The British gave up their last colonies in Africa half a century ago . But they left their wigs behind. Not just any wigs. They are the long , white , horsehair locks worn by high court judges (and King George III ) . They are so old -fashioned and so uncomfortable, that even British barristers have stopped wearing them. But in former British colonies — Kenya , Zimbabwe, Ghana, Malawi and others — they live on, worn by judges and lawyers. Now , a new generation of African jurists is asking: Why are the continent ’ s most prominent legal minds still wearing the trappings of the colonizers ? It’ s not just a question of aesthetics . The wigs and robes are perhaps the most glaring symbol of colonial inheritance at a time when that history is being dredged up in all sorts of ways. The relics of colonialism are scattered across the continent . There are the queen’ s namesakes : Victoria Falls north of Zimbabwe; Lake Victoria , bordering three countries in eastern Africa ; Victoria Island in Nigeria . There is the left-lane driving , the cricket , the way public education is organised (not organized). Most cities and streets have received new names since European rule ended. Yet the wig survives, along with other relics of the colonial courtroom : red robes , white bows, references to judges as “ my lord ” and “ my lady . ” In nearly every former British colony , op -eds have been written and speeches made about why the wig ought to be removed . In Uganda , the New Vision newspaper conducted an investigation into the cost of the wigs, reporting that each one cost $ 6 , 500.In Ghana , a prominent lawyer , Augustine Niber , argued that removing wigs would reduce the “ intimidation and fear that often characterize our courtrooms. ” One of the editors of the Nigerian Lawyer blog wrote that wigs weren’ t made for the sweltering Lagos heat , where lawyers wilted under their garb . “ The culture that invented wig and gown is different from our own and the weather is different, ” Unini Chioma wrote. Nigeria Court Judges Still Wear Wigs After Many Years Of Brish Colonization By Unknown Monday, September 18, 2017 Share Tweet Share Share Email The British gave up their last colonies in Africa half a century ago . But they left their wigs behind. Not just any wigs. They are the long , white , horsehair locks worn by high court judges (and King George III ) . They are so old -fashioned and so uncomfortable, that even British barristers have stopped wearing them. But in former British colonies — Kenya , Zimbabwe, Ghana, Malawi and others — they live on, worn by judges and lawyers. Now , a new generation of African jurists is asking: Why are the continent ’ s most prominent legal minds still wearing the trappings of the colonizers ? It’ s not just a question of aesthetics . The wigs and robes are perhaps the most glaring symbol of colonial inheritance at a time when that history is being dredged up in all sorts of ways. The relics of colonialism are scattered across the continent . There are the queen’ s namesakes : Victoria Falls north of Zimbabwe; Lake Victoria , bordering three countries in eastern Africa ; Victoria Island in Nigeria . There is the left-lane driving , the cricket , the way public education is organised (not organized). Most cities and streets have received new names since European rule ended. Yet the wig survives, along with other relics of the colonial courtroom : red robes , white bows, references to judges as “ my lord ” and “ my lady . ” In nearly every former British colony , op -eds have been written and speeches made about why the wig ought to be removed . In Uganda , the New Vision newspaper conducted an investigation into the cost of the wigs, reporting that each one cost $ 6 , 500.In Ghana , a prominent lawyer , Augustine Niber , argued that removing wigs would reduce the “ intimidation and fear that often characterize our courtrooms. ” One of the editors of the Nigerian Lawyer blog wrote that wigs weren’ t made for the sweltering Lagos heat , where lawyers wilted under their garb . “ The culture that invented wig and gown is different from our own and the weather is different, ” Unini Chioma wrote. No comments Comment Here
