Don calls for new constitution in Nigeria

Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Abiola Sanni (SAN), has called for a new constitution that makes the provisions of Chapter 2 justiceable.

He said the chapter provides a pathway to prosperity and security, but the government is not bound to comply.

“Instead of decorating the Constitution with Chapter 2, let us be realistic and decide areas of intervention, focus on it, budget for it and move the needle in that regard by enacting appropriate laws,” he said.

Sanni submitted in his lecture at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos Branch 2024 yearly dinner, tagged: “Eko for show: Culture of Excellence.”

The event, which was held at the Oriental Hotel on Victoria Island, saw lawyers turn out in various traditional attires on a colourful night.

It began with a red carpet and cocktail and featured a live band, spoken word performance, awards for most creative expressions of the theme, and honours for distinguished members. It ended with an after-party.

Sanni stressed the need for power devolution and local government reforms to bring development closer to the people.

He said: “The Supreme Court is intervening, but that is a slow approach. We need a leader that will focus on fixing the fundamentals.

“There are documents from confabs gathering dust. Money was spent on them.
We should pick them again and run with them.”

Sanni said Nigeria borrowed its Constitution from India, but unlike Nigeria, India is lifting its citizens out of poverty.

“In Nigeria, we’re still talking and sloganeering about it but we’re not doing enough. So, we must prioritise poverty alleviation. Nigeria must look after the weakest, those who are vulnerable,” the SAN said.

Sanni added that the constitution must address what he called the missing link – the disconnect of government at the grassroots.

“Even when we fix everything at the top, and the bottom is leaking in terms of local governance, we’ll never see development.

“In a country where everything is centralised, where the tax system is not working at the local level, what effort has been made to fix them? It was since 1976 that we attempted a local government reform.

“The Supreme Court judgment on council autonomy will amount to nothing if we don’t back it up with reform that will enable people to see development in their lifetime.

“We need technocrats at the local government level, not politicians, and for the people to have a say on who leads them,” he said.

Sanni urged lawyers to be actively involved in shaping policies rather than being reactionary.

NBA Lagos Branch chairman, Olabisi Makanjuola, said it was a privilege to lead the premier Bar since he was sworn in on July 23, 2023.

He highlighted his key achievements, including an agreement with Uber to provide discounted ride rates for members; international secondments, which will see members gain experience in UK law firms, and several welfare initiatives.

The chairman said the dream to build a Bar centre was becoming a reality, as a SAN had pledged N50 million, while the Branch’s investments in treasury bills will yield N40 million by next year.

Twenty-seven members of the branch, including those newly conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and others “who exemplified dedication and integrity” were honoured.

“We hope this recognition inspires all to continue striving for excellence,” Makanjuola said.