ADC Not For Moneybags, Committed To People-Friendly Government - Aregbesola
FYusuf Oketola
ORMER Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has declared that the African Democra c Congress (ADC) is commi ed to running a mass-based, People-Friendly Government.
The ADC Na onal Secretary stated this in a post on his official X handle on Sunday, no ng that the party is quite different from other poli cal par es in Nigeria.
Aregbesola’s clarificaon came against insinuaons that the ADC does not have any ideology.
According to the former Minister of Interior, Ar cle 7, Sec on 3, Subsec on 1 of the ADC cons tu on expressly forbids moneybags, godfathers, and exploita ve elites from having undue influence in the party.
Aregbesola said the ADC cons tu on gave
women and youth nothing less than 50% of party and elec ve posi ons, adding that the development was unprecedented in Nigeria’s poli cal history.
He wrote, “Some have said that the ADC has no ideology. That is not correct. The ADC is a peoplecentred party, commi ed to running a mass-based, People-Friendly Government (PFG). Our cons tuon speaks clearly to this.
“Sec on 14 of the same sec on makes it clear that no individual will be allowed to pocket or dominate the party. The ADC belongs to all – it can never be anyone’s personal property.
“Ar cle 12, Sec on 4 guarantees women a minimum of 35% representaon in elec ve and appoinve offices.
“Ar cle 13, Sec on 4 provides the same guaran-
tee for young people.
“This means women and youth will together cons tu onally occupy no less than 50% of party and elec ve posi ons.
“These provisions are unprecedented in Nigeria’s poli cal history and
remain unmatched by any other poli cal party since independence.
“This is why the coalion has chosen the ADC as its pla orm. The 2022 cons tu on already offers these safeguards and will con nue to be improved upon.
“I therefore call on all Nigerians to join this party of the people. Life has become short, hard, and bru sh for our people under the current an -people government.
“We cannot con nue
on this path. The me has come to provide leadership that will secure a be er Nigeria for our children and for genera ons to come.
“The ADC is the way forward – a people’s party for a people’s government.
Group Condemns Tinubu’s Frequent Foreign Trips
Kazeem Badmus
ACivil Society group, Centre for Social Jus ce and Public Protec on (CSJPP), has slammed President Bola Tinubu over his frequent travelling out of the country.
The group said despite numerous challenges facing the country, the president has turned foreign countries to his home, leaving Nigerians to their problem.
In a statement signed by
•As President Makes 15th Abroad Trip In 2025
its coordinator, Akin Akanji, the group said Tinubu was taking Nigerians for a ride, adding that governance under the current administraon is at an all- me low.
OSUN DEFENDER reports that since assuming office in 2023, President Tinubu has undertaken at least 43 foreign trips. In 2025, the President has made at least 15 trips out of the country.
Tinubu is currently out
of the country for a 10-day vaca on in Europe. This trip came just days a er he returned to the country from a trip to Japan and Brazil.
- Tinubu’s Foreign Trips
On January 6, the president le Nigeria for Accra, the Ghanaian capital, to a end the inaugura on of President-elect John Mahama on January 7.
Between January 12 and 16, Tinubu was in the
United Arab Emirates to a end the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Summit.
Days a er coming back, the President, on January 27-28, traveled to Tanzania to par cipate in the African Heads of State Energy Summit.
In February, Tinubu traveled to France before a ending the 37th African Union Summit in Ethiopia.
•Continued on Page 2
•The National Secretary, African Democratic Congress, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola at the mobilization tour in Badagry, Lagos State where members of the Labour Party and the Obidient Movement joined the ADC
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2025
Boat Mishaps: Over 500 Feared Dead In 2 Years – Investigations
Kazeem Badmus
NO fewer than 500 Nigerians have died, while numerous others were hospitalised due to accidents on the naon’s waterways, inves gaons by OSUN DEFENDER have revealed.
Findings by OSUN DEFENDER indicate that in the last two years, ci zens mostly famers, women and children have lost their lives as a result of the boat mishaps.
Between June 2023 and September 2025, a sizable number of people had their lives ending on water, raising more concerns on the safety of the country’s water transporta on sector.
The Incidents
On September 14, 2024, 41 people, mostly farmers, died when a boat capsized at the Mashayar Dantauri riverbank in the Gummi town of Zamfara State.
The same week, another boat capsized in a river in Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State with at least four people reportedly dead in that accident. According to reports, the boat was carrying 50 people, far above its capacity, when it capsized.
