Nigeria’s Compromised Institutions: A Threat to Sustainable Development

By Jibrin Samuel Okutepa SAN

Any society that produced justice on the proportions or principles of compromises rooted in the selfish agenda and interests of the ruling class and /or the political leaders and not on national interests can not enjoy sustainable development and such society is also doomed.
Nothing can work in society where institutions are totally compromised. Nigerian society seems to have nurtured annoying and embarrassing compromised institutions. The embarrassing seizure of Nigerian assets, including presidential planes in far away foreign lands, is evidence of the compromised of Nigerian leaders that head our institutions.

No decent person trusts Nigerian institutions. That is why most arbitral clauses preferred arbitrations to be done outside Nigeria. The institutions themselves and most of those heading the institutions have no shame, and they act shameless and shamefully to the irritation and annoyances of hardworking Nigerians who spent sleepless nights to do what is right.
The compromises in the institutions in Nigeria state are so alarming, and it defiled any good sense, logic, and honest assessments.

In many public places and speeches, those heading these institutions of government continue to make deceptive beautiful speeches of piousness of their purity of hearts. But in actions and decisions, their actions are contradictory to the public speeches they make.

It is annoying seeing those heading these institutions making angelic public statements but act satanically in destructive conduct that undermines the very essence of democratic governance.

Nigerians are in hell. Society is not being built on justice. Those denied justice cannot find justice in the compromised institution of justice.
Many are being denied justice because of the compromised system of justice we operate. There is no decency in actions and determination by those who have responsibilities to be decent in actions and .There is no need to seek justice from compromised institutions. Today, many Nigerians have been driven to learn how to do evils and learn how to compromise institutions that should not be compromised.Many people are taking to learning how to compromise and corrupt these institutions because that is the only thing those who are ordained to act righteously that are heading these institutions understand.

How did we get here. Public institutions are meant to serve the good of society. But today, our institutions of governance and justice serve personal interests of the political class at the detriment of the good of Nigeria and Nigerians.

The architectural foundations of our institutions have been laid and are being laid in compromises, and the long ripple effects on Nigeria survival as a viable nation will be catastrophic unless Nigerian institutions of justice change its ways.

Nigerians are worried that no injuries to the public get remedied again. Just do as you like, and then technicalities in law will be used to give you legitimacy. Nigeria is a compromised society. Nothing can work in a country where things are done on a compromised basis. Nothing works in a society where bad conduct is not punished. Nothing works where people are not held accountable. Nothing can work where lawlessness is rewarded with the garment of legitimacy by institution that should act as checks on wrongdoers. Nigerians, just know that the journey to get justice is still far from Nigerian state.