Ex-CJN Kutigi wins NBA’s human rights award

Former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Idris Legbo Kutigi has been honoured with the 2017 Nigeria Bar Association (NBA)/Gani Fawehinmi’s award for human rights and social justice. The award which was proposed to the NBA in 2009 by the Open Society Justice Initiative was thereafter instituted by the administration of now Ondo State governor, Rotimi […]

Former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Idris Legbo Kutigi has been honoured with the 2017 Nigeria Bar Association (NBA)/Gani Fawehinmi’s award for human rights and social justice.

The award which was proposed to the NBA in 2009 by the Open Society Justice Initiative was thereafter instituted by the administration of now Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) after ratification by the National Executive Committee (NEC) at Yola in February, 2010. 

The award comes with a cash price of N1 million together with a plaque and a certificate. 

On why Justice Kutigi was chosen as Gani Fawehinmi Human Rights and Social Justice Laureate 2017, the NBA said “On the 17th day of November, 2009, as the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, he enacted new Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure)Rules 2009 pursuant to powers conferred upon him by Section 46 (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, thus repealing the rules made by Chief Justice Atanda Fatai-Williams pursuant to powers conferred on him by Section 42 (3) of the 1979 Constitution.

“The 2009 Rules as enacted by Chief Justice Kutigi have revolutionised human rights enforcement in Nigeria, by embodying some radical and far-reaching concepts which have greatly enhanced the advancement and protection of the fundamental rights of the populace.”

The basic policy of the rules, according to the NBA include: “to ensure speedy and expeditious dispensation of justice in Human Rights Cases; to ensure the simplification and liberalisation of Human Rights procedural rules; to ensure the simplification and liberalisation of Human Rights procedural rules; and to eliminate all inordinate delays and technicalities which have hitherto bedevilled the enforcement of the Fundamental Rights of Litigants.”

The bar added that honouring Justice Kutigi was not a one-man decision as several other nominations were received after the adverts placement. 

“The nominations were subjected to the vote by the 17 member governing council, with Hon. Justice Kutigi GCON emerging the winner by more than half the votes,” it said.