By Emmanuel Gandu
HIGHLIGHTS ⚖️
* Introduction
* Reflection
* Leadership failure and folowership agitation
* Consequences of poor justice delivery
* God of justice
* Justice delivery in the Qur’an
* Justice delivery in the Bible
* Justice delivery as enshrined in the constitution
* Mob action as a consequence of poor justice system
* Concluding remarks
INTRODUCTION
1st Station
JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH
[ Pilate was anxious to set him free, but the Jews shouted, “If you set him free you are no friend of Caeser”, …… Hearing these words Pilate had Jesus brought out. ………. “Take him away, take him away. Crucify him, Crucify him” they said.
So in the end Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. ] – John 19 : 12 – 16
REFLECTION
Coming on the heels of the euphoria, ecstasy, and joyous celebration of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem as the Messiah and King of the Jews a few days earlier, this unfriendly chanting of “crucify him” from the same people smacks of betrayal, frustration, selfish ambition, and dereliction of duty.
Jesus had barely settled down to savour the moment of his palm Sunday triumhant red carpet reception when this ” Good Friday” treatment arrived.
Pilate knew very well that Jesus was innocent of the accusations levelled against him but abandoned Jesus to the mob – he shirked on his duties by not giving out justice to Jesus.
It is now well over two thousand (2000) years since this Jerusalem macabre, but today, my dear friends, is our justice delivery system any better than what obtained in the days of the Jews ?
LEADERSHIP FAILURE AND FOLLOWERSHIP AGITATION
Leaders who offer themselves for service are initially well received with pomp and pageantry, but as soon as the honey moon is over, the same people call for their overthrow.
GoodLuck Jonathan came on the ballot of the goodwill of majority of Nigerians but before long, the same people stoned and chased him out of power.
Muhammadu Buhari came as the Messiah that will make Nigeria to flow with milk and honey, but today, Nigeria is flaming with 🔥 fire and flowing with tears and blood.
Ahmed Bola Tinubu was elected “on our mandate” for a renewed hope agenda but sometime into the renewal of that hope, Nigerians are already on the streets telling him that his “turn” is over.
The series of military coups and counter coups in the history of the country leaves a bad taste in the mouth of many Nigerians.
The bloody assassination of past leaders like the Sardauna of Sokoto Sir Ahmadu Bello, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Major General Agui Ironsi, Murtala Muhammed, Mamman Vatsa, Gideon Orka, Dimka, Akwashiki, Ken Saro Wiwa, etc speaks so much about the poor nature of justice delivery coupled with the tragedy of leadership and followership in Nigeria.
Who is to blame ?
Lack of justice, equity, and fairness is the bane of the Nigerian society, just like what transpired in the case of Jesus brought before Pilate.
Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent of the allegations levelled against him, but he lacked the strong will to apply justice to acquit Jesus. Instead, he shirked on his responsibility of good and just adjudication. He abdicated his role to the mob who killed Jesus.
CONSEQUENCES OF POOR JUSTICE DELIVERY SYSTEM IN NIGERIA
Today in Nigeria, lack of effective justice delivery is part of the cause of the following :
(a) The rampaging Fulani heardsmen who go about to burn down, rape, and kill innocent and defenceless citizens with reckless abandon without arrest / apprehension.
(b) Boko Haram is rewarded with amnesty and cash while the few surving innocent victims languish in IDPs with no school for their children and no home to return to.
(c) IPOB is forced to keep dreaming of resourcitating Biafra while Nnamdi Kanu is vegetating in detention for several years now because of injustice in the land.
(d) The Middle Belt known to be the food basket of Nigeria is ravaged by Fulani herdsmen terrorist marauders from several West African countries without apprehension.
(e) The Niger Delta is the goose that lays the golden egg but poverty is their first name, middle name, and surname. Their militant youths are asking for restitution or they resume the blowing up of oil pipelines.
(f) Gunmen and kidnappers are rewarded with huge sums of financial ransom while agitated workers and University lecturers are owed several years of negotiated government approved allowances.
(g) Federal character is replaced with nepotism, tribalism, and religious affinity.
(h) Corruption is right at the corridors of power and no body can touch the looters.
GOD OF JUSTICE
There is a big concern for Justice in Nigeria.
However, to achieve justice we must better understand how God views justice :
God is a just God who abhors injustice and wrongs.
The two (2) Holy Books – the Quran and the Bible gives us guidelines and counsel on justice.
As Muslims and Christians, we should stand up against injustice with words and actions. This will ensure the much needed peace that has eluded Nigeria for so long.
JUSTICE DELIVERY IN THE QURAN
In Islam justice is considered to be the supreme virtue “because justice will help the Muslim become a better Muslim, go to the right path, and enter Jannah”.
Little wonder ‘Justice’ is discussed 24 times in 22 of the over 6000 verses of the Holy Quran. Some include the following few :
Quran 4 : 135, Quran 57 : 25, Quran 2 : 188, Quran 4 : 58, Quran 4 : 65, Quran 5 : 1, 38, 42;
Quran 6 : 57, 62,114;
Quran 60 : 8, Quran 68 : 36,39.
“O you who believe, stand out firmly for justice as of Allah, even if it be against yourself, ……. the rich or the poor”. – Quran 4: 135.
“…….. Verily, Allah loves those who deal with equity” – Quran 6:8
JUSTICE DELIVERY IN THE BIBLE
In Christendom justice is a cardinal virtue for the attainment of peace and well-being of man.
There are about 25 verses in the Holy Bible that talks about justice. A few of them include : Luke 18:1-8, Deuteronomy 16:20, Proverbs 29:7, Isaiah 61:8-9, Psalm 82:3, Isaiah 1:17.
“Learn to do good, seek justice, correct oppression, bring justice to the……” – Isaiah 1:17.
“Give justice to the weak…… maintain the rights of the afflicted and the…..” – Psalm 82:3.
“For I the Lord love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing…..” – Isaiah 61:8-9.
JUSTICE DELIVERY AS ENSHRINED IN THE CONSTITUTION
The constitution of Nigeria is unequivocal about justice.
Section 33 sub section 1, 2a,b,c of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended enshrines and guarantees justice to every Nigerian.
MOB ACTION AS A RESULT OF POOR JUSTICE DELIVERY
√ Pilate was overwhelmed, overpowered, and overruled by the mob who chose rather to free an already condemned criminal waiting for execution and have Jesus in his place.
√ Mob action, impromptu popular demand, bandwagon followership, etc makes it difficult for leaders to take required steps and action in decision making process.
√ Well concieved policies may not see the light of day before they are hijacked by mob action.
√ It is mob action that beclouded the sense of reasoning leading to the ugly events that culminated in the unfortunate events of the 30 months Nigerian civil war of 1967 – 1970.
√ The rising cases of violence including political thuggery in Nigeria are partly as a result of not putting up punitive sanctions on offenders.
√ The 2020 #ENDSARS protests that ended in chaotic circumstances resulting in the killing of lives and destruction of property worth billions of dollars was because of poor justice system in the police formations across the country.
√ The Oyo state market crisis between the Yoruba natives and the Hausa settler traders leading to the Arewa food blockade to the south and the resultant loss of perishables worth over #10 billion in just one week was as a result of failure of the justice system.
√ The verdicts arrived at in the various elections petition tribunals across the country points to the failure and rot in the justice delivery system of Nigeria.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
The judiciary being the third arm of government is expected to avail every citizen the rights and privileges of fair hearing and representation for effective adjudication and justice delivery as enshrined in the constitution and the United Nations charter on human rights.
Failure to provide this by the leadership is an open invitation to anarchy like seen in the case of Jesus King of the Jews, or the 2020 #ENDSARS Lekki massacre, or the Arab Spring revolution, and others too numerous to mention.
It therefore remains to be seen whether the leadership and folowership in every given society will learn some lessons from history to ensure effective adjudication and justice delivery for everyone without fear or favour, OR the masses of the people resort to mob action and anarchy in order to secure justice for themselves.
The choices are open and obvious.
My Lord, I rest my case.
Peace 🙏
