Advocacy
By Oluwakemi Oladipo
Lagos, June 27,2024 (NAN) Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun (SAN), a former Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University, has urged the Nigerian Bar Association to collaborate with the media and civil society organisations (CSOs) to advance public interest advocacy.
He said that judiciary systems, including NBA, were critical to social change.
Fagbohun, a Professor of Environmental Law, made the appeal at the 2024 Alao Aka-Bashorun Public Lecture organised by NBA, Ikeja Branch, on Thursday in Lagos.
The lecture had the theme: “Public Governance in Troubled Times: Safeguarding the Rule of Law in Nigeria”.
The professor said that NBA could amplify its efforts through strategic collaboration with CSOs and the media, particularly by spearheading public interest advocacy and litigation.
“Currently, the NBA and its members are part of what I term the Rescue Nigeria Project.
“The time has come to elevate our engagement from mere involvement to unwavering commitment.
“Together, we can create a future where justice, integrity and accountability are not just ideals but realities. All hands must be on deck.
“I must laud CSOs and the media for their pivotal roles as catalysts for change because vigilant oversight is crucial in elevating public sector performance and steering Nigeria towards good governance,” Fagbohun said.
He added that judiciary must live up to its potential to sanction actions driven by narrow political and economic self-interest, thereby ensuring realisation of the promise of equal justice under the law.
“It is common for members of the political class to flip-flop either along party lines or to sustain dominance, privileges and advantages.
“It is for the court to remain steadfast in checking system abusers.
“Our courts cannot continue to be held back from effective service delivery by poor pay, facilities and infrastructure,” Fagbohun said.
He noted that there were efforts to improve judicial remuneration through the Bill for an Act to Prescribe the Salaries, Allowances and Fringe Benefits of Judicial Office Holders in Nigeria.
“This must be accompanied by effective strategies to hold judicial officers accountable. Only then will the rule of law become meaningful.
“Aka-Bashorun’s impact and leadership were not just about holding a position; they were about inspiring a movement and uniting a community towards a common goal.
“He demonstrated that true leadership requires not only vision but also the courage to act decisively in the face of injustice,” Fagbohun said.
He said that there was every reason for the NBA to be concerned about safeguarding the rule of law amidst crisis confronting public governance.
“It is through public governance that governments seek to enhance the social welfare of their citizens,” Faghoun said.
Justice Abiola Soladoye of the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court said that discipline was important in the legal profession.
“The ones coming behind us should see values and morals in the judicial system.”
Soladoye said that the essence of the lecture was to encourage players in the judicial sector to do the right thing at all times.
“I appeal to us to move this profession forward,” she said.
In his remarks, Mr Segun Alao Aka-Bashorun thanked NBA for celebrating his father’s legacy for the past 40 years.
Aka-Bashorun said that he would want lawyers and judicial officers and workers to advocate local government autonomy.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
OKG/IGO
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Edited by Ijeoma Popoola
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