On September 9, 2024, 15 people died when a boat carrying 23 passengers capsized in Njuwa Lake in Yola South Local Government of Adamawa State. According to eyewitness accounts, the boat capsised due to a windstorm.
Earlier, on September 4 of the same year, a canoe travelling between MayoIne and Mayo Balewa in Bauchi State capsised, killing two passengers.
In Kano, officials from the Na onal Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed the deaths of five people who drowned a er a watercra carrying 22 passengers capsized in the Baban Kogi River within the Kauran Mata community in Madobi Local Government Area of Kano State. The accident reportedly happened on 21 August 2024, with most passengers being farmers.
In May, two students of Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Makoda, drowned in the Thomas Dam in Kano while trying to cross the dam in a boat. A third colleague was rescued.
In October 2024, about 32 people were reportedly onboard when two boats collided in the AmuwoOdofin area of Lagos State. Twenty people were later rescued, while three bodies were pulled from the water. The Na onal In-
•As More Nigerians Die Daily On Weak Boats, Less Regulated Waterways •NIWA Bans Unlicensed Boats To Enhance Waterway Safety
land Waterways Authority (NIWA) later announced the arrest of the manager of the “Only God Marine” ferry, one of the boats involved in the accident, for negligence.
In one of the ugliest incidents, 285 wedding guests boarded a ferry with a 200-person capacity to return home a er a wedding in Niger State. According to media reports,
the boat capsized, and only 91 people were recovered from the tragic accident.
In June 2023, over 100 people died in Kwara State under similar circumstances, with the tragedy
Residents Wait As Adeleke
Orders Action On Jailed Apetu
IKazeem Badmus
NDIGENES and residents of Ipetumodu in Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State are awaiting the final decision of the Osun State Government on the stool of the Apetu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, who is currently serving a jail term in the United States.
Governor Ademola Adeleke at the state execu ve council mee ng held on Friday instructed the Commissioner for Local Government and Chie aincy Affairs, Dosu Babatunde, to take ac on on the ma er.
According to a statement by the state Commissioner for Informa on and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the governor described the development as ugly, calling for urgent ac on on the ma er.
OSUN DEFENDER reports that US District Judge, Christopher A. Boyko, ordered the monarch to “serve three years of supervised release a er imprisonment and pay $4,408,543.38 in res tu on.”
US A orney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, in a statement on August 26, 2025, said Oloyede led a conspiracy to exploit COVID-19
emergency loan programmes created for struggling businesses.
Since the judgement, uneasy calm has pervaded the town, with the princes insis ng that the state government should decide on replacing Oba Oloyede.
Tension had erupted on Tuesday during a
mee ng of princes in Ipetumodu, a er a call was made for Governor Adeleke to declare the stool vacant.
The mee ng, held within the palace premises and presided over by the Asalu of Ipetumodu, Chief Sunday Adedeji, started around 4 p.m. and progressed without incident un l a prince demanded that Adedeji, as the most senior surviving kingmaker, write a formal le er to Governor Adeleke declaring the throne vacant.
Adedeji, however, rejected the request and reportedly recused himself from any move to declare the stool vacant.
blamed on overcrowding and poorly maintained boats.
Just recently on September 9, 10 and 11, 2025, 41 people died from boat mishap incidents in Njuwa lake in Yola, Adamawa State, Mokwa of Niger State and in Gurin, Fufore area of Adamawa State.
While many of these sta s cs are from the reported cases, OSUN DEFENDER learnt that most boat accidents are underreported with unconfirmed numbers rising above 10,000 people.
The 2022 Recrea onal Boa ng Sta s cs report, published by the United States Coast Guard (USCG), shows that, of the 636 deaths from boat accidents in the US in 2022 where the cause of death was known, 75 per cent of the vic ms drowned. Where life jacket use or non-use was known, 85 per cent of those drowning vic ms were not wearing life jackets.
Analyst Reacts
Commen ng on the trend, a public affairs analyst, Mr Daniel Babaran called on President Bola
Tinubu to declare a state of emergency on boat mishaps in the country.
Babaran , who commiserated with the families of the dead, called for a holis c review of the trend.
“It is sad that every day, many people die on our waters. It speaks to three things. One, the ineffec veness of the authori es, the non-provision of life jackets, and the non-regula on of the waterways.
“I think it is me for the government through NIWA to look inward and profer solu ons. The current MD of the agency seems to be busier with his governorship ambi on than what works for Nigerians.
