Taken for granted are the mob actions while seeking justice. A man, his wife and son in Zangon Aya Community, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State for allegedly giving information to bandits, the entire family were killed.
Rampant in many parts of Nigeria, is now a serious issue urgently in need of the nation’s collective actions. Balancing human emotions over case decisions, the analytical thinker explained how she is fundamental as a decision driver with an appetite for problem-solving.
Funmilayo Asaolu is a certified mediator and the Presiding Judge at the Justice Court Reality TV Show. Well-experience barrister spanned over thirty years in legal practices from being a State Counsel at the Federal Ministry of Justice to become a senior member in several blue-chip law firms including Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) & Co, Layi Babatunde (SAN) & Co, Dele Ogedengbe & Co, Dipo Okpeseyi (SAN) & Co, as a partner at L’avocat LP and Funmi Asaolu & Co.
Known to be resourceful, meticulous, organized and systematic with impressive diligence and capacity to retrieve information within record time.
Called to the Nigerian Bar as barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University Ile- Ife, Osun State in 1989. The presiding Judge at “The Justice Court” a flagship court reality television show in Nigeria. Her legal practice area principally focused on criminal and civil litigation.
Monitored by ADETUNJI AYO-BROWN on the early morning show, Funmi bares her mind on many issues.
What do you think needs to be done as an individual and as a country against mob action in Nigeria?
Enlightened populace would rather approach violence differently. When people don’t know how to go about seeking proper justice, many result in violent manners. Many times, a lot of people don’t know they are committing a crime by participating in mob actions. But the ignorance of the law is not an excuse.
By creating adequate public awareness. Through proper enlightenment the public would be in know of what is good and bad and channels and steps to take in events of such cases.
It is the lack of public enlightenment against such actions as mobs that is low or weak in the society.
But populace continuous education is the only solution against it.
As for the people, continuous education is the key to such societal vice. Many viewers of the Justice Court said it is highly educational, and that is what we are trying to achieve for society.
But how do we go about this contradiction?
That the law is no respecter of any man, but not so when it is been applied claiming some cases are different from others
The principle is that every human is free born with equity and equal rights, therefore the law should protect everyone equally. But in reality, it doesn’t work out that way.
There are several issues bothering on the way the wealthy and well known are treated that are quite different from the poor and the unknown. The gap is huge.
The gender inequality issues rapes and sexual assaults. Economic crime mostly which has to do with poverty of the mind, corruption.
If you don’t have money, hide your face. Because of the ways and manners our society treats the wealthy everyone wants to belong. In fact, that lyrics is one of the Nigerian musicians said in his album. Do you understand what that means to the young minds?
But how do all these infiltrate and permeate into the court system?
Not just the court alone, but the entire societal systems. All of these is a big challenge that we have to keep on working on.
Share your experience, where did all these come from. And how did you convey and come up with a show?
Justice calls for ordinary people that ordinarily could not afford the services of a lawyer. Getting justice down and across to the less privileged.
Maximum Justice is not delay. Is your court selective of cases to be aired?
A lot of cases are settled without them being taken to the open justice court. Because when cases are submitted online, with needed documents to back up the such claim, our team will reach out to the defendant for the other side of the story and for an amicable settlement, some are resolved at that level.
Aside from tribunals, many call for special courts for special issues like corruption, while others are calling for the reform of the judiciary system. Your show and what do you think can be done?
Delay of justice is the major challenge facing the Nigerian judiciary system. A lot of reforms are needed. A case charge to court would take a number of years before it gets to the supreme court. There are a lot of reforms needed here. The Justice Court is decongesting the normal court through many legal means in dispute settlements. All the cases that could have ended up in the traditional court.
Balancing human emotions and passing judgements, have you ever been locked in deciding cases? Or have you ever been caught in human emotional imbalance in case decisions?
Am I telling you from experience, most often what is written before me is totally different from what defendants are saying? Many came narrating falsehood but after thorough reading through of their claims, such are discovered.
Before passing after reading through the claims in order to decide the judgement, it is always a serious decision in each case.
Unimaginable things are happening, many will come to live narrating contrary matter. I have to take my time on each to decide rightly.
