GANI LECTURE: Who should uphold fight against corruption?

As President Muhammadu Buhari remains steadfast in his anti-corruption war, one pertinent question that legal pundits and civil society groups across the country continue to ask is :”who exactly should champion the fight against corruption- the government or the masses?” This question aptly captures  the aggregate of opinions expressed by speakers at the annual Gani Fawehinmi lecture, which took place in Lagos on Sunday.

Among the speakers were Jurists,  members of the Bar, human rights activists, university dons and other critical stakeholders, who agreed that corruption has entered unprecedented level  in Nigeria. Eradication  of corruption Delivering the lead paper with the theme: “Nigeria Anti-Corruption War: Whither the Legal Profession & the Judiciary?” an accomplished academic, Professor Omotoye Olorode, said the current war against corruption under President Buhari has followed the same general pattern of 1984 that was largely about financial crimes alleged to be committed by holders of public office, especially and almost entirely, at the federal level. 

L-R: Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Lagos branch, Mr. Martin Ogunleye; Chairman, NBA, Ikeja branch, Mr. Adesina Ogunlana; and widow of late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Ganiat, during the 13th Annual Lecture/Symposium of the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi in Lagos… on Sunday.

He stated: “We can assert with reasonable level of confidence that the fight against corruption, as canvassed by Nigeria’s ruling coalition today, is less credible than it was in 1984. It is important to remember that the various factions of the Nigerian ruling class had touted ‘war against corruption’ or ‘eradication of corruption’ since the January 1966 coup- exactly fifty one years ago. “Yakubu Gowon’s October 1970 “nine-point” transition program and the 1974 program that reneged on the proposed 1976 return to civil rule programme both featured eradication of corruption as a major goal. Murtala Muhammed’s intervention was more thorough-going and socially  broader-based but brief; the success, too, was only partial. The Buhari-Idiagbon intervention (1984-1985) was largely against incumbent politicians; it also involved rather sanguine repression against the media and civil society. Whichever way we look at it, the “war against corruption” is a political action”. Earlier in his opening remarks, the Ikeja Bar chairman, Mr Adesina Ogunlana, noted that the NBA, Ikeja instituted the lecture, titled “Fawehinmiism” while the civil crusader was still alive.

Ogunlana said Fawehinmi subsequently endorsed the programme to be organised annually, given his moral and financial support as well as directed that part of his will must be committed to the lecture with a million Naira yearly. He added that theme of the lecture was apt and expected to give direction as to how to tackle the war against corruption in the country. One of the discussants, Professor Jacob Dada, who is a Justice of the Court of Appeal in The Gambia, did not mince words as he called on members of the legal profession to be committed in the war against corruption. “Without doubt, members of the legal profession are important, indeed, indispensable combatants in the war against corruption since they are often involved in the different stages of enforcement of anti-corruption laws,” he explained. Prof Dada lamented that few members of the legal profession have deliberately subverted the war and sustained corruption through dubious deals with clients and litigants, adding that they have used legal skills to frustrate expeditious determination of many corruption cases, especially the high profile ones. Justifiable  indignation According to him, 2016 was a turbulent year for the legal profession in Nigeria and a year  not to forget in a hurry, owing to the unprecedented and highly contentious raid of the residences of serving judicial officers by officials of the Department of the State Security. “Although the action of the DSS provoked justifiable indignation and hullabaloo, members of the Bench were exposed to monumental public opprobrium. I am constrained to lament that the exercise was an irreversible dent on the image of the legal profession. It happened partly because of the perception by members of the public that members of the profession, especially lawyers and serving judges collaborate in aiding and promoting corruption in Nigeria,” the Justice hinted. On his part,   human rights activist and senior advocate of Nigeria, Mr Femi Falana,   called on Nigerians to take over the fight against corruption, saying, “No government all over the world fights corruption,   because governments are the most corrupt. It is the duty of Nigerians to take over the fight and own it,   otherwise you cannot abolish corruption in Nigeria.” Another Senior Advocate of Nigeria,   Dele Adesina, hailed the Ikeja Bar for organizing the program.   He argued that the role played by the late Fawehinmi in eradication of corruption could be overemphasized. He argued that the war against corruption should be evolving. Septuagenarian lawyer, Pa Tunji Gomez, who chaired the occasion opined that following recent events in the judiciary , judges may find it difficult to deliver judgment against government. “So Nigerians should give them (judges)   necessary backing.   He said that that was what late Fawehinmi was known for. He said: “It was Gani’s struggle that made it possible for most political parties to be registered . We, the people,   are the change (agents),hence we need to be involved,” he added. A veteran journalist and rights activist, Richard Akinnola, described this year’s Gani lecture as the most successful and said that the anti corruption war is a continuous process   and not a thing for the government alone. On the war against corruption, Akinnola maintained that the President Buhari’s administration started well with the war against graft but is now deviating. I think the government is beginning to falter towards the 2019 election. The government has to stop double standard in anti corruption war. “Everybody has to be involved in this anti-corruption war. There has to be a synergy between the populace and government. I believe that with the  direction from government, the war against corruption will be a success. “I believe   if Gani is around today,   he would have asked the Chief of  Army Staff to vacate office based on the allegation of houses he allegedly bought in Dubai and also approach the court,   asking    the  Minister of Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman  Dambazau  (retd),  to resign.” Emancipating  the masses Also former President of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, PMAN, Charles Oputa (aka Charly Boy), who also was a discussant, thrilled the audience when he demanded for silence just to introduce himself as “Father of Frustrated Nigerians”. He noted that his late father  had been cringing in his grave because of what the judiciary has become and called on Nigerians to support his movement tagged “Our Mumu Don Do”. “Corruption has become not just a way of life; it is now our legal tender. Today, many lawyers have turned contractors as many more hold briefs for known criminals. Most judges have opened mega banks in their villages, boys-quarters and water-tanks. “I remember the good days of Chief Gani; how used to stand-up to the government, attacking policies that further marginalized the masses. He lived as a rare gem through his good works and endless efforts to emancipate the masses from several injustices. Like the great Justice Oputa, Chief Gani kept our hope alive that justice could still be found in our courts of law,” Charly Boy added.