Judges must prioritise their health, wellness – Justice Adejumo

ABUJA – Judicial officers across the federation have been urged to prioritise their health and well-being, given the demanding nature of their work.

Speaking at the opening session of a retreat for judges of the superior courts of record in Abuja, the Administrator of the National Judicial Institute (NJI), Justice Babatunde Adejumo, maintained that mounting workloads and high expectations have continued to take a significant toll on the physical, mental and emotional health of judicial officers.

He said research had established a direct correlation between judicial well-being and the overall efficacy of justice delivery.

“The weight of the judicial office is immense. Fulfilling this role demands long hours, navigating congested dockets, and undertaking extensive reading and research — a rigorous burden that remains substantial even with the valuable support of legal assistants.

“Furthermore, Your Lordships must dedicate significant time to transcribing proceedings and crafting meticulously reasoned judgments.

“Beyond these administrative and intellectual demands, Your Lordships are constantly challenged to balance strict judicial neutrality with a keen awareness of social context.

“More often than not, these profound responsibilities are discharged under intense public scrutiny and immense pressure.

“Ultimately, judicial officers are held to the highest standards of ethics and competence in both their personal and professional lives.

“These relentless demands and high expectations inevitably take a significant toll on the physical, mental and emotional health of judicial officers.

“Consequently, within the judicial sphere, health and wellness must be treated as an absolute priority.

“Judicial wellness is not a personal luxury; it is a fundamental institutional issue,” Justice Adejumo stated.

According to him, when the physical health or mental resilience of a judicial officer is compromised, the quality of their judicial output suffers, directly undermining public trust and confidence in the Judiciary.

“Throughout the year, alongside rigorous courtroom duties, Your Lordships undergo continuous capacity building across diverse legal fields.

“Within this year alone, the Institute has organised over forty (40) training programmes covering critical areas such as asset recovery, maritime law, oil and gas law, corrections, public interest litigation, consumer protection, counter-terrorism, child justice administration and judicial ethics.

“Yet, with commendable foresight and careful consideration, the Institute’s Board of Governors and its Education Committee have curated this specific engagement to ensure that the minds and bodies sustaining these intellectual demands are equally nurtured.

“This Retreat on Health, Wellness and Nutrition is specifically designed to share practical knowledge and insights to safeguard Your Lordships’ well-being.

“The sessions will focus on counteracting burnout, mitigating sedentary and ergonomic risks, and optimising nutrition for high-cognitive performance,” the NJI Administrator added, even as he thanked the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, for approving the health-focused retreat.