Lagos CJ to judges: Don’t die on the job, retire if you’re not in good health

Kazeem Alogba, chief judge of Lagos state, has advised judges to retire if they are not in good health.

Alogba spoke at the public presentation of a book written by Lawal Pedro, Lagos state attorney-general and commissioner for justice, in Ikeja on Wednesday.

The book titled: ‘The Supreme Court of Nigeria; History, Establishment, Jurists and Speeches’, was co-authored by Abdulrasheed Ibrahim.

“When it comes to a time until death do you and service apart, I do not agree. You must access yourself. When you are tired, do not wait. Please go home and rest,” NAN quoted Alogba as saying.

“There is nothing you want to do again which you could not have done on the bench, before you got to the stage of being tired, if you are really interested in the work.

“You do not need to die and have a valedictory for you, so retire if you are no longer in good health.”

The chief judge further said the issue of retirement age should be an individual decision.

“Ostentation apart, but to live a simple, quiet and reasonably comfortable life, any judge who has spent 10 to 15 years on the bench, should be able to do that,” he added.

“So why do you want to kill yourself on the job and then people will just collect your benefit after you have died.

“The law has spoken, speak for yourself and assess if you are mentally and physically capable of going on with the work. But if your answer is no, go back home.”