Black lawyers need not wear Caucasian hair
Economic policy analysts wades into suitability of current Constitution
Chief Justice emphasizes importance of wearing wigs and gowns in 2021 circular
The subject of wigs worn by members of the bench and the bar has often drawn heated arguments, even as opponents and proponents seek to drum home their preference.
In September 2021, the current Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, issued a circular titled: “Dress Standards in Court” addressed to all judges and professional magistrates.
The crux of the statement was an explicit order to the bench to stick to “the requirement to be fully robed in a Wig and Gown, for Court sittings at all times.”
They were also to ensure that lawyers appearing before them were well dressed to “preserve the decorum, seriousness and formality of court proceedings.”
Those against the dress code argue that it is a colonial inheritance as is much of our laws, and have argued that Justices in parts of the UK have ditched the wig and it stands to reason that Ghana will do the same.
During a recent public lecture on the Constitution, keynote speaker, Senyo Hosi despite not having legal education waded into the debate and stated a position of opposition to the wearing of especially wigs by lawyers.
In the introductory statements of his lecture, he stated: “All that I have stated about our Constitution represents no veiled attempt to appear to sound legalese nor impose on a sense that I belong to this very revered and reclusive group of people with white wigs, called lawyers.”
“I pray you change your wigs though. Black men don’t have white grey Caucasian hair,” he stressed.
Hosi on Friday, January 14, 2022, delivered the keynote address at the Constitution Day lecture at the University of Professional Studies-Accra, UPSA. The event was organized by the One Ghana Movement.
He averred among other things that the current democracy had plunged Ghana into a spiral of misgovernance in a manner depleting hopes of the people. Which spiral he continued had led by non-conformity and legitimate demand for change of the current Constitution.
The Economic policy analyst and CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors also advocated a customized democracy he called “Ghanacracy” as a viable means to addressing legitimate concerns of Ghanaians about the current 1992 Constitution.