NIGERIA DECIDES

I know it’s not the best time to discuss elections since they are almost over and the freelance as well as paid journalists have already discussed the issues in as many ways as possible. But this isn’t another article on “let’s review the 2015 presidential elections and the consequences of the outcome of the elections”. No. This is simply the story of a Nigerian from her perspective on a monumental time in Nigeria’s History.

For weeks we’ve been experiencing the desperation of the politicians in their campaigns – digging dirt on each other and spilling it all over the media waves, sharing bags of rice and money to people they hope will vote them, etc – and the general impression was that these elections were going to be ‘bloody’ afterwards. People who came home for whatever reasons or had valid visas to travel out decided that week of March 28th was the best time to get out. Those of us who had nowhere to go could only preach against violence, avoid volatile conversations that could lead to negative physical expressions and pray for peace before, during and after the elections. Christians were divided in their choice of who to vote, some wanted continuity of the good works this administration had done while others were tired of making excuses for this administration’s inadequacies which involved not listening to the cries of the people as well failure to safe guard human lives. Pastors spilled political opinions all over social media incurring both the praise and wrath of listeners.

Barely six weeks to the elections, with help from neighboring countries, our armed forces began an effective counter attack on the dreaded Boko Haram. Assurances of security presence at the election grounds were made. New technology to cancel out rigging mechanics were also promised and yet many registered voters still felt disinterested or too scared to go out and vote. Many claimed lack of PVC cards or inability for them to vote at the closest polling unit as opposed to travelling to wherever they registered for their PVC was the reasons why they had no intention of coming out to vote. I with my pregnancy, determined to exercise my franchise irrespective of the challenge it would pose to me physically, I went out to vote. I figured if I prayed for peace, I should trust God enough to provide protection for me and those who would vote at the polls.

When I got to the grounds, the first thing I noticed was many people leaving. Albeit they were mostly those who were already accredited and didn’t want to hang around before the actual elections at 1pm. A few people left and never came back (accredited and not accredited) because they figured the stress of voting for candidates they had no faith in was not worth their hassle. So in the end, those who did vote were a handful of our over 100million populace (say below 40 million people). Yet I was amazed at the dedication of those who did come out to vote. The old were undeterred by the heat, long wait in line and lack of seating arrangements; to them voting was their gift to those they may leave behind when death calls on them. Babes were strapped to backs of nursing mothers who stood under the sun unprepared with umbrellas. Rumours of non-functioning PVC card readers put a scare in people but the reasons were discovered in time before the accreditation process was over (there were nylons covering the part of the machine for finger print verification).

In some parts of the countries, the INEC officials never showed up, others showed up late. A few polling units in the North East were attacked by Boko Haram but after which voters came back out to cast their votes. During the voting session, I was given preferential treatment much to the anger of many because I was pregnant, something that should have been done from the start of the elections (get an extra card reader and area for the aged, disabled and mothers – pregnant or nursing – to enable them get through the process faster). After casting our votes, we all went home and waited for the counting of all the votes from each state and its polling units on National television for three days. Unlike most, I already knew who would win irrespective of who I chose to vote for. I believe a lot of Nigerians did but they just wanted to believe their candidate would win. Either way, what Nigerians really voted for and accepted as the final result was electoral peace. That’s why we were elated when the incumbent president conceded defeat before the results were finalized, despite his party’s claims of unfair treatments in regards to their claims. Some Nigerians even sat in front of INEC offices for hours to prevent any intruders with the capability of rigging from getting in and refused to be turned back by threats from the government and police force.

As the governorship and state house of assembly elections draw near, Nigerians have already made it clear the values they stand united on. We’ve decided on having no more corrupt or ineffective leaders, no more insensitive government that would turn a deaf ear to the cries of the people, no more cabal that are not subject to the law or accountability to the Nigerian people, no more tales of fraud or a dying economy with no way out, no more rigging of elections, no more lack of power supply that hinders the manufacturing and entrepreneurial sector from attaining great heights, and so much more. The people have realized we finally have a voice and our votes count. It’s time to demand from the government what is our right for the sakes of our children and the next generation. Yes we are still plagued by religious and ethnic divisions, blinded by erroneous party system beliefs; but the New Nigeria, the one I belong to, are learning to look beyond what divides us as a nation to what unites us. And it’s on the strength of this knowledge that we have began to hope again for our nation just like our parents did. From now hence forth, we are Nigeria and it is us who decides the fate of the Nation and its leadership.

