[size=14pt]Lagos Judiciary: A feminine kingdom?[/size]
By Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Men on the Lagos State bench may have to look for drastic means of preserving their gender as women not only dominate, but are also taking over the judicial arm of the state. Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare reports.


Immediate past Chief Judge of Lagos State, Hon. Ade Alabi (rtd),welcoming one of the numerous female lawyers in Lagos, Mrs. Bola Williams of the Rotimi Williams Chambers, to a legal event . Pic Cornelius Oyemade




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The epic Yoruba movie, “Lagidigba”, by popular film producer Yemi Adegunju, is one that aptly describes the situation of the Lagos State judiciary at this period.

Lagidigba is the story of a female kingdom where it is a taboo to have any male presence. The women only go to neighbouring villages to have conjugal relationship and come back home when they get pregnant. But woe betides anyone who gives birth to a male child, as such a child would not be allowed to live.

And any mother who voilated this tradition was exiled to the evil forest. To many observers, the Lagos State bench is a typical example of a female kingdom where even when a man is at the helm, those next to him in hierarchy are all females and, it is this feminine gender that controls the affairs of the institution. Anyone who thinks this is an exaggeration need not look far for a proof.

Since her assumption in office as the Chief Judge of Lagos State a few months back, Justice Inumidun Enitan Akande, has openly declared at different fora, including while delivering her acceptance speech during her swearing-in ceremony at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja, that the males are an endangered species the Lagos bench as they may soon go into extinction.

This is not wishful thinking as there is existing statistics to support her statement. Of the 184 judicial officers in Lagos State, a total of 128 are female while only 56 are male. Out of the existing 51 High Court judges, 18 are men while 33 are women. There are 14 Chief Magistrates Grade 1 in Lagos ; 12 of these are women while only two are men. Furthermore, all the nine Chief Magistrates, Grade 2 in the state are women. Also, out of the 18 Senior Magistrates Grade 1, 14 are female while only four are males.

I[b]n the Senior Magistrates Grade 2 cadre, 21 are females while 12 are males and in the Magistrates Grade 1 cadre, there are 22 women and nine men.In addition to this, the four judges that are next in line to the Chief Judge are all women.For this reason, many, particularly men, have claimed that the Lagos State bench is distressingly feminised[/b].It being claimed that there are many women among legal counsels in Lagos State both in the state and private practice unlike in other states of the federation.

Nigerian Tribune investigations also revealed that on the list of people to be upgraded to the position of judges last submitted to the National Judicial Council, (NJC), by the former Chief Judge, Justice Augustine Adetula Alabi, women are more than men. Information has it that the percentage of women to men in the list is 74 per cent to 26 per cent. An edition of Squib, a legal weekly, was blunt in its criticism of this trend.



It said that, “keen observers of the Lagos judiciary are perturbed by the large number of females on the Lagos bench.” The journal then concluded that, “it is Lagos State Judiciary and not Lagos State Women Judiciary.” Part of the arguments put forward by the journal is that the women are usually not effective in carrying out their duties but this assertion has been proved to be a faulty one by some lawyers who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune.

Barrister John Ubi in his reaction said, the presence of women in the judiciary in Lagos, though spectacular is not a planned event, adding that it has in no way affected the effectiveness of the judiciary. “It is a very serious issue. Women are taking over in many sectors the world over but I think it is sentiments and chauvinism that would make anyone cast aspersions on the productivity of these judges. That we have bad judges is a Nigerian factor and not an issue of gender.

I have stood before both male and female judges in the Lagos judiciary, and I can tell you with all sincerity that not being good is not a gender problem. As we have good female judges so do we have bad male judges. It cuts across both sexes and should not be used as an argument to fulfill our unnecessary crusades. If a judge is bad, he is bad. This is not because he is male or female.”

Tolu Awope, a civil defence lawyer, was more blunt in her reaction. “It is quite saddening that at this age and with the enlightenment expected from members of the bar, someone would just stand up and say because people are females, they are not good. I do not want to mention names, but I can say outright that I have appeared before many bad male judges whose judgments and handling of matters are not fit for even the magistrate courts while many of the female counterparts have handled similar issues in a better way.

If the males are going into extinction in Lagos , I think they should encourage more young men to come into the law profession and do it well to get them a seat on the bench, and not raise unnecessary issues that will distract people from doing their jobs well. The only reason they can come out and say this is if they can prove beyond doubt that the female judges are not qualified for the position that they occupy.”

Barrister Tony Okpara has more to say. “Those that are condemning female judges or their number on the bench are either jobless or still living behind the times. At this period when everyone is advocating equal chances among the genders, they are raising unnecessary dust. If the women are not performing, it is the fault of the male as they are the ones that put them there, or how many women are on the panel that elevate judges?

The fact is, this issue should not come up at all as I have seen many good female judges in Lagos State and I have appeared before some bad male judges too. If men want to be there, they should work harder and leave these unnecessary sentiments. Their time will come too.”

