Many Nigerians honestly don’t know what makes democracy to function and function effectively. Simply put, the beauty of democracy is the participatory aspect of it. That is, for every good citizen to be alert, vigilant, outspoken, criticizing objectively and making suggestions through available media opportunities. It is by so doing that those at flow chart of policy formulations and implementation can utilize these opinions and views from the people with a view to formulating policies that would be in the best interests of the entire citizenry.
This is to say, an alert citizenry is bound to have a conscious and alert government. But a docile citizenry is likely to be ruled and led by the nose because of their ineffectual inputs.
Anybody in this State of ours who is alert and current with issues of public interest would recall that at the height of Agbaso’s saga, a group of brilliant and young lawyers perhaps under the eagies of Nigeria Bar Association or under the eagies of some other body appeared on hot FM Radio Station one morning smoking hell fire and brim stone. The listeners were thrilled at the contributions of these three young lawyers. They spoke almost the heart of every Imo person who means well for this State. Although they were not Agbaso or Imo House of Assembly sponsored advocates, they made some striking and objective contributions which gave people hope that indeed, there are alert persons in this State with gut and courage to speak out the truth irrespective of whose ox is gored. They raise important fundamental issues as to how the people’s money was being spent without proper process. They lamented over the serious allegations of some billions of money paid to our contractors without due process.
This followed the revelation by the then Deputy Governor, Jude Agbaso including his admission that he was not awarded contract as the Commissioner for Works.
Chief Jude Agbaso made serious allegations against the Legislature’s Speaker and by extension, the Governor. Barrister Kissinger and his group gave us the impression that they would pursue the matter in the best interest of the citizenry.
Unfortunately, few months on, nothing has been heard of Kissinger and his colleagues in the legal profession. Although a chunk of Agbaso’s issue is still in the court, there is some unrelated aspect of that budget recklessness which Kissinger and his group promised to take up in a most judicious manner without running contrary to the legal process. But at least, as lawyers, they know the legal loopholes which exist and which could have given them the opportunity to fight for the people.
Does Kissinger with his group know that they would have made good name and that would have enhanced their public image if they have pursued their radio promises with unrelenting vigour? This is why many Nigerians love and admire Falana who always fighting the cause of the common man, giving him hope and faith in the country.
Many people know that today in Imo, a lot of things are going wrong particularly there is the obvious absence of rule of law. Both the Governor and Judges are playing with the people’s intelligence. It is obvious that the Governor does not factor the rule of law in his administration equation; it is equally a well known fact that some members of the Judiciary are behaving as if there is no superior authority above them. Cases are adjourned to scandalous length of time if only to scuttle justice; they give most unpopular injunction to frustrate litigants on series of political matters; they fix court hearing days recklessly caring nothing because they know that nothing will happen. But little do they know that their greatest and most tormenting albatross is their conscience.
Members of the public had all along the line expected the Nigerian Bar Association Imo State Branch to speak out to condemn the non-existence of rule of law in our State.
People have been suffering a lot of embarrassments and harassments in the hands of some officials of the government claiming to be implementing this or that. There are too many task forces parading with fake and bogus receipt books for different illegal collections. People get their vehicles towed away on a flimsy reason. They are forced to cough out large sums of money before their vehicles could be released to them. Very often, they deflect people’s car tyres for no just cause only to charge the victims money to reflect the tyres.
In fact, there are so many irregularities going on in the State which Members of the Bar Association could come to the aids of members of the public. In fact, there appears to be a general air of docility among the entire citizenry. And this does not help, but it further emboldens the perpetrators of these illegalities.
The State House of Assembly does whatever the Executive tells it. They are not following any laid down guidelines in their procedures or process. They adjourn unceremoniously and for any flimsy reason if only to vet some eminent protests from aggrieved citizens. Today, they have messed up the Local Government System in the state in their bid to dance to the whims and caprices of the Executive. They have virtually set many communities ablaze because of their reckless meddling in autonomous community creation. They have indulged in careless adjournments many times that are not of their constitutional mandates. Yet, nobody wants to challenge them or call them to order.
In our own eyes, many people’s buildings and commercial outfits are being pulled down because of the government’s determination to rescue the master plan of the State capital. Hundreds of people by this are being thrown out of jobs and livelihood. Although some of these may fall within the ambit of aggrieved persons, but many of them don’t have the power and means to pursue for a legal redress. Even if they go to the court, redress and justice may elude them. Therefore, many Imo people are powerless. Then it means that we are living in a State of lawlessness and absence of rule of law. Because, if the law court is the last hope of the common man and the court cannot protect the common man, what type of a system is that? Simple, anarchy. Is that what the people voted for?
Therefore, Kissinger Ikoku must continue what they have started, just to be at the vanguard of the people. The society, actually needs not a rescuer but good governance to help the entire citizens.
