STUDENTS POST

"The nobility of the law is in the attainment of Justice"

 

Justice is the quality of being just, impartial, or fair. Justice as relating to the judicial system has to do with the fair and proper administration of laws. All societies, including our University of Calabar has a system of laws that are put in place for the regulation of social interaction. Social regulation is the basic concern of law, without which the consequences will be chaos and anarchy.

The government of the University of Calabar for the purpose of social regulation within its environs set up a system of Courts for the administration of laws as far back as its inception. These Courts are responsible for the adjudication of matters between students of the University.

It should be noted though that these courts have only civil jurisdiction (they can only handle matters between persons and between persons and associations or unions in the University), the courts have no criminal jurisdiction (they can't handle offences against the state i.e offences that the state has defined as "crimes" e.g Murder, Armed Robbery e.t.c).

Foremost of these Courts is the Malabor Court of Appeal, created by S. of the Constitution of the Student's Union Government (University of Calabar), this is the highest court in University of Calabar and all appeals from the Malabor High Court lie to this Court. It is my own opinion though that this Court is phantom, as I have never seen it in operation in my almost four years stay in University of Calabar and neither have I heard of its sitting.

The next and lowest court for Malabites and Malabresses is the Malabor High Court, this Court is operational and is made up of Five (5) Judges, all of whom are Law Students, the head of whom is the Chief Justice of Malabor who is also the Chief Judicial Officer of Malabor Rebublic. The following law students are the Judges of the Malabor High Court;

1. Honourable Justice Ogar Christopher (Chief Justice of Malabor) (Final Year Class)
2. Honourable Justice Edim Edim (Final Year. Class)
3. Honourable Justice Obase Ojen A. (4th Yr. Class)
4. Honourable Justice Akpanke Shishitileugiang A. (4th Yr. Class)
5. Honourable Justice Ewa Alice A. (4th Yr. Class)

In addition to the five Judges, there is also a Registrar for the Court. The Court's registrar is Enya Gilbert of the third Yr. class. The five Judges are expected to sit whenever there is a matter in the malabor High Court and in the absence of any of the five, three (3) can form a quorum.

Another operational judicial system in the University of Calabar is the judicial system of the Law Students Association of Nigeria, University of Calabar Chapter (LAWSAN-UCC). They are responsible for the administration of law and the regulation of activities of Lawsanites only. This Association's Court system is made up of two Courts; The LAWSAN High Court and the LAWSAN Appeal Court. Like the Malabor Courts, the LAWSAN Courts also lack criminal jurisdiction. The LAWSAN Courts also have Five (5) Judges, all of whom are from the fourth and final year class with the Chief Judge of LAWSAN as the Head. The Judges are namely;

1. Justice Apori Koffi A. (Chief Judge of LAWSAN)
2. Justice Obaseopuwhoi Etiowo
3. Justice Atteh Triumph P.
4. Justice Etiko Akong E.
5. Justice Amah Chinemenum

A Cross section of the Judges of LAWSAN along with the Chief Justice of Malabor and Exco members of LAWSAN.

Students who have been aggrieved by other students can bring their matters in the Malabor High Court either by themselves or by a Student Legal Practitioner who must be a Law Student from the third year class and above. The powers of the Malabor High Court are not defined, so this article does not state any powers, but its judgments are enforceable within the University Community.

Aggrieved students are adviced not to resort to Jungle justice in resolving issues between themselves and other students, as the Malabor High Court is fully operational and the Court doors are open for litigation and for giving justice to those who are deserving of it. The law is only regarded as noble when the consequences of its application results in justice.

Inem Busa Samson

Faculty of Law

Year 4

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