Anime

Anime is a term that refers to animations be it 2D or 3D graphics. Yet for some reason, more often than not, it’s become more loosely associated with Japanese productions of Manga (graphic novels/comics created in Japan). This review is on the Japanese anime productions because they showcase colourful graphics, fusion of genres, vibrant characters and unforgettable themes. They focus more on realism of setting, emotive eyes, weird character proportions, adult themes, and intriguing angles of shots as well as remarkable effects that feel like panning and zooming of an actual camera lens.

With the level of violence portrayed, these are definitely not for kids or young teenagers. The anime genre mainly combines fantasy with shonen, supernatural, drama, action, comedy, etc .You ask why am I reviewing them? It’s simple, I enjoy watching them.

So here are a few out of many:

1. Naruto – Written by Masashi Kishimoto, this story held readers the world over spell bound for years until it was concluded last year. It tells the story of a young boy – Naruto- who was raised an orphan, desperate for attention and acknowledgement due to the fact that he was castigated and how he rose above it, conquering even the evil within himself. Driven by passion, love and empathy for others (including the enemies he fought), Naruto’s evolution from boy to man will keep you captivated. The story is full of emotional challenges, lost visions, bonds of friendships, loss of mentors and loved ones, fights scenes of technique versus talent, wisdom versus instinct and best of all, the battle of good against evil. Needless to say, this is one of my favourite manga and anime of all time.

2. Bleach – Get ready for a spiritual journey as the concept of death and the afterlife as well as realms outside human existence are dabbled into. Tite Kubo, the creator of this story, starts with the tale of a young boy (Ichigo) who begins to see things no one else does. He encounters Rukia who shows him a world beyond the physical and soon they have a team of humans with superhuman abilities that can cross worlds, battle evil even within the realms of the heavenlies. Watching Ichigo train and become one of the most powerful beings is just as interesting as falling inlove with the other characters whose self struggles remind us of our own inner turmoil. It does get a little boring after a while but the characters are the one thing that’ll keep you going.

3. Claymore – This original story by Norihiro Yagi is a 26 episode sci-fi tale about a world ravaged by flesh eating demons called yomas - some territorial, others loners – who can sometimes disguise themselves as humans and live among them. There is an organization that is sworn to protect humanity at a cost of course, not just monies paid to them by communities they help but by recruiting young children and infusing them with yoma flesh and blood so they can become claymores, having the strength, speed and agility of a yoma while still being part human. Over dependence on yoma powers invariably awakens the claymores and turns them into yomas eventually. To hide this fact, the organization developed a code which is kill the warriors before they turn. In all this is the tale of a young claymore who ingested the blood and flesh of another claymore thereby making her unique. She learns that she can control her yoma side and doesn’t have to kill other claymores who have ‘awakened’. Bent on revenge against yomas, she finds that being able to love and share her life with a human makes her more human than monster and hence finds a cause worth living for.

4. Kenichi the Mightiest disciple – This funny series is about a teenage boy with teenage issues who is encouraged by a skilled female fighter to join a dojo (Ryozanpaku, in particular) in his personal quest to find some courage and sense of self worth after years of being a victim of bullies. Here he’s taught different forms of martial arts by masters in the different art forms and the stronger he gets, the more attention he gets from a street gang (Ragnorock) who want to recruit him. The more people he fights, the more people he removes from the gang by inspiring them to follow their true passions and stop being delinquents. The original comic book created by Syun Matseuna and every bit of its 50 episodes, is more fun than serious.

