa described the Special Sitting as a golden opportunity to draw attention to infrastructural challenges confronting the judiciary, particularly issues relating to funding. He acknowledged the difficulties faced by the judiciary due to inadequate funding from the Federal Government and pledged that the Bar would continue to work with the Bench to advocate for better funding of the judiciary as a vital arm of government.
He expressed satisfaction with ongoing efforts by the President of the Court of Appeal to upgrade facilities within the Lagos Division and offered prayers that such initiatives would come to fruition. He further prayed for divine guidance, wisdom, and strength for the President of the Court of Appeal and all the Justices.
Adegboruwa also acknowledged the sacrifices of the Justices who had travelled from different parts of the country, noting that it was not easy to be away from their families and personal comforts. He described their presence as a sacrifice made in the national interest and prayed for their safe return, renewed strength, and accelerated promotion.
He concluded by expressing the deep appreciation of the Lagos Bar to the Justices of the Court of Appeal for their commitment and service, thanking the President of the Court of Appeal for the opportunity and support extended to the Bar.