Adokutu Jafar is the Principal Partner, Adokutu Jafaru & Associate based in Ilorin, Kwara state.In this interview with ABIODUN BOLUJOKO, he speaks on the President’s recognition of June 12 as Democracy Day among other issues. Excerpt:
Recently, the President declared June 12 as the National Democracy Day. What is your take on this?
To me, it has been more of a reality than a nightmare . The president did what he should do as a leader. What he did was well thought out, it is just because Nigerians forget things so easily .We that are living witnesses today knew that Abiola did not only fight for democracy in Nigeria, he gave his life for the course and he deserved to be recognised. As a result of political jealousy, previous governments failed to do the needful, so he took the courage of a man of great standing to make this decision .To me it is good. May 29 was the day we handed over power to the newly elected government right from 1999 when Obasanjo was given the mandate, but June 12 symbolises, encompasses, in fact; it is the coordination of all our struggles through colonial, military, and even the democratic dispensation to actualise that. Abiola actualised that dream for us. The death of Abiola gave birth to democracy today in Nigeria . So June 12 is welcome and it is good. May 29 is Nigeria’s return to democracy. So democracy is encompassed in June 12, which was the day the election won by Abiola was conducted.
What is your view on the argument that Deputy governors are being used as spare tyres?
I have always argued this with people, the truth is that the deputy governors, vice chairman, vice president are not rivals with their bosses, they are not competitors with the governor, chairman or the president, they are there in case of any exigencies, so it is normal, the law is that until the governor or the chairman substantially ask you to do something, you can do anything of your own, so it is normal. The good deputy governor is one that maintains his lane, stay in his office until given an assignment by his boss, which is the governor, president or chairman as the case maybe or in case of any emergency which as stipulated in the law, he cannot take over and act fully. To now think that the deputy governor and the governor can begin to hustle and struggle for power is wrong, that is not what the law stated. It is proper for them to remain where they are, I don’t see them as redundant , that is what the law wants them to be.
Inspite of the President’s assent to the National Open University of Nigeria Amendment Act, Law graduates of the institution are aggrieved not admitted into the Nigeria Law School. How would you react to this?
It is a mater that has to be handled with care. From the very beginning, everyone knows that law was not envisaged to be a part-time programme and the council of legal education at different times made this known. However, in view of agitation and intervention of Mr. President ,I have believe and I know that they will go to Law School one day. They need to be patient instead of provoking litigations, they need to do more of lobbying rather than overdoing things. It will take steps; it will be a gradual process, they should exercise patience and do the necessary lobbying.
(Cuts in:) What do you think is the cause of the delay?
You see it is only in Nigeria that we want to do things haphazardly. There is time for everything. Initially these people were not envisaged to go to Law School. The Law School has capacity which it admits every year , the school has to plan and strategise and probably create a special programme for them. All they need do is to be patient and keep on lobbying.
