By OLA AJAYI, IBADAN
LEGAL icon, Afe Babalola and other eminent lawyers expressed concern over the quality of judges in courts across the country saying there should be more improvement.

Aare Babalola also called on the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, a body  responsible for the award of the rank of Senior Advocates of Nigeria to be more transparent in the process of selecting SANs.

He made the call at the commemorative lecture in honour of Chief Wole Olanipekun(SAN), the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, University of Ibadan.

Babalola said, in as much as he would not join the league of those calling for the abrogation of the rank, he would prefer that the current peg of 15 awards per year should be dispensed with.

When there are quite other lawyers who are well-qualified, he said he saw no reason why the number of successful awardees should be pegged yearly.

He said, “If 50 lawyers are qualified for the rank, then 50 lawyers should , except for extenuating factors, be conferred with the rank”.

On the quality of judges, Babalola identified reasons why many lawyers avoid the bench. According to him, salaries of judges are too small and the number of advocates also too small to man available positions at the bench.

His stance was corroborated by the guest lecturer, Prof. Ademola Popoola, Dean, Faculty of Law, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife who spoke on the topic, “The bench, the Bar, and the Challenges of Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria: Issues and Prospects”.

The Law teacher who said “only those with the best credentials are selected to join the bench” admitted that the legal system as at presently constituted is overburdened, inefficient an unable to cope with the changing legal needs of a developing country and its people.

He said, “The legal profession for its part has for too long thrived on technical niceties; adjustments and high fees and is only now embracing the invitations to change its approaches , open its doors and move with the over-reaching imperative of the moment”.

Those at the occasion included the first female SAN, Chief Folake Solanke, Chief Bamidele Aiku(SAN), Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Isaac Adewole, Prof. Niyi Osundare, Chief Mrs. Ajayi Obe, Oluwarotimi Shodimu, Registrar, University of Lagos, and many others.