The Lagos judiciary has indeed become a female domain and if care is not taken, like some species of mammals, the males may quietly go into extinction on the Lagos bench.

http://odili.net/news/source/2009/dec/10/619.html

I can't believe Nigerian men are complaining about this in the 21st century.

I'm sure it's those Arabized and Islamized Yorubas that will have a problem with this. Women are going to school more than men in Nigeria today but they are not statistically represented but wen the time reaches to get a job, women become the better candidate. Iyemoja supports you ladies. Go on jare!!!

Has women ever complained when most other posts in Nigeria are overran with men? mumu dem. Dem just de disgrace person at world stage. They should round up those men and check their academic records if it beats that of the women they are complaining about.

i smell sexism going on there.

9jaganja:

I'm sure it's those Arabized and Islamized Yorubas that will have a problem with this. Women are going to school more than men in Nigeria today but they are not statistically represented but wen the time reaches to get a job, women become the better candidate. Iyemoja supports you ladies. Go on jare!!!

Has women ever complained when most other posts in Nigeria are overran with men? mumu dem. Dem just de disgrace person at world stage. They should round up those men and check their academic records if it beats that of the women they are complaining about.

You may be surprised it's not only muslims who complain bitterly about the feminization of the judiciary.

Itz their time, i hope they use it well

The day a credible woman runs for president, i will vote for her

Nigerian monkey men complaining about successful Nigerian women. Booooooo wooooooooooo

this issue has nothing to do with being sexist

i thought i was the only person that noticed this.

the female judges in lagos state judiciary far out number the male and it should not be so

and this trend started during Tinubu's tenure !

funkybaby:

this issue has nothing to do with being sexist

i thought i was the only person that noticed this.

the female judges in lagos state judiciary far out number the male and it should not be so

and this trend started during Tinubu's tenure !

You are the one who is being sexist here. Should we balance the judiciary by quota system again?. I don't give a sh.it if they are all women as long as they are qualified. After that, we should also strive to balance the number of doctors in our hospitals according to their gender even if it means hiring an unqualified one to close the gender gap.  What is wrong with Nigerians?

Aloy~Emeka:

You are the one who is being sexist here. Should we balance the judiciary by quota system again?. I don't give a sh.it if they are all women as long as they are qualified. After that, we should also strive to balance the number of doctors in our hospitals according to their gender even if it means hiring an unqualified one to close the gender gap. What is wrong with Nigerians?

just knew you will be the first to respond to what i posted

infact, i had made the post before i realised that you were the thread starter

anyways, i do not have the strength to ''debate'' with you tonight. i am not tpia.

i dey go sleep. ignore my post. my bad!

funkybaby:

this issue has nothing to do with being sexist

i thought i was the only person that noticed this.

the female judges in lagos state judiciary far out number the male and it should not be so

and this trend started during Tinubu's tenure !

this kind of argument is why Nigeria is burdened with federal character appointments today.   Appointments should be made on merit and not tribal, religious or gender affiliations.

Its funny and sad a woman has a problem with women advancing in the workplace.  Talk about creating a ceiling for yourself. Oh wait, the man is supposed to be the lead huh.

aloy emeka must be very surprised by his yellow journalist friend's report.

He's more used to seeing haggard looking Yoruba women offloading spare parts at alaba.

tpia.:

aloy emeka must be very surprised by his yellow journalist friend's report.

He's more used to seeing haggard looking Yoruba women offloading spare parts at alaba.

This shows how silly you are. If you wanna tow that line, where did the report say that Lagos judiciary is filled with only Yoruba women? besides, if I see only haggard Yoruba women, why did I post this report from my yellow journalist friend?. Foolish tart.

Yipppeee girl power!!!

Aloy~Emeka:

This shows how silly you are. If you wanna tow that line, where did the report say that Lagos judiciary is filled with only Yoruba women? besides, if I see only haggard Yoruba women, why did I post this report from my yellow journalist friend?. Foolish tart.

I thought according to you and your other Yoruba bashing folks, Yorubas are tribalists and therefore won't allow any woman from another tribe rule in Yoruba land.

9jaganja:

I thought according to you and your other Yoruba bashing folks, Yorubas are tribalists and therefore won't allow any woman from another tribe rule in Yoruba land.

First of all, where did I say that and 2ndly, who told you that judiciary appointment is by tribes?. Is the Asaba judge who closed Ibori's case not a Yoruba man?. Foolish chipmunk.

Don't even go to insulting cause I promise to make you change your user name on this site. Ignorant turd

Women are beginning to dominate the nation.

9jaganja:

[b]Don't even go to insulting [/b]cause I promise to make you change your user name on this site. Ignorant turd

Can I see your GCE?. Men like you are the reason for the masculine drought in Nigeria's professional circles.