Kudos to Judiciary

By Ladi Ibrahim
Since the inception of the present democratic government, the judiciary has delivered so many landmarks, although it is important to point out that there have also been some bad eggs in the judiciary that compromised their professional callings and have been summarily dealt with in accordance with the provision of the law. However, the judiciary compared to other arms of government has discharged its duties creditably well.
If not for the judiciary, Obasanjo would have transformed to a Mobutu or Idi Amin. Hence, the judiciary is still the last bastion of hope for the masses. It is because the judiciary has been able to stand very firm that democracy has not been killed by Obasanjo and his gang of garrison politicians.
It is in this regard that all men of goodwill must salute the judiciary for its courage, bravery, valor, resoluteness, boldness, manliness, perseverance and fortitude. For instance, in the various cases involving the president and the vice president, the judiciary has been above board. They have taken pains to be very thorough and very firm. They have stood their grounds and delivered judgments that will help to shape the destiny of the country.
It will be recalled that Dr. Junaid Muhammad said, “I don’t believe this government has anything to show for it, for the so-called anti-corruption crusade. There is no crusade. The highest rate of corruption is within the presidency, within the family of Obasanjo and his mistresses and his children and his political cronies and accolades. And as long as he is there and those people are there in the presidency entrenched, there can be no solution to corruption in Nigeria.”
In fact, Prof. Wole Soyinka asked: Can society determine the critical moment when human failings such as pettiness, egocentricity, vengefulness and sadism- those by-products of unrestricted power- degenerate into certifiable condition such as paranoia, megalomania or even homicidal mania? He further said, when Samson pulled down the vainglorious edifice of Philistines over his head and his tormentors, he least knew what he was doing.
Therefore, by and large, the judiciary by its landmark judgments has captured the reality of the Nigerian situation. And, any judgment that does not reflect reality we not be able to really stand the test of time. But judgments so far have been very profound, germane, realistic and predicated on justice, fairplay and equity. No democracy can survive without the rule of law. In fact, the rule of law is the bedrock of any constitutional democracy. And, this is a fact we must always cherish.

Ladi Ibrahim wrote in from No. 45, Bauchi Road, Jos Plateau state.