16th July, 2012
Chief Adeniyi Akintola, SAN, is unrestrained in his affection for the new Chief Justice of Nigeria. He tells GBENRO ADESINA that she is adequately equipped to reform the judiciary
Have you ever appeared before Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar?
Many times. Sincerely, I have lost count.
Do you remember your first appearance?
I think it was a land matter, but I cannot remember clearly. I have appeared before her so many times that I cannot really remember the case proper. But I remember that my first appearance was in Ibadan. I have also appeared before her in other jurisdictions, including Kaduna and Abuja.
What was your first impression of her? Has it changed?
Justice Aloma Mukhtar is a role model to many people. She might not know this; she is a role model to so many youngsters. She might not appreciate this, but that is what she is. She is the epitome of everything that is noble and good. She is one in a million. She is perfect, brilliant, erudite, intelligent, articulate and highly disciplined. You will not believe this, but she is a woman after many legal practitioners’ heart. She knows her onions. She is friendly but firm. Never in her judicial career has anything negative and despicable been traced to her, covertly, overtly or remotely. When she was elevated to the Supreme Court, some of us went to town celebrating her to the extent that Kano State Television came to Ibadan to interview me and my wife, who is one of the greatest admirers of Aloma. My wife is a High Court judge. Aloma is her mother. If we are looking for a woman of impeccable character, Aloma is one. Everything about her is the best. There is nothing despicable about the woman. I can go on and on and on. I am particularly emotional about her because she is an asset to our dear country, even the world at large. She represents justice because she cannot compromise justice. She is a woman I love so much, so much I repeat. If you are on the bench, she will make you love the legal profession. Is it her comportment we want to talk about or her voice and her friendliness? She is simply wonderful. She tolerates no nonsense. Her gentility and humility should not be taken for granted.
Considering the political circumstances of that office and temptations, do you think she has the capacity to withstand pressure of that office?
How do you mean? How do you mean? Excuse me, do you know what it takes to be on the higher bench? Do you know the storm she has weathered to become judge of high court, judge of Appeal Court and of course, the Supreme Court? Do you know what it means? If you take Aloma for granted, it is at your own risk.
What are your expectations of her?
I believe Justice Aloma Mukhtar will clear the rot in judiciary. She will clear the Augean stable. I will urge you to hold me to my words. That woman will sanitise the Nigerian judiciary. I can assure you of that. Do you know that you don’t go to Justice Aloma to lobby? Those looking for one appointment or the other, don’t go before Justice Aloma to lobby.
Do you remember some landmark cases she has presided over?
There are so many of them. She gave fantastic judgment in the Yar’Adua and Buhari case. You need to go and read that judgment to know the stuff she is made of. Justice Aloma is a person that if her appointment as a CJN is subjected to election, I assure you, without mincing words, that she will score over 90 per cent.
Do you have an advice for her?
What advice would I have for her? She is a mother to me. She should be the one giving us advice. She has set the goal and a mark many of us are struggling to attain. She is a role model and a woman we all look up to. If her appointment were to be a political office, she would have been overwhelmed with a high number of congratulatory messages that would have been splashed on the pages of newspapers. But her appointment is not a political one.