“All hands should be deck. The authori es must come to the aid of the people. The people should also not con nue to risk their lives by going on unlicensed and rickety boats. We must all come together to end these deaths,” he said.
NIWA Bans Unlicensed Boats To Enhance Waterway Safety
The Na onal Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has imposed an immediate ban on loading ac vi es at unauthorised points naonwide to reduce boat accidents and enhance safety on Nigeria’s inland waterways.
The Managing Director of NIWA, Bola Oyebamiji, during a press briefing said, “NIWA has placed an immediate ban on loading acvi es from all unauthorised loading points across the country. No commercial passenger boat shall be allowed to load from any point other than those recognised and registered by NIWA.
“It is mandatory for all commercial boat operators to provide and enforce the use of lifejackets on the boats always. Every commercial passenger boat must properly display its Boat Name Le ers and Load line.”
Group Condemns Tinubu’s Frequent...
•Continued from page 1
This was followed by a twoweek working visit that included France and the United Kingdom from April 2 to 21.
The President in May traveled to a end the historic inaugura on of Pope Leo XIV in Rome.
From June 28 to July 4, Tinubu was in Saint Lucia. He proceeded to Brazil from Saint Lucia for the 17th BRICS Summit, which was held between July 4 and 7.
On August 15, Tinubu was in the United Arab Emirates. The president
visited Japan on August 18 to a end the Tokyo Interna onal Conference on African Development. The president returned to Brazil in August for a two-day state visit.
Reac on Reac ng to the frequent overseas trips, Akanji, in the statement, described them as insensi ve and a reflec on of Tinubu’s government’s lack of commitment to addressing Nigeria’s problems.
He described the situa on as a “monumental show of shame”, no ng that Tinubu’s frequent travels have not yielded something
tangible for the country.
Akanji said it was ‘unfortunate’ that the president of the country sleeps comfortably in other countries while his people are being killed and communies sacked daily.
He said, “It is quite unfortunate. Imagine a president who spent most of his me outside his country. How many leaders travel like Tinubu? This is just a shame.
“People are being killed every day while communies are being sacked by bandits, but where is the person who should be giving us hope? He is in an-
other country, enjoying himself.
“Tinubu’s frequent trips are highly insensi ve, and they show a lack of respect for Nigerians. For goodness’ sake, we voted for a president to solve our problems and not an absentee. And to think some people are s ll defending this is unimaginable.
“I think it’s high me the president takes people seriously and faces the task squarely. We can’t keep facing these challenges when the Chief Security Officer is somewhere enjoying his life or maybe ge ng treatment.”
•National Secretary, African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, addressing members and supporters of the party in Badagry, where The Conscience group collapsed its structures into the party, on Saturday
•Apetu
ACROSS the globe today, we are seeing live in real me on the cable networks and on the internet, as well as more tradi onal sources, tumultuous events. Apart from the democratic process of protests enshrined in the cons tu ons of liberal democracies, we also have unfortunate and condemnable gory events from places like Nepal, Bangladesh, and a host of other countries. The disaffec on with governments is not likely to go away any me soon.
Changing trade rela onships and uncertain es caused by President Donald Trump’s tariff wars, as well as in many places declining and uneven living standards, means that we are now going to be in very turbulent waters, perhaps for another decade or even more.
The discourse about the power or the advantage of Incumbency in India for example provides food for thought. India once had a stretch of thirty two years in which the incumbent government was not re-elected at the Federal level! Much the same pa ern was reflected at the regional and the local government levels. This is more than interes ng as many analysts have come to the conclusion that it has helped economic development by keeping governments on their toes.
Incumbent governments become painfully aware that they need a very strong performance
Should Incumbency Be an Advantage?
•Time To Re-Examine A Notion That Has Become A Problem
to stay in office. This keeps them on their toes and makes them to go the extra mile. Many wish that this was the case in Nigeria a country in which the power of Incumbency is associated with brute force and under performance. Admirably neighboring Ghana has established a track record of not having an aversion to “Trowing the rascals out”.
In view of our dysfunc on and dismal underperformance, the electorate in Nigeria should start looking at elec ons through the prism of India. It will help, for the countries poli cal establishment is now destruc ve and even a threat to the stability of the Republic.
