There exist some Nigerians who devote their lives to the observance of the rule of law, good governance, democracy and the rights of individuals and ready to sacrifice their lives for the good cause. They stand up against social injustice, dictatorship and corrupt practices in the system. Most of these outstanding individuals are always found in the brackets of human/constitutional rights activists, civil rights crusaders, social critics, patriots, nationalists and so on, however, they are found in trifles.

 

Apart from the colonial era freedom fighters, pre-independence nationalists, human rights activists and students’ unionists of late in the a decade, notable personalities symbolize these struggles. Those whose names ring a bell include Wole Soyinka, Tai Solarin, Beko Ransome-Kuti, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Femi Falana, Gani Fawehinmi, Olisa Agbakoba and Musa Auwal Rafsanjani to mention but a few, whose works have helped to give succour to the ordinary person on the street. Others are also found in pro-governance organizations, ethnic-based movements, NGOs as well as labour and students’ unions among others.

 

One person that draws my attention and admiration among the litany of names in the service to humanity is the present president of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Olisa Agbakoba. The likes of Olisa Agbakoba have been ensuring that government policies are people-oriented and that they are placed at the centre of its concerns. They understand that there is every need to create a Nigerian society that is egalitarian and equitable, where social justice is the fulcrum of relations between people and where the resources of Nigeria are exploited to enable men and women understand the true meaning of a valued life and to be able them live the lives that they so value. The highest levels of knowledge, health, and social services should characterize such a life for happy and saner society.

 

Olisa began a paradigm shift in the way of human rights campaign in the late 1980s as a co-founder of the Civil Liberties Organisation – CLO, the foremost human rights organization in Nigeria. It was on the platform of this organization that he launched attacks against the tyrannical regime of Gen. Abacha. His struggles in the days of Abacha saw him detained; his passport seized and he got a black eye. Before long the United Action for Democracy – UAD, a convention of other civil society organizations was convened under his watchful eyes. Human Rights Law Service – HURILAWS, his pet project on the human rights legal front, was founded too with a new dimension to the struggle. The approach was that of advocacy, policy formulation, constitutional review and good governance. This saw to the proposal of different bills at both state and national levels. His inputs into the electoral laws, cabottage, transparency initiative and freedom of information as well as debt recovery are worthy of note.

 

He has exhibited a high sense of responsibility and proven that he can make a good leader. The understanding that it was inappropriate for human rights activists to always fight and win for Nigeria’s ousting of the military dictators only to have corrupt politicians make a mess of the system, prompted some leading light of the struggle to contest for electoral offices in 2003. Some of the participants at the elections included the likes of Gani Fawehinmi, Femi Falana, Mike Ozekhome, Abdul Oroh, Uchenna Jackies Emelonye to mention but a few. Though some made it others failed, it was a good attempt, which should be sustained.

 

It still beats our imagination how those that fight for human dignity fail election to public offices. With the massively rigged April 2007 elections, the reasons are not far fetched. At the same time, because of the embarrassment the elections cause our nation, there have been calls for the cancellation of the elections. Others insisted on demonstrations with another group suggesting constitution of an Interim National Government. Yet others feel that it is best to follow the protest peacefully and judicially as the Nigerian Bar Association, which Agbakoba heads also recommended. The NBA also boycotted courts for a day to register their disapproval of the electoral malpractices.

 

However, where I get concerned is the mischievous allegation that the Olisa-led NBA takes its stance because Olisa is personally affected following the substitution of his brother Gozie Agbakoba with Linda Chuba-Ikpeazu for the House of Representatives. It is quite a blatant insinuation to cheapen the integrity of the legal icon with this frivolity.

 

Lately media reports have it that he declined the offer of the position of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation in abidance by the constitution of the NBA and to avoid his integrity being corrupted in public service like some of his predecessors. For him good name is greater than gold.

 

Having worked under him some years ago, I remember Olisa would seek advice from among his staff before embarking on any project even as that of taking up a case worth millions of naira. He had close relationship with all and I mean all of his staff including the cleaners, gatekeepers and messengers and was quite generous to them.

 

His outfit was a training ground and one hardly passes through his organization without being transformed. He has groomed many for daunting tasks and responsibilities and most people that work with him, if they must, leave for reputable institutions and firms. He is not one cut out for pettishness. Even his NGO, HURILAWS is always careful when it comes to grants from suspicious donors.

 

Olisa is the son of the late Justice Agbakoba, the first Justice of the old Eastern Region of Nigeria. The legal profession runs in the family, as his wife is also a lawyer among others. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Olisa Agbakoba, is a well-known human rights activist, and maritime lawyer. He is the pioneer president and founder of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), which elevated issues of human rights abuse to national limelight. He attended the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the London School of Economics and Political Science.

 

At the last election of the Nigerian Bar Association, Nigerian lawyers unanimously elected Mr. Agbakoba to stir the affairs of the association. In this new position, Olisa has remained steadfast proving that he is still the worthy crusader he was. He upholds the authority of the NBA and safeguards the collective will of the members of the Bar. His stance on the gale of impeachments showed a man who has respect for due process.

 

 

 

 

Marshall Ifeanyi did his one-year Industrial Training with HURILAWS and is currently with the National Press Centre, Abuja.