Rule of law, tool for peaceful Nigeria
In ensuring preservation of law in Nigeria it is not only the citizens that must abide by it, the rulers and their agents too have corresponding obligations and duties on their part to respect the law as it affects the inherent rights of individuals. Nigeria is a legal entity of itself, with perpetual succession under a common seal, it can sue and be sued in its territorial name; if the authorities at all tiers and level fail to protect the right of its citizens, and the citizens have the inherent right to seek redress at all independent law court.
It is therefore pertinent at this junction to re-visit those powers stipulated by the law to those who are privilege on directing and controlling the common seal of the nation. Why are there so many tensions in Nigeria today? Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen, kidnappers, Niger Delta militants, communal clashes since May 1999? How can we manage these conflicts and tensions so that peace can strive in Nigeria?
There have been many political and ethnic-religious conflicts in Nigeria, mostly as a result of the selfishness, greed and intolerance of the ethnic, religious, political and traditional elites. These conflicts have shattered mutual confidence and created instability in our dear motherland. Resolving our tensions to enable us maintain, equality, fairness justice and tolerance, lies in imbibing the culture of honesty, neighborhood principles, fairness justice, equity and tolerance.
In all these conflicts, there is clear evidence that we have been very poor in managing them. Firstly, government uses the option of force to quell conflicts rather than use philosophical option of the rule of law that is settling disputes not with knife or gun or bombs as it is now. Secondly, many commissions of inquiry have been established so many times, no one reads the reports even when there is a White Paper, the recommendations are hardly implemented. Even when the culprits of the conflicts are primafacie, they are not punished. To established peace, the government in implementing laws should be free from kinship, friendship and course classmate-ship.
Abdullahi Adda’u Turawa, Zaria, Kaduna State.