The performance bar has now been set unacceptably low. Those seeking to upset the apple cart must now offer a convincing alterna ve perspec ve. With due acknowledgement to Ogbeni Rauf
Aregbesola who coined the phrase decades ago).It is theirs to lose as people are totally fed up with the no on of the powers of incumbency. Incumbency has become a curse. The present incumbent gov-
The Discourse
“The experience of the Nigerian people suggests that they should be more demanding in evaluating performance and not blindly accept the notion of the “power of incumbency”
ernments at all levels will be hard put to answer the ques on “Are you be er off today than you were before we came in?“
As we enter this new decisive poli cal season, Nigeria faces significant challenges. The country is haunted by the specter of underperformance, with millions trapped in mul dimensional poverty. It’s essen al for Nigerians to re-evaluate the concept of incumbency and its supposed advantages.
The experience of the Nigerian people suggests that they should be more demanding in evalua ng performance and not blindly accept the no on of the “power of incumbency.” Instead, they should cri cally assess whether incumbents have truly delivered on their promises and improved their lives.
This cri cal evalua on can help Nigeria move forward and address its pressing issues, ensuring that the government serves the people’s needs and priori es their upli ment.
Eye-Contact, Charms, And The Art Of Bus-Stop Selling
GBy Babatunde Adesokan
ROWING up and watching my father sell, we took some cues as per what a smile could do and how your gaze could pummel your would-be customer to make an urgent purchase. We sold to Yoruba and we sold to Fulanis, who o en have the knacks for buying be er ma resses for their marriageable females. Yet, language differences did not at once affect the use of monetary figure and the psychic need to know when and how to close a deal.
Aside that the bus stop engagements unmask the fake lure of Ibadan peacefulness, the city’s park hub is a beehive of lessons for would-be salesperson. Sales there start from compulsory patronage and discre onary patronage; a micra driver and a hawker respec vely. Whilst a micra would not need charms to sell his service, nor eye contact to make his demand sink in, a hawker employs a lot of subtle psychological tac cs to get you to buy.
In fact, neccesary services created a niche for the likes of Micra drivers who may appear rude and seem very en tled but you s ll have to engage their services. Same way a “motherly” nurse might treat her pa ents like they would regard their recalcitrant kids at home. Whereas, a street vendor, even when bereaved, will s ll rile all form of nice es to get you to close purchase.
Because, for someone selling dis-
“Street vendors, alongside the aforementioned, have developed unique charming techniques to maintain eye contact, even in the most challenging environments”
cre onary goods or services the buyer’s choice to buy is based on personal preferences, desires or priori es. A street hawker besides the bus, knows the importance of convincing you to buy. That’s why they build jus fica on for sales. “Iya kaabo, Omo ku ile” roughly translated as “This is a wonderful gi for your children a er sojourn as a mother”. They employ this with the use of charms and eye contact.
Eye contact, to them, serves as a vital hook to grab the a en on of passing or disinterested customers. Vendors employ this deliberately to:
First, establish connec on: this creates a sense of familiarity and rapport with poten al customers. As they say, atten on is in the eyes.
Second, convey enthusiasm: this shows genuine passion for their products, making customers more recep ve to their pitches. Raised eye-brows, bulging eyeballs can show passion or convinc on.
Third, build trust: this demonstrates honesty and transparency, essen al for building trust with customers.
Street vendors, alongside the aforemen oned, have developed unique charming techniques to maintain eye contact, even in the most challenging environments. They might use:
Mirroring: subtly imitate the customer’s body language to create a sense of rapport. Or to s r response from the disinterested buyer.
Proximity: posi on themselves close to the customer, making eye contact more in mate and engaging. A lover’s pose is a trader’s close.
Facial expressions: use warm, genuine smiles to create a welcoming atmosphere. Unlike the Micra driver, the street vendor needs to get that money from your pocket through apppeal. Warmth creates a bias for sales.
OSUN DEFENDER
Publisher – Moremi Publishing House Ltd.
Asst. News Editor – Yusuf Oketola
Asst. Features Editor – Kazeem Badmus
Deputy Photo Editor – Shola Aderinto
Art of Charm in Sales is to create rapport, diffuse tension and kill skep cism in the mind of the customer, also to highlight benefits in an a en ve way. Some hawkers go as far as telling alarming stories (we remember the usual “molue” pitch), stand up comedy, compliments passing etc.
Deputy Graphics Manager – Zainab Olalere
Produc on Controller – Petkola Taiwo Ibitowa
OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Behind Oranmiyan Building, Gbodofon, Off Gbongan Road, Osogbo, Osun State.
ISSN : 0794-8050
Telephone : 0809-301-9152
Website : www.osundefender.com/index.php e-mail : osundefenderhq@gmail.com osundefenderbank@gmail.com
All correspondence to the above email addresses.
