Bold Truth on the Nigeria Judiciary – Otunba Babatunde Senbanjo

By Otunba Babatunde Olushola Senbanjo (BOS)

I stand in firm support of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s recent and courageous remarks about the current state of the Nigerian judiciary. His statement that the courts have become “courts of corruption” may sound harsh to some, but it is nothing short of the truth that many Nigerians have witnessed and experienced firsthand. When a man of his stature, with his wealth of experience and unshakable patriotism, speaks with such clarity and boldness, we owe it to ourselves as a nation not to dismiss his words but to reflect, repent, and reform.

President Obasanjo is not just another political commentator he is a statesman whose legacy is intertwined with the story of modern Nigeria. He has fought for this country, governed it in both military and civilian capacities, and has consistently spoken out on matters of national importance. When he raises his voice about the decay in our judicial system, it is not for political gain but from a place of deep concern and love for the soul of our nation.

The judiciary, once revered as the last hope of the common man, has in many cases become an enabler of impunity. We have witnessed judgments that defy logic, rulings that appear to serve power rather than justice, and a system where the scales of justice are often tipped by the weight of bribes rather than the force of truth. Court decisions are now routinely questioned not because citizens are lawless, but because confidence in the fairness and independence of the courts has eroded to dangerous levels.

This is not to say that every judge is corrupt indeed, there are still men and women of integrity in the judiciary who daily risk their careers to uphold justice. But the overall perception and reality are grim. The few good ones are often drowned out by the noise of scandal, inconsistency, and executive manipulation.

President Obasanjo’s words should be a rallying cry. We need a full-scale reform of the judiciary not just in structure, but in spirit. We need a cleansing of the temple of justice, so that the courtrooms become places where truth triumphs, not where money and influence dictate outcomes.

This is a national emergency. When the people lose faith in the judiciary, they turn to violence, to tribal loyalties, or to self-help. No nation can survive when justice becomes a commodity to be bought or sold. If Nigeria is to thrive, and democracy is to have any meaning, then we must restore integrity to the judiciary.

To those who would dismiss Obasanjo’s statement as mere rhetoric, I say this: ignore him at the nation’s peril. He has sounded the alarm. Now is the time for action not defensiveness, not silence, and certainly not business as usual.

Let us support the call for judicial accountability, transparency, and independence. Let us join hands to demand a judiciary that fears no one but God, and serves no interest but that of justice and the people.

History will remember those who stood on the side of truth, no matter how uncomfortable that truth was. President Obasanjo has spoken may we listen before it is too late.