Bucking precedent and tradition, the Chief Justice of Nigeria Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed on 12 December took to advocacy in religion and politics. He called for broader teaching of Sharia Law in the universities and conducting such education in the Arabic language. Then he went political, asking for a constitutional amendment for his proposed changes because Moslems “have the numbers” to make the changes happen.

The CJN’s call is a surprising and significant departure from the best practice traditions of the judiciary. It quickly brought the highest court of the land into the arena for a disputation with various groups. More significantly, it raised questions of the capacity of the court under the direction of the CJN to resolve issues before it in a non-political, non-religious and unbiased manner.

It was a surprise and significant departure from the best practice traditions of the judiciary. The CJN has since brought the court into the arena for open disagreements nay confrontation with various groups and individuals. Some of the groups have called on him to step down, or the government should compel him to do so.

CJN Muhammed spoke at the 20Th Annual Judges Conference with the theme of “Documentation of Contracts in Islamic Law: Procedure, Sample Precedents and Practice”. The conference held at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Justice Muhammad Danjuma, Grand Khadi of Niger State, represented the chief justice.

Justice Muhammad wants universities to create faculties to teach sharia law. He is unhappy that the constitution currently allows only “the implementation of sharia personal law and apart from that we cannot do more.”

He then dropped the clincher. “However, we have the number to amend the constitution to suit our own position as Muslims”. Then he delved into the equally contentious matter of language and its geopolitical and religious sensibilities.

“The Shari’a law should be taught in Arabic not English. There is no university in Nigeria that runs Shari’a in Arabic; they all teach Shari’a in English. So, academicians let’s also look into this issue,” he said.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria heads the judicial branch and steers the highest court of the land. He superintends over the four legal systems in Nigeria. These are the English Law, Common Law, Customary Law and Sharia (Islamic) Law.

English Law derives from Nigeria’s colonial history while Common Law developed over the years of independence. Customary Law used across the country draws from indigenous jurisprudential traditions. Sharia Law is active in Northern Nigeria. From the commencement of the Fourth Republic, proponents of Sharia Law expanded its scope to full sharia law incorporating civil and criminal sections.

Justices of the court in Nigeria follow a hallowed tradition of non-involvement and non-interference in critical areas such as religion and politics. Justice Muhammed’s ABU speech shocked the system as it runs contrary to this tradition. It is negative.

Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed is the 21st Chief Justice of Nigeria. He is the 16th chief justice of Nigerian birth as the first five were citizens of Britain assigned to carry out the task here.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria cant be an advocate for preference for any system of justice.Nor for any religion.It is not his call.As it were, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed has brought himself out as a partisan.He has diminished his capacity for fair-minded adjudication.No one within and outside the system can trust him henceforth to act justly and without bias on any matter brought before the court that has elements of religion.

Mr Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed by going political has compromised his position and the neutrality of the bench. He has besmirched the reputation of the court. Reputation matters in justice administration as judges must, like Caesar’s wife, be above reproach. Nigeria is
best without a political Chief Justice.

https://businessday.ng/editorial/article/a-political-chief-justice-of-nigeria/
cc: Lalasticlala, Seun

The Chief Justice of Nigeria cant be an advocate for preference for any system of justice.Nor for any religion.It is not his call.As it were, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed has brought himself out as a partisan.He has diminished his capacity for fair-minded adjudication.No one within and outside the system can trust him henceforth to act justly and without bias on any matter brought before the court that has elements of religion.

Mr Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed by going political has compromised his position and the neutrality of the bench. He has besmirched the reputation of the court. Reputation matters in justice administration as judges must, like Caesar’s wife, be above reproach. Nigeria is
best without a political Chief Justice.

This is the incompetent stooge CJN a tyrannt have given this multi-complec entity.

This people sha wan wail till new year ..

Wailing is now becoming a profession in Nigeria

Hian!

Now some people are waking up.

We told them prior 2015 that the problem was not just buhari's age but the age of his ideas but they called us wailing wailers.

When the head is rotten, you don't expect the body to be healthy.

[s]

helinues:
This people sha wan wail till new year.Wailing is now becoming a profession in Nigeria.Hian!

[/s]Just as the The Nation & PUNCH are now wailing.Read the last 2 paragraphs.Do zombiesm with some dignity.

helinues:
This people sha wan wail till new year ..

Wailing is now becoming a profession in Nigeria

Hian!

Just imagine!

Racoon:
[s][/s]Just as the The Nation & PUNCH are now wailing.Read the last 2 paragraphs.Do zombiesm with some dignity.

Constructive criticism is always allowed..

Not like you guys that are bitter and emotional blinded with your criticise

[s]

helinues:
Constructive criticism is always allowed.. Not like you guys that are bitter and emotional blinded with your criticise

[/s]
Maj.Gen.M.Buhari(Rtd) is an irredeemable bigot
nepotic, clannish, ethnic supremacist and anti-democratic ruler that have no place among a 21st century civilization.

He is totally intolerant to criticism, therefore all his govt policies have driven Nigeria many years backward.Hence totally unfit for democratic governance.As for you lots, may deliverance come earnest.

Racoon:
[s][/s]
Maj.Gen.M.Buhari(Rtd) is an irredeemable bigot
nepotic, clannish, ethnic supremacist and anti-democratic ruler that have no place among a 21st century civilization.

He is totally intolerant to criticism, therefore all his govt policies have driven Nigeria many years backward.Hence totally unfit for democratic governance.As for you lots, may deliverance come earnest.

This is my shikini advise, dont wail till this new year.. You have been wailing since 2015 after your hero beer lose.

This is not good for your health and intellectual development. Wailing is not different from Nagging..

[s]

helinues:
This is my shikini advise, dont wail till this new year.. You have been wailing since 2015 after your hero beer lose.

This is not good for your health and intellectual development. Wailing is not different from Nagging..

[/s]

this is what the president has reduce Nigeria to.

Na today una know?

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