Why Lagos Judiciary Should Enjoy Autonomy – CJ

The Chief Judge of Lagos State, western Nigeria, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade, on Tuesday appealed to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, to assist the judicial arm of the state government get its own financial autonomy.
The financial autonomy, she said, would help the judicial arm to effectively manage it’s activities and resources.
The state Assembly currently enjoys financial autonomy and Justice Atilade, who, with her team, paid a visit to the House on Tuesday, said the demand for autonomy in the state judiciary had become important because of the challenges the arm has been facing.
She complained of a dearth of resources as well as failure of the relevant agencies to release finances as at when due.
Represented at the visit by the Chief Registrar, Emmanuel Ogundare, Atilade told the Speaker and some members of the House that if the judiciary is given financial autonomy, it will have ease the process of dispensing justice unlike what currently obtains.
She said the autonomy would further help the judiciary to meet other challenges facing it.

Justice Olufunlayo Atilade

Atilade urged the Assembly to always make available bills that the House is working on so she could have inputs as this would further boost legislation on such bills.
She said though bills are often published by the House, it is always difficult for the judiciary to make inputs.
She congratulated the Speaker over his victory as the head of the eight Assembly and pleaded with the House to favourably look into the budget to the judiciary by the time the next budget is presented to the House.
Responding, Obasa commended the Chief Judge for her efforts at ensuring quick delivery of justice in the State since assumption of office.
Obasa received the team from the judiciary with the Deputy Speaker, Wasiu Eshilokun-Sanni, the Majority Leader, Sanai Agunbiade, Bayo Oshinowo among others.
He also commended her for her for making sure innocent people are not punished unnecessarily while assuring the CJ that the House would consider her requests.
He noted that the issue of autonomy for the judiciary is not new as the House had talked about it in the 7th Assembly.
He however said the problem with autonomy for the judiciary at that time was that the judiciary wanted its capital budget to be given to it directly.
He assured that this time, the House would look at how the autonomy can be achieved while promising that the Assembly would ensure that copies of bills being deliberated upon by the House are fowarded to the judiciary to ensure their comprehensive input.