Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has urged the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) to ensure that court judgements are fully implemented, stressing that respect for the rule of law is crucial to sustaining public confidence in the justice system.
Soyinka, who spoke at the Nigerian Ombudsman annual conference 2026 in Abuja on Thursday, lamented that most court judgements in Nigeria were not being executed by the institutions involved.
“This is where I think the ombudsman has an important role to play; why is it that we cannot guarantee the implementation of the declaration of a judgement between the plaintiff, between the judgement itself, between the judges, the structure of justice and the victim? What is the problem?, he asked.
“Why is it, for instance, that people we know of have actually died without seeing the fruits of their endeavours for justice?
He asked “ Why is it, for instance, when a judgement is delivered in court, in public, it is ignored by other agencies of justice?
“If the court says, for instance, restore that passport, give that passport back, why is it that it still takes years, sometimes even after the death of the plaintiff? What is the problem?”, Soyinka asked.
“Is it something, perhaps, the Public Complaints Commission can take on as a primary role, to look at the entire chain of the delivery of justice?
This is a problem I want to leave the Commission as a priority, even as the regular system continues, he added.
“I wish to use this opportunity to remind us, by the way, that many, many people have trodden along this path. And maybe died without even having an answer”, the Nobel Laureate stated.
Also speaking at the event, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Senator George Akume, urged public institutions to examine their processes, identify the lapses and strengthen them not just to react to petitions but to prevent them in the first place.
H said all public institutions should establish clear mechanisms that check abuses and enforce service standards.
“To the Public Complaints Commission, the nation looks to you not only to resolve complaints for the people, but to identify patterns of failure and recommend lasting reforms”, Akume said in his speech.
Speaking earlier in his keynote address, Chief Commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission Honorable Bashir Abubakar, said the Ombudsman serves as an independent guardian of administrative justice.
Abubakar said an Ombudsman is more than a complaints office, adding that it is the conscience of democracy.
It stands as an independent mediator between the citizen and the state, ensuring that power is exercised fairly, reasonably, and in accordance with law, he said.
“When institutions fail to follow their own rules, the fabric of trust in government is weakened, adding “The Ombudsman exists to restore that trust”.
He said the conference was deliberately designed as a multi-stakeholder platform, moving the Ombudsman from a largely reactive complaints-handling body to a proactive institution that identifies systemic weaknesses, advises on policy gaps, and helps shape a culture of accountability.
