‘Stop addressing me as Chief Justice’ – Akwa Ibom CJ appeals

The Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaete Obot has clarified the error by some members of the public who address her as the Chief Justice in the state.

She warned that the title of a Chief Justice is only meant for the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere Ekun who is the head of the Supreme Court and the National Judicial Council, adding that at the silk level, it is the Chief Judge of a State.

Obot made the clarification on Monday at Qua Iboe Church Uyo, Akwa Ibom State during a Thanksgiving service for the opening of the 2024/2025 legal year.

“It is important that I use this opportunity to tell you that when you want to address me, “I am Chief Judge, Ekaete Obot and not Chief Justice Ekaete Obot. That title, “Chief Justice” is for Kekere Ekun at the Supreme Court of Nigeria. At the appeal court, we have “Justice” at the silk level, we have the “Chief judge” of the state.

The Chief Judge also appealed to Governor Umo Eno for the regular release of funds to the Judiciary for the effective dispensation of justice, saying that the judiciary in the state had been grappling with debt due to the non-release of funds throughout 2023.

She said the judiciary was understaffed as the recruitment to the state judiciary was done last in 2012. She said to address the shortage of staff, the judiciary resorted to assigning one staff to cover the schedule of two and sometimes three-person duties.

She disclosed that within the last two years, an unprecedented number of 316 staff have retired from the state judiciary without replacement.

“When retirement goes on for many years without regular replacement, many skills and competencies are lost. We therefore trust that in this new legal year, our Governor will grant us leave to recruit more staff,” she said.

The chief judge said in the course of her visit to correctional facilities last year, she discovered that inmates lacked basic education and suggested that proper schools for adult education be set within correctional centres to ensure inmates basic primary and secondary education and skills acquisition to reform them, especially for those that would later be released back into the society.

She called for the creation of a Home she christened, “Borstal Institute” for the reformation of young offenders.

The CJ urged the Bar to continue to partner with the judiciary in the state to ensure speedy dispensation of justice.

In his remarks, Gov Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, who spoke during the Church service at Oua Iboe Church, assured the judiciary of the state government’s cooperation to enhance the quick dispensation of justice.

He also promised to build a reputable estate for serving judges in the State by next year to make them comfortable like their counterparts in Rivers, Bayelsa and Lagos States.

“I have had a very good working relationship with the judiciary led by Justice Ekaete Obot. I appreciate all her efforts in upholding justice and the decongestion of prisons.

“We are ready to collaborate with the judiciary to ensure that issues bordering on them are addressed in line with laid down procedures. Because I envy Rivers, Bayelsa and all other states that are doing well for their judges, so give me a few months, maybe early next year we will acquire land and invite you for a groundbreaking ceremony of a brand new estate only for judges, particularly the serving judges.

‘I believe that the retired judges already have their own, we will only support them, but let it be on record that we match our brother judges and governors in other states by giving a decent accommodation to all the serving judges,” he said.