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Nigerian Judges Now Drive Rickety Cars, Live in Rented Apartments—Afe Babalola

Afe disclosed this on Sunday in Ado Ekiti during the presentation of a book, ‘Testament of Judicial Pronouncements,’ as part of activities to mark the retirement of Ekiti Chief Judge, Ayo Daramola.

The founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola has expressed his sympathy for Nigerian judges who drive rickety cars and live in rented apartments of built-up areas.

Afe disclosed this on Sunday in Ado Ekiti during the presentation of a book, ‘Testament of Judicial Pronouncements,’ as part of activities to mark the retirement of Ekiti Chief Judge, Ayo Daramola.

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The SAN who said he feels sorry for the judiciary each time he sees judges’ cars break down on the road due to the age of such cars, urged federal and state governments to upgrade the salary of the judicial officers, especially judges, to guarantee commitment and fairness in the handling of lawsuits.

“Each time I see judges’ cars break down on the road due to the age of such cars, I feel sorry for the judiciary. There are situations where some of them don’t even have cars.

“Worse still, unlike the judges in those days who used to move around with their police orderlies into their gorgeous residences in the GRAs, many judicial officers now live in rented houses in built-up areas, and this is very risky,” said Mr Babalola.

He said, “No successful senior advocates would abandon his lucrative practice to serve as a judge unless we address the issue of remuneration of judges.

“In the past, judges’ remuneration was at par with the remuneration of judges in England.

“Today, the salaries of Nigerian judges, when compared with the salaries of their counterparts in other countries, are, to say the least miserably low." 

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Legal Politics