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Posted By Admin On September 14th, 2025

Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has raised serious concerns about the inefficiency of Nigeria’s judicial system, recalling a UK court ruling that deemed the country’s courts unreliable.

Speaking at a book launch broadcast on SYMFONI TV on Thursday, September 11, 2025, Osinbajo reflected on systemic failures and shared personal insights. On the legal profession, he revealed, “I have three children. Two of them should have been lawyers. But they all chose not to go anywhere near the practice of law. I think that is because we traumatize them by too much reading, too many books. And they are not interested at all in the practice of law.”

He lamented the slow pace of legal processes in Nigeria, particularly in civil matters, noting that criminal cases also face distinct challenges. “One of the major problems, I think, over the years has been that consistent problem with how to make sure that our cases go quickly through the courts,” Osinbajo said.

Highlighting the severity of the issue, he cited a UK court case involving Ipoh and the NNPC, where a former Chief Justice of Nigeria testified that civil cases in Nigeria could take between 20 and 30 years to conclude. Osinbajo recalled, “The Court of Appeal in England then concluded that leaving a case in the hands of Nigerian courts would be catastrophic.”

Describing this as “a very sad commentary on our judicial system,” he emphasized that the challenges are not insurmountable. He criticized the culture of endless adjournments, frequent preliminary objections, and interlocutory appeals that often prolong cases unnecessarily. According to him, these procedural hurdles transform access to justice into a complex struggle, making it difficult for litigants to navigate the system efficiently.

Osinbajo’s reflections serve as both a critique and a call to action, underscoring the urgent need for reforms to improve the speed and reliability of Nigeria’s courts. His warnings highlight the broader implications for citizens’ trust in the justice system and the importance of creating a judicial framework that delivers timely and fair outcomes.

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