THE NIGERIAN JUSTICE SYSTEM JOKE, THE GOAT AND THE ANTELOPE
Margaret Akpa
Justice delayed is Justice denied is a legal maxim.
This Statement is said by Gladstone Justice delayed is Justice denied.When the judgement by the court takes a longer time,it gives wider space to the wrong doings hence it is equivalent to denied Justice.
This article explores issues in the justice system that are related to timeliness and its interconnectedness to the definition of delay, whilst considering the impact of delay on the experience of the justice system user.Historical acknowledgements recognise the perspective of the accused or the disputant, and suggest that for a person seeking justice, the time taken for resolution of their issue is critical to the justice experience of this person and can render their treatment wholly ‘unjust’ in circumstances where closure takes ‘too long’.
The Nigerian Justice joke comes in handy in line with Justice delayed as in this joke The Antelopes were running mad.
Elephant asked– why are you running?
Antelope: They are arresting all goats.
Elephant: But you are not a goat?
Antelope: Replied..It will take at least 20years to prove that in a Nigerian court!
* The Elephant started running.
However, Justice delayed might not be Justice denied
A look at *Nigeria v. P&ID* Sir Ross Cranston handed down judgement in The Federal Republic of Nigeria v Process & Industrial Developments (2020) marking the latest stage in what has proved a notoriously long-running dispute since arbitration between the parties was first commenced in 2012.
Finally,
We need to establish a scrutiny committee that would screen cases that need to go to the court, and the rest which can be settled through the alternate dispute resolution systems of Arbitration, mediation, conciliation, etc.
Photo Credit: Google
