CJN Pledges to Deepen Nigerian Judiciary, ECOWAS Court Relationship

Stories by Steve Aya

The Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairperson of the Judicial Council of ECOWAS, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, GCON, has pledged her commitment to deepen the links between national judiciaries and the ECOWAS Court.

 The CJN, speaking at the opening ceremony of the External Court Session of the Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS, on Thursday, also called for structured engagement, including referral of cases involving community law, a joint training initiative, and robust implementation of decisions. She said the ECOWAS court is uniquely positioned to handle cases of regional significance, cases that transcend borders, challenge sovereigns, and demand accountability at the highest level.

 “Its mandate is as bold as it is vital to interpret community law, protect human rights and resolve issues that threaten regional cohesion.”

 The CJN said the outreach has cleared all grey areas, and now is more committed to cooperation with the court. She said the rule of law is not a decorative principle, but the bedrock of development, stability, and peace.

 As the court commenced sitting, she wished the session to be productive, enlightening, and impactful in advancing the cause of Justice in the sub-region.

 Earlier, President ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, Justice Ricardo Claudio Montero Goncalves, noted that Article 24 of the Protocol of the Court, as amended, provides that the decisions of the Court are to be executed by the Member States in accordance with their Rules of Civil Procedure, and that “all Member States shall determine the competent national authority for the purpose of receipt and processing of execution, and to notify the Court accordingly”. He revealed that out of the 12 member States of the Community, only 2 Member States are yet to comply with this provision.  

 “It is crystal clear that, in order to fully play the role of the “Watch Dog” of the Community legal order and to maintain the image of a viral and independent regional Court, the Court must have the co-operation of Member States”, he stated, adding that the credibility of the Court would be adversely affected if its judgements are not implemented by Member States.  

 “We note with regret that, many of the decisions of the Court are yet to be implemented by the Member States concerned. It will be counter-productive to render the Court a toothless bulldog.  We will therefore, continue to appeal to all Member States for their collaboration and support. I wish to acknowledge with gratitude, the respect that has been shown to the Court by the Federal Republic of Nigeria in regularly submitting to the jurisdiction of the Court, but, we humbly appeal that this good gesture should be extended to the implementation of the decisions of the Court”, he said.

 In his remarks, the Chief Justice of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, said collaboration is needed to secure the dignity and respect of the ECOWAS Court.