Alfa Modibo Belgore, former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), is undoubtedly vast in the political and judicial affairs of the country. In the legal profession where he has made his marks for instance, he is readily seen as an authority by many. Even outside his core area, he also remains a force . For instance, he headed the Committee on Minimum Wage comprising representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress and employers of labour in May 2010 which recommended a minimum wage of N18,000 for Nigerian workers, the current paid wage by the Federal Government.

Belgore, even in retirement, hardly shies away from contemporary issues in the land. He has for example, added his voice to those who have been criticising the current system of government in the country based on high cost of governance, advocating a quick return to the parliamentary system of government. His argument is that the presidential system being practiced is not only expensive and wasteful but also abets corruption.

Speaking at a symposium on the need for judicial reform and book launch, the legal luminary underscored the need to reform the nation’s laws which he said were antiquated, to enable the ongoing reform of the judicial effective, efficient and meaningful.

The occasion was in honour of former CJN, Dahiru Musdapher.

Belgore, who was the chairman of the occasion, declared that there was need to reform the nation’s statute before embarking on full reformation of the judiciary.

He argued that the criminal laws and procedures upon which justice administration in Nigeria is premised are those inherited from the nation’s colonial masters and were therefore archaic.

He explained that Great Britain from where the laws were inherited, had long, done away with the statutes. He also attributed, though partly, the slow development and massive corruption in the country to the presidential system of government endorsed by the 1999 Constitution.

“The constitution we used before now allowed ministers to be members of parliament and thus reduced cost of governance. The system of government was cheaper and more efficient,” he said.

Aside Belgore, some Nigerians have been calling for a change in the system of government to parliamentary model as a result of high cost of governance in the presidential arrangement in place. Observers have even argued that the number of ministers, legislators at the National Assembly, Presidential and governors’ aides should be reduced to cut cost of governance and improve service delivery to the citizens.

Toeing the line of Belgore, Musdapher stressed that the importance of legal and judicial reform in Nigeria could not be over emphasised and that the first thing that must be done was to review both the nation’s law and the justice delivery system saying, “The gap between what we have today and what is required to foster a democratic and prosperous nation is clear for all to see.”

In his submission, Executive Director, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Ademola Mumuni, while agreeing that the presidential system is very expensive, however said he did not believe it aids corruption.

He said, “My position has always been that presidential system is too expensive to run. In the First Republic, members of the House of Representatives were on part-time business but currently, we have the upper and lower chambers at the national level. I don’t think the presidential system is aiding corruption but I agree that it is expensive. I don’t think it is a particular system of government that aids corruption but those in the system must have attitudinal change.”

Belgore had once counseled Nigerian leaders to govern with the fear of God and ensure that they deliver dividends of democracy to the people saying; “They are the servants of the people. They must serve the people and at the end of their service, let the people be able to tell them that they have done well and they will see the evidence of their doing well.”

Born in Ilorin, Kwara State, Alfa Belgore, had at a time, served as the Magistrate, Northern Nigeria and has headed many committees in the country including Technical Committee on Law, Justice and Development in Africa.