5. One Piece – This anime created and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda is filled with diverse characters with outlandish super powers in a world where being a pirate is both a thing of honour and a crime. Young wannabe pirates set out on an adventure with different agendas but along the way get unified by a common feeling of companionship. Together they help those in need, liberate lands from oppression, change the perception people have of pirates and overcome impossible odds all because of their steadfast determination reach to their personal goals. They stand by each other and those they regard as ‘nakama’ and together they triumph. One piece is light-hearted with good fight scenes; full of weird adventures as they travel down the Grand Line and exceedingly long (over 900 episodes with different arcs of different stories just like Naruto and Bleach). This is not an anime you can watch in a hurry.

I would tell you more (like Magi, Fairytail, Codebreaker, Blue Exorcist, Legend of Korra, Akame ga kill, Blade and Soul, Halo Legends, etc) but that would take forever. Maybe I’ll write another post later on other anime I have watched and enjoyed so you can know why I love them. These make for good distractions and now you know why sometimes I spend forever before a putting up a new post. *covers face in shame*.

Elections and Valentines

February 2015 is a month like no other in Nigeria’s history. February 14th which has been dedicated to lovers as an unofficial public holiday for the celebration of love, was announced by INEC to be one of the most important days in Nigeria’s history, the presidential elections. After years of military rule and recycled military leaders under the name of democracy, Nigerians have finally begun to understand what it means to be a democratic society. The freedom of information (FOI) act has empowered Nigerians to become bold and ask the much needed questions to ensure our leaders are held accountable. No other time has the free flow of information been this fluid than during the campaigns for the upcoming elections (which are now scheduled to hold in March 2015).

For years Nigerians have cried for a change in the way the affairs of this country has been handled by its leaders. 4years ago we had the second free and fair elections in the Nation’s history since June 12th 1993 where MKO Abiola won and was denied the right to rule by the then military administration. 4years ago all Nigerians –northerners and southerners – rallied behind a man from a minority tribe because for once, hope was stirred and dreams of a better nation seemed within reach. 4years after, a host of voters are left disillusioned by the failures and short comings of an administration they had high hopes for and now clamor for the safety of military experience which they believe will bring an end to all the nation’s woes. Though it’s painful to see how easily forgotten the good done by the present administration has become in relation to its short comings, it is a positive thing to see Nigerians standing up for their rights and saying ‘no more politics with human lives’ and ‘we want true, exemplary leadership’.

Another sad development is the aggression and lack of tolerance for the views of others. Facts stated are now assumed to be propaganda by the opposition. Questions that should prove the strength of the foundations of integrity or give clarity as to the intentions of running candidates are now assumed as attacks on personalities. People no longer read manifestoes of not just the parties but of the individuals; neither are they objective and open minded to read between the lines of the promises being dangled in front of us all. Sentiments, religious fears and outright bias runs wild on our social media. Friends have stopped speaking because of opinion differences and enemies have formed alliances to foster a unified agenda. But I ask how long will these last? It is important for us to know that the problems of our Nation are not a one man affair. No one person or political party has the solutions to all our problems. We can’t fold our hands and point fingers at those we elect to solve all our problems and make our dreams come true. We all have a part to play. Corruption isn’t just stealing; it is the self-serving nature in us all that drives us to put our agendas before the greater good of others. Unemployment isn’t just a Nigerian thing, it’s a global affair; even with over 257,000 jobs created in the US last year, their unemployment rate is still unchanged at 5.7% while in one European country, unemployed youths have been encouraged to move back in with their parents to reduce the debt in the mortgage/housing sector. The lists of global challenges which are now at our doorstep are too many to name.

In the spirit of Valentine I implore my fellow countrymen to practice restraint and show tolerance for one another. No politician is worth the blood of anyone. Someone once told me, politics is a game of popularity and democracy isn’t a perfect system because the people may not always be right in their majority opinion. The mainstream parties are both playing dirty right now but I believe we are not yet a two party nation, if you don’t like the choices before you; there are 12 other candidates to cast your votes for. It is your civic duty to cast your vote; if you truly love this nation, you won’t make plