Poor Knowledge Of The Law Is Killing Nigeria —Nnamdi Kanu

Poor Knowledge Of The Law Is Killing Nigeria —Nnamdi Kanu  There is a saying which states that "a man who is ignorant, and does not ack...

Poor Knowledge Of The Law Is Killing Nigeria —Nnamdi Kanu 

There is a saying which states that "a man who is ignorant, and does not acknowledge his ignorance is nothing far from a fool." If there is any place where this adage finds practical expression, it is in the Nigerian judiciary -  a system that often appears confused by the dispensation and application of the provisions of its own laws, and when its lapses are pointed out, it looks the other way. 

Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) movement, has once again remarked as he has always maintained all through his years of activism before his enforced absence and incarceration that 'poor knowledge of the law is killing Nigeria', and one does not have to be a legal luminary to see how true this statement is.  

From contradictory judgments to politically motivated rulings, the Nigerian judiciary has repeatedly proven that it operates more like a drama theatre than a abode embodied and entrusted the mantle of justice dispensation to all and sundry. Like a fisherman who casts his net into a dry riverbed, the Nigerian court arbiters are pretentiously perambulating in search of justice within their very laws, when they know that a simple application of what is explicitly stipulated in the constitution would solve the situation. 

In saner societies, the law is meant to be a shield for the weak and a sword against injustice. But in Nigeria, the reverse is obtained. Justice is served on a platter of gold unto those who paid for it. We have seen cases where two courts issue conflicting judgments on the same matter, leaving the public wondering whether justice is dispensed based on the law or based on who is greasing the wheels of the system with the "We-all-know" lubricant. 

For instance, the bizarre case of IPOB members detained for merely celebrating Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential victory. Despite having committed no crime under Nigerian or international law, they have been languishing in detention for nearly a decade. One would expect a court, even with a half-baked understanding of the law, to set them free, but the Nigerian system operates like a chef who follows a recipe yet still burns the food to char.

Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who was abducted from Kenya in 2021 in clear violation of international law, remains detained despite some plausible court rulings ordering his release. The Nigerian government, in its usual "government magic," conveniently ignores these rulings, reducing the judiciary to nothing more than a barking dog  which has lost its teeth and ultimately manipulating it into doing its bidding. 

The Nigerian constitution not only stipulates that the independent division of power amongst arms of government must be upheld but also that even in the judiciary, resolution made by presiding judges on the provisions of extant laws are not reversible by even the superior office holders such as the Cheif Judge etc. That is what the law says. 

However, this is what has played in the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. After the snubbing of appellate court ruling ordering his unconditional release, and the Supreme Court ruling against the revoke of his bail application, which led to his subsequent request for the recusal of prejudiced presiding judge. The cheif judge at the federal high court insistently against the provision of the law choose to reassigned the case to the desk of the recused judge. Begging the question of who he really works for, Justice or the powers that be?

If the Chief Judge can override a judge’s decision to withdraw from a case, then what independence does the judiciary truly have? This is no longer a legal process but a well-scripted play where the actors must follow a predetermined script. If the law says one thing and those in power do another, is there still a legal system, or is it merely an instrument of oppression?  

The famous saying that "the law is an ass," seems to have been coined with the Nigerian judiciary in mind. If justice were a commodity, it would be displayed in Abuja courtrooms with price tags. Apparently, it has sadly turned out to be that way. 

It is no longer news that court rulings in Nigeria are often determined not by legal principles but by the highest bidder. A wealthy politician facing corruption charges can hire the best "senior advocates" to twist legal interpretations in his favor, while the poor, who cannot afford such legal gymnastics, are left at the mercy of an overburdened and disorganized legal system.  

Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s observation that "poor knowledge of the law is killing Nigeria" is not just a statement it is an indictment of a system that has failed its people. When judges contradict themselves, when court rulings are ignored by those in power, and when justice is bought and sold like food edibles, then the nation’s legal foundation crumbles.  Which will predicate a systematic or spontaneous snowball into anarchy. 

To restore sanity, Nigeria must embark on urgent judicial reforms. Judges must be held accountable for their rulings, legal education must be strengthened, and the judiciary must reclaim its independence from political interference. If these changes are not made, the legal confusion that has gripped the country will persist, ensuring that the rule of law remains nothing more than a mirage in the Nigerian desert.  

Until then, Nigerians should not be surprised when they see Lady Justice blindfolded. It is not because she is impartial, but because she does not want to see the absurdities happening in her name in the Nigerian entity. 

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