To them on the street, these are not rocket science but necessary skills you pick up through creatvity, flexibility and resilient learning and unlearning. Just like us, as small boys, we subtly imbibed our fathers knacks for closing purchases and remaining a friend to almost every customer for life. #ThingsILearntFromMyFather.
•Adesokan is a poet, writer and public affairs analyst.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2025 VOL. 20 NO 42 www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com
LEADERSHIP, for all its glory, is an emo onal crucible
In theory, it is a role of vision, coordina on, and delivery. In prac ce, especially within fragile democracies and economically strained socie es like ours, it is something more invisible, more consuming, and more humanly taxing. Leadership is emo onal labour. It is the work of holding steady, absorbing pain, filtering rage, managing percep on, and making peace with the thanklessness that o en accompanies public service.
This dimension of leadership is rarely acknowledged in policy circles or the public imagina on. But in Nigeria, and par cularly at the sub-na onal level where leaders are closest to their people and yet most constrained in capacity, this emo onal burden can be as crushing as the fiscal and ins tu onal ones. It leads to what I call “governance fa gue”: a slow, grinding erosion of empathy, clarity, and stamina that results not from apathy, but from overexposure to the contradic ons of leading in a deeply unequal society.
This is not a commentary on poor leadership. On the contrary, it is a reflec on on the emo onal cost of good leadership, of trying to govern with sincerity and foresight in an atmosphere saturated with distrust, misinforma on, and economic pain.
We must ask, with clear eyes and open hearts: How does a leader keep an open ear as democracy requires without being drowned by distrac ng voices and malicious messages? How does one remain accessible without becoming emo onally available to constant injury?
How does one lead in good faith when even the governed, o en uninten onally, become sources of profound discouragement?
The uncomfortable truth is that the same people we lead are some mes the ones who wound us most deeply. Not out of cruelty, but because poverty distorts the social contract. It turns unmet needs into accusa ons, delays into betrayals, and vulnerability into vola lity. In a context where public trust is thin and material deprivaon is thick, leadership is interpreted less through intent and more through op cs.
This distor on creates a vicious feedback loop: the leader begins to an cipate rejec on and resistance; the people, condi oned by disappointment, respond to policy with suspicion; both sides withdraw emo onally even if they remain formally engaged.
Over me, this leads to a culture where the leader, no ma er how well-inten oned, feels unheard, unappreciated, and unprotected. This is governance fa gue. It is the quiet despair that se les in when impact is not visible, trust is eroded, and leadership becomes synonymous with self-defence.
“The uncomfortable truth is that the same people we lead are sometimes the ones who wound us most deeply. Not out of cruelty, but because poverty distorts the social contract”
By PROF. CHINWE
Emotional Labour And Governance Fatigue: Bearing The Weight Of Leadership In A Wounded Society
What if we began to see emo onal resilience as a core governance capacity?
Not a private virtue, but a public necessity. Just as we measure the effec veness of a leader by their ability to budget or legislate, should we not also measure it by their ability to remain emo onally whole, empathe c and sane?
This is especially important for those of us serving at the intersec on of government and community, those who must translate na onal policy into local relevance while being held emo onally accountable by people who o en live in chronic scarcity.
In Osun State, where I serve as a con-
sultant to the Governor on climate change and renewable energy, I have witnessed the fa gue firsthand. Not from lack of ideas or inten on, but from the toll that rela onal governance takes on a person’s spirit. One must constantly balance hope with realism, accessibility with boundaries, compassion with firmness. The expecta on is that one must never be red, never say no, never miss a cue. And when those expecta ons are unmet, cri cism is swi and o en personal.
Where Do We Go From Here?
We need a shi . We need to normalise conversa ons about the emo onal landscape of governance. We need to build
support structures for leaders, spaces where reflec on, rest, and recalibra on are possible. We must train future leaders not just in policy and management, but in emo onal literacy, stress regula on, and trauma-informed governance.
We must also deepen public understanding that leadership is a shared journey. That ci zens too hold power, in how they speak, what they amplify, and how they engage. It is not wrong for people to demand. But demands made without empathy erode the very people we expect to serve us.
The goal, then, is not a leadership immune to cri cism, but one supported by a culture that recognizes the cost of carrying so many hearts, so many expecta ons, and so much pain on one’s shoulders.
In conclusion, we cannot build a just and thriving society without strong leadership. But neither can we sustain leadership if we do not protect its humanity.
