Some ill winds are hovering over the reputation and public perception of the judicial arm of government. These evil winds need to be dispelled, because of their negative impact on the image of the judiciary; and also because of their national security implications. In doing that, we must first make a distinction between the questionable, even possibly mischievous and reprehensible, conduct of some erring judicial officers and the profile of the judiciary as a responsible Institution of State. A judge who acts arbitrarily in a matter before him is not necessarily the judiciary on display. There are many possible reasons why such a thing might happen. But none of those reasons will include the judge having been guided unto such behaviour by the laws guiding responsible judicial processes. The action of some individuals should therefore not be presented in the public domain as institutional endorsement of judicial misconduct.
These observations are important, because an arm of government that is seen as the last hope of the average citizen should not be brought into disrepute by the conduct, body language and actions of a few of its members. The call here is for the gatekeepers and corrective mechanisms within that system to rise and be seen to be up and about in the discharge of their duties. Whereas it is a matter of record that only a negligible number of judges have travelled so far on the wrong road as to bring opprobrium upon themselves, it is a fact of our common experience that there is now a growing perception of the judiciary as a largely compromised institution of state. This is an unfair stigmatisation of the thousands of responsible and hardworking judicial officers all over the nation for the deeds of a few of their colleagues. That a particular judicial officer has brought himself into disrepute is one thing. That the misconduct of these few judicial officers should also bring undeserved opprobrium on their untainted colleagues, as well as the institution of the judiciary, is quite another.
It is not right that what should ordinarily be seen as an act of misconduct by an individual gets presented and advertised in the public domain as the brand stigma, and profile, of an institution. It is also not right that, notwithstanding the very few legal practitioners involved in sometimes reprehensible judicial pronouncements, the smear of impropriety is inflicted on thousands of responsible lawyers and judges, as well as the judiciary itself. While it is true that public perception is hardly ever in congruence with reality, it is often always true that public perception, flawed or not, is the guiding beacon and marker for informed and uninformed public thinking. The point to note here is this: It is not always the conduct of the majority of members of an Institution of State, a community, or even a family, that determines its image in the public domain.
The tentative good news in this matter is that the leadership of the judiciary is being progressively seen to be both concerned and proactive in dealing with the growing “odour of unsanctity” around some judicial officers. This is good, probably long overdue and likely to ring the bell for the gathering of wits once again. It is absolutely incomprehensible, for instance, that the spate of clearly irrational judicial interventions trailing the recent party primaries in Anambra State should be inflicted on us all. The judges knew what they were doing. Whether they, or some other colleagues of questionable credentials in propriety, had been at it in the past, the game is now up for the rented judicial pronouncements industry.
That is why the Chief Justice of the Federation must be commended for quickly rallying his colleagues, and the judiciary’s mechanisms for self-correction, to reign in some erring judges. The other point, of course, is that, beyond being stopped in their tracks for aggravated judicial misconduct, the judicial officers concerned should be seen by the public to have been duly sanctioned as well.
But the matter of concern here goes far beyond the question of what led to the curious judgments from certain judges. It also goes beyond the now-much-talked-about abuse of the system. The issue here is that we now have repeated reports of an emerging conspiracy to comprehensively undermine the impartiality of the judiciary in its handling of specific cases. There is now also the sneaking impression that court verdicts concerning cases with national security implications may end up looking as if they are determined along ethnically-driven lines. Questions have since been raised, for instance, regarding the judgement given in the Sunday Ighoho case by a court in the South West; with many people suggesting that the development is not unconnected with the part of the country Igboho hails from and where the judgment was given. Such speculation should not be allowed to grow, or fester. But it is growing and festering with embarrassing luxuriance.
The recent allegations of a grand plan to undermine and also intimidate members of the judiciary in the developing story around the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is another cesspool with a stench of its own. The thing to really worry about here is that serious minded, law abiding judicial officers may now face more unsavoury pressures at both the personal and professional levels. Threats to their lives and loved ones may come into play. Nigerians witnessed the untrammelled burning of offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The perpetrators were officially described as Unknown Gunmen. These Unknown Gunmen targeted and brought down known INEC offices. They are presumed to still be at large. What should we expect if these allegedly Unknown Gunmen also decide to direct their attention to “known” courts of law? Are the courts sufficiently protected? Are our long suffering judicial officers sufficiently insulated for targeted, and even opportunistic hostility?
The frightening national security implications of the forgoing are difficult to ignore. That is why the leadership of the judiciary and the national security apparatus should spare no efforts in addressing what could bring the roof down on us all, if handled with kid gloves. The real enemies of the judiciary are not only those who are doing the wrong things as officers of the law. The other looming, but ignored, danger is that some groups may feel urged to adopt intimidation and violence in their desire for preferred judicial outcomes.
Right of Reply
As Big Brother Settles In Michael Orodare
In his write-up of August 9, 2021, Okey Ikechukwu talked about the deteriorating moral values in society which, according to him, is gaining ample publicity on Big Brother Naija. He described the models that participated at the MNET Face of as malnourished and not a good representation of Africa as the organisation posited. Perhaps, Ikechukwu attempted to address body shaming and unrealistic standards prevalent in the modelling industry globally.
His opening sentence about the housemates doing nothing meaningful in the house is curious. But there are times when anyone who tuned in would have seen the tasks the housemates engaged in. This includes promoting the diverse cultures of Nigeria and showcasing their artistic skills. Take, for instance, the medical doctor Yerins who was recently evicted. He displayed outstanding intelligence on diverse topics, such that when he left the house, the housemates could not stop talking about his brilliance.
MultiChoice in Nigeria is a company that has indeed helped Nigerians through the show. Many people are engaged in the production of the show; from the production crew to the labourers and other service providers. These are individuals who would have stayed jobless due to the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria. The jeremiad on MultiChoice ripping off Nigerians through SMS voting is not entirely new. However, the company decided to scrap that mode of voting for the new season. Viewers can only vote via the DStv and GOtv mobile apps or the BBNaija website which is absolutely free.
Beyond Big Brother Naija, MultiChoice Nigeria has invested in the Nigerian creative industry in various ways. It was the company that helped the likes of the late renowned filmmaker, Amaka Igwe, and Mahmood Ali-Balogun, hone their filmmaking skills to compete with international standards through its initiative ‘New Directions’ in the 90s. The company is currently running a similar initiative MultiChoice Talent Factory, where young creatives are trained in the art and business of filmmaking. So far, 40 young filmmakers across Nigeria and Ghana, have graduated from the factory, with some having won internships in prestigious international film companies. Some of the graduates, today, run their own companies and others have already produced critically reviewed films and documentaries.
An impact assessment by Accenture showed that between 2015 and 2019, MultiChoice invested about $428 million in local content production. The firm estimated that the company has contributed $2.1 billion to the Nigerian economy within the last five years. In addition, the show has been instrumental in promoting the Nigerian brand. In 2019, the show had indigenous automaker, Innoson, as one of its sponsors. The winner of that season, Mercy Eke, walked away with a brand new SUV. This move gave Innoson great publicity and earned MultiChoice commendation for choosing to run with a made in Nigeria brand.
Last year winner Laycon was not a known singer till he came on the show. Not only did he make his songs popular, but he also has a reality show. The first female winner of the show Mercy Eke leveraged her win and popularity to establish herself as a businesswoman. Today, she is involved in real estate and oil and gas. Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, the host of the show and former housemate is another success story. He is a fashion icon, a respected TV personality and lawyer who also hosts a programme on Channels TV where he interviews prominent personalities.
The columnist should also be reminded that the show is for mature audiences only and viewers have the option to block the channel. As a verisimilitude, BBNaija allows the housemates to express themselves while promoting the good values of the Nigerian culture. The participants are a reflection of today’s society and its popularity rides on how the individuals are able to survive an estimated number of days with strangers in a confined place. The entertainment value of the show will be lost if housemates are told to act in a particular way.
* Orodare writes from Lagos
Credit: Okey Ikechukwu, Michael Orodare, Thisday