Retired and serving judges in Ogun State have asserted that the remuneration of judicial officers should be increased regularly, rather than occasionally or arbitrarily, stressing that true well-being is sustained, not sporadic.
The judges also decried inadequate funding and poor infrastructure, noting that although the judiciary is the third and co-equal arm of government, it is often treated as an afterthought.
They made these remarks on Tuesday at the Ogun State 2025 Judges’ Conference, themed “Judicial Officers’ Well-Being,” held at the Judicial Complex in Abeokuta, the state capital.
In her welcome address, the Ogun State Chief Judge, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, lamented that their stagnant salaries were a silent testament to institutional neglect, revealing that they had endured this situation for 15 years until 2023, when President Bola Tinubu signed the new Act on Judicial Salaries and Allowances.
While expressing gratitude to the president, Dipeolu urged that this positive development should not be a one-off event, but the beginning of a new era of sustained investment in judicial welfare.
She said: “For decades, the Judiciary, the third and co-equal arm of government, has been treated as an afterthought. We have endured a legacy of inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, and a painful disconnect between the immense responsibilities we bear and the resources allocated to us.
“We have all experienced these realities: from the struggle with dilapidated courtrooms and outdated technology to security concerns in our residences, and the immense pressure from a society that often misunderstands our financial constraints.
“For fifteen long years, between 2008 and 2023, our salaries remained stagnant, a silent testament to institutional neglect. However, 2023 brought a ray of hope. The constitutional alteration and, most recently, the new Act on Judicial Salaries and Allowances signed by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represent a significant and welcome shift.
“While we express our gratitude for this development, we must be steadfast in our advocacy to ensure these gains are not a one-off event but the beginning of a new era of sustained investment in judicial welfare. As wisely suggested, ‘the remuneration of judicial officers should be increased regularly, and not occasionally or arbitrarily. True well-being is sustained, not sporadic.”
According to her, research has shown that judges experience higher levels of distress and problematic drinking compared with the general population, and are more likely to suffer from burnout, hypertension, and mental health issues as a result of their heavy workload, extended periods of sitting, exposure to trauma, and the extreme stress of their roles.
She advised all judicial officers to prioritise their well-being by accessing healthy foods, creating an environment that encourages regular vacations, and fostering a supportive community.
“I therefore charge us all, myself included, to prioritise our wellness. Let us develop personal wellness plans and, at an organisational level, create an environment that encourages regular vacations, provides access to healthy foods, and fosters a supportive community. A healthy judiciary is a productive and incorruptible judiciary.”
Speaking on the theme of the conference, Justice Solomon Olugbemi (retd.) agreed that the judiciary has been neglected for too long by the executive and legislative arms of government.
He argued that such treatment is unfair to public servants who have spent 35 years in service or retired at the age of 60 and are still struggling to maintain a good quality of life.
Justice Olugbemi recommended that the constitution be further amended to make the funding of state judiciaries a direct charge on the Federation Account, to be paid directly by the National Judicial Council to the heads of the various courts through their chief judges.