If governance is to remain ethical and effec ve, then we must treat emo onal sustainability not as a luxury, but as a necessity. For when the leader’s heart breaks silently, the system trembles slowly, and then all at once.
Let us build leaders who can feel, and a society that understands what it costs them to keep feeling.
•This article, first published in our June 13, 2025 edition is republished, by popular demand.
•Professor Chinwe Obuaku, is a Visiting Professor, Global Affairs and Sustainable Development Institute (GASDi), UNIOSUN, Consultant to the Osun State Government on Climate Change and Renewable Energy.
Unpunished Crime is the Enemy Of Democracy
Agreat na on needs good people. The defini on of a good person is easy: a person who will do to his/her neighbours as he/she wants them to do unto him/her, and who would not do unto them as he/she wouldn’t want.
This is the soul of the 10 Commandments, all the way through to Sharia and the millions of laws, civil and criminal codes that we are stuck with today. From just 10 Commandments by God to millions of laws by man, the world is as unsafe as the me of Cain and Abel!
A good fellow will never covet or take what belongs to others – their valuables and their lives – much as he or she will not love others to take his or hers. However, yonder stands Lucifer “with his lean and hungry looks,” along with his mul tude of followers, in u er disobedience of God’s commandments! They are the reasons why man has mul plied God’s commandments a thousand fold. From civil crimes to arson, murder and treason, laws are made to take care of them. It is the founda on of civilisaon, rule of law and democracy.
The degree to which ci zens live in obedience to the Rule of Law, and punish infrac ons promptly and impar ally, is directly propor onal to the degree of peace and prosperity experienced by society. Laws are made to be obeyed, irrespecve of forms of government. It is popular struggle that purifies poli cal and jus ce systems.
A me was when apartheid was legal, when slavery was legal and colonisa on
was legal. 70 years ago, black people could not vote in America despite the Declaraon of Independence that “all men are created equal.” Ci zens have the courts available to challenge laws they feel are unjust and fight ll a more just system is obtained. However, once stabilised for every season, the role of government and the judicial system is to ensure speedy dispensa on of jus ce based on the Cons tu on – the Rule of Law.
Nigeria’s history of cons tu onal and legal evolu on is as old as its age. There are many areas crying for review and improvement but there are several se led civil and criminal posi ons, older even than Nigeria and as old as humanity and the 10 Commandments.
Today, no one is in doubt about the law’s posi on on rape, the , arson, armed robbery, murder, fraud, kidnapping and terrorism. Why then are we helplessly overwhelmed today in the relentless assault of these men oned vices?
Although Hannah Arendt said “no punishment has ever possessed enough power of deterrence to prevent the commission of crimes,” which is a clear recogni on of the power of the devil as men oned earlier, any elite in government, however weak and in moral deficit, must s ll mind Joseph Story’s words, that “without jus ce being freely, fully and impar ally administered, neither our persons, nor or rights, nor our proper es, can be protected.
And if these, or either of them, are regulated by no certain laws, and are subject
to no certain principles, and are held by no certain tenure, and are redressed, when violated, by no certain remedies, society fails of all its values; and men may as well return to a state of savage and barbarous independence.” A state we are rapidly sliding into but must twice as rapidly retreat from.
The solu on lies in the courage of the best of our elites, few as they are, especially the top echelon of the judiciary, to set a powerful new tone, with powerful new examples. The laws available are more than enough to serve them in a Nigeria era when it seems like it is a crime to punish big crimes!
“The Cons tu on is what the judges say it is,” said Charles Evans Hughes; and Andrew Johnson said “All the rights secured to the ci zens under the cons tu on are worth nothing, and are mere bubbles, except guaranteed to them by an independent and virtuous judiciary.”
Self-help and jungle jus ce are symptoma c of a failing policing and jus ce system in which majority no longer has confidence because of a litany of unpunished crimes commi ed in full public glare (indisputable examples too many to men on here) – a clear danger to order, Rule of Law and democracy; a recipe for anarchy.
The restora on of Nigeria needs many medicines: a major one is a resurrected judiciary, encouraged by elites fully aware of the signs of the me, the handwri ngs on the wall and the scope of their historic mission.
OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Behind Oranmiyan Building, Gbodofon, Off Gbongan Road, Osogbo, Osun State. All correspondence to the Asst. News Editor, YUSUF OKETOLA, Telephone: 0809-301-9152. ISSN: 0794-8050. Website: www.osundefender.com Email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com, osundefenderhq@gmail.com
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