The Chief Judge of Ogun State, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, has urged magistrates across Nigeria to prioritise continuous professional development, strengthen their legal knowledge and embrace technological innovations to improve justice delivery.
Dipeolu gave the charge on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, during the opening ceremony of the National Convention of the Magistrates’ Association of Nigeria (MAN), held at the Judiciary Complex in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The convention, themed “Strengthening the Magistracy for Effective Justice Delivery through Capacity Building and Innovation,” brought together judicial officers and other stakeholders to discuss ways of improving the administration of justice in the country.
Speaking at the event, the chief judge cautioned magistrates against treating their current positions merely as stepping stones to appointment to the High Court Bench.
She maintained that the magistracy was an important judicial office in its own right and urged officers to remain committed to their responsibilities regardless of uncertainties surrounding career advancement.
According to her, magistrates must continue to deliver quality service rather than allow expectations about promotion to distract them from their duties.
Dipeolu Emphasises Continuous Learning
The chief judge encouraged magistrates to regularly study judgments delivered by superior courts, keep up with legislative developments, improve their legal research and judgment-writing skills, and participate in continuing judicial education programmes.
She stressed that experience alone was insufficient to meet the increasingly complex demands of judicial work without consistent learning and professional preparation.
Dipeolu noted that the quality of justice delivered to the public depended significantly on the preparation, competence and diligence of judicial officers.
She urged magistrates to listen patiently to litigants, apply the law correctly, conduct proceedings fairly and deliver well-reasoned decisions.
Magistrates Urged to Embrace Technology
Dipeolu also called on judicial officers to adapt to technological developments shaping the justice sector.
She explained that electronic transactions, cybercrime, online fraud, digital communications and electronically stored records were creating new legal challenges that required magistrates to acquire relevant knowledge and skills.
She encouraged the adoption of electronic filing, digital case management and virtual proceedings where permitted, noting that such innovations could improve efficiency and reduce unnecessary delays.
However, she warned that technology must not undermine fair hearing, confidentiality, due process, judicial independence or equal access to justice.
The chief judge also highlighted practical measures such as proper record-keeping, effective scheduling, punctuality and reducing unnecessary adjournments as ways to improve court performance.
Senior Judicial Officers Highlight Challenges
The convention also examined challenges facing the Nigerian magistracy, including inadequate funding, poor working conditions, welfare concerns, heavy caseloads, congested courts and uncertainty surrounding career progression.
Delivering the keynote address, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Sola Ojutalayo described magistrates as critical figures in the justice system because they are often the first judicial officers to examine cases brought by the police and prosecution.
He called for reforms to strengthen judicial independence, improve working conditions, modernise court procedures and promote alternative dispute resolution.
Ogun State High Court Judge Justice Adeola Adelaja also stressed that the future of the magistracy depended on competence, integrity, adequate welfare and institutional independence.
Meanwhile, the Chief Registrar of the Ogun State High Court, Olakuleyin Luqman Oke, urged magistrates to improve case management, maintain accurate records of pending cases and give priority to matters involving defendants in custody.
He also encouraged judicial officers to build their professional reputations through integrity, effective service and responsible innovation rather than relying solely on seniority or the prospect of promotion.
The convention, which ran from October 19 to 22, 2026, was the association’s first national gathering in a decade, following its previous convention in Rivers State in 2016.
The discussions focused on strengthening the capacity of magistrates, improving judicial administration and ensuring that Nigerians have access to fairer, faster and more effective justice.
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