CBJI, NBA partner on evaluation of judges

A new initiative to assess the performance of judges in the country has been established by the Centre for Better Justice Initiative (CBJI) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abuja branch.  The initiative was last week inaugurated in the FCT with a partnership agreement between the board of trustees of CBJI and the chairman, NBA, […]

A new initiative to assess the performance of judges in the country has been established by the Centre for Better Justice Initiative (CBJI) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abuja branch.
 The initiative was last week inaugurated in the FCT with a partnership agreement between the board of trustees of CBJI and the chairman, NBA, Abuja branch, Mr Agada Elachi.
The CBJI, which will serve as ombudsman to judicial officers in Nigeria, was founded by Engr. Philip Chukwueke. Other members of the board include: Justice Umar Abdullahi, former President of Court of Appeal; and Justice Iche Ndu, former Chief Judge of Rivers State.
Speaking at the ceremony, Justice Iche Ndu described the initiative as “collaboration between the NBA, Abuja branch and CBJI.” He added that it will serve as performance evaluation for judicial officers and help them achieve excellence in accordance with international best practice.
Also speaking, Senator Ben Murray Bruce described it as having lawyers grade judges – which will make the justice system in Nigeria better.
“I think for too long, the entire political structure, economic structure and judicial structure is dogmatic at best. And so you have people who seek office and once they get into positions of power they forget they were voted into office by people and so they start getting the good life and forget the people. This programme is very important for the survival of the nation,” he said.
Also speaking, Chukwueke said the mission of CBJI is to make positive contribution to judicial process in Nigeria; enhance the image of the judiciary, publicly acknowledge professional excellence on the bench; and provide a mirror for profiled judges to self-calibrate.
He said the idea, which was borrowed largely from the American Bar Association judicial survey template, has five key survey areas of judicial performance such as: “legal ability, integrity and impartiality, communication skills, professionalism and administrative capacity.”