Those who attended the 50th anniversary lecture of University of Lagos Faculty of Law delivered recently by a one-time President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) literally wept for Nigeria as they were presented with a rehash of rather horrible and horrendous accounts of their country in different idioms and allusions. The Faculty of Law of the university is 50 years old this year, being one of the foundation teaching units of the institution established in 1962.Going by its achievements over the years, and judging by the quality and quantity of its products, The UNILAG Faculty of Law could be described as a foremost faculty that is providing a sound university legal education in Nigeria. To its credit, the faculty has produced over 50 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, judges of the appellate and high court as well as several other accomplished legal practitioners and scholars. Evidently, the faculty has indeed built and sustained a legacy of excellence.In celebrating its feats in the last 50 years therefore, the UNILAG Faculty of Law selected one of its distinguished legal icons, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) to deliver a golden jubilee lecture entitled 'Challenges to Governance in Emerging Democracies.' The lecture, which attracted dignities from all walks of life including a powerful delegation from the University of Ibadan, led by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Adewole, was not only thought-provoking, but a naked exposition of the appalling state of Nigerian society.Chief Olanipekun, did not mince words in addressing some of the topical issues affecting the nation. He spoke on democracy, the governance problem, challenges to good governance, rule of law, corruption, leadership, poverty, illiteracy, terrorism, federalism, electoral forms, and convocation of a national conference as well as proffering solutions to some of these challenges.Presenting his 78-page lecture in which he raised serious posers for both leaders and the led, the pro-chancellor, UI urged the populace to demand for their rights. Speaking on the convocation of Sovereign National Conference, Chief Olanipekun argued 'if the children of Israel in the Bible could, after they had convocated, ask God through Samuel that they wanted to be governed in a different way from the way God was governing them, and God harkened unto their demand, who then are we ordinary mortals to prevent a conference of Nigerians to chart a way forward for ourselves and future generations.' According to him 'we pretend not to be at war or a state of war, yet the lives being wasted on a daily basis are more than corpses that are being taken out of war enclaves'.Quoting authoritative sources to corroborate his assertions, Olanipekun presented a gloomy picture of the Nigerian state, indicating poor showing of the country in almost every sector. For example, he said a recent report by the Fund for Peace (FFP) declared in its 2012 annual index data that 'Nigeria ranks among the top 10 failed states in Africa and 14th in the world.On illiteracy, Olanipekun noted 'Nigeria finds itself in the rather ignoble ranks of nine countries with the highest population of illiterates in the world. The group, otherwise known as the E9 countries comprises Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria and Pakistan. The United National Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has said 535million out of the total non-literate population of 800 million of the world's illiterates reside in these nine countries.Still on a depressing note, the guest lecturer pointed out that the Global Peace Index developed by the Research Institute of Economics and Peace has ranked Nigeria 6th among the 10 most dangerous African countries to live in, ahead of Ethiopia, Burundi, Zimbabwe and Chad. The ranking is based on countries most affected by war, terrorism, political instability, regular violence among others.With these unspeakable reports, Olanipekun turned to his audience and said 'we have to pause and consider the irony of the Nigerian nation. A nation where there is so much seed and yet little harvest; a nation blessed with resources in abundance, but its citizens wallow in abject poverty, a nation blessed with the brightest of minds, but with a decaying educational system, a leading producer of crude oil with four (un ) serviced refineries capable of producing 445,000 barrels of refined oil per day, but which now imports refined petroleum products from Niger Republic.' With this lecture, Olanipekun has certainly placed a mirror before us all and we can see ourselves vividly in our state of ugliness.Indeed, this lecture was as radical as it was upsetting. It was a lecture that should set Nigerians thinking on the way out of the wood. Is this how we will continue as a nation' What kind of a country is this' We are blessed with abundance of natural resources, yet we create natural disaster of corruption to perpetrate crimes against ourselves! Does it mean we can not fight corruption' Does it mean we lack men and women of courage to fix our problems' These are not just rhetorical questions. These are questions that must be answered by those in position of authority.At this moment, one cannot agree less with an American Senator, Frank Calson who says: God and the world (and Nigeria in this context) need men who will stand in the gap. Men who are not for sale.; men who are honest, sound from centre to circumference, true to the heart's care. Men with consciences as steady as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right if the heavens toils and the earth reels; men who can tell the truth and look the world right in the eyes, men who neither brag nor run; men who neither flag nor finch, men who can have courage without shouting it; men in whom the courage everlasting life run still, deep, and strong; men who know their message and tell it; men who know their place and fill it, men who know their business and attend to it; men who will not lie, shirk, or dodge, men who are not too lazy to work, nor too proud to be poor.May God bless Nigeria with good leaders.Saanu can be reached via SundaySaanu@yahoo.com
Click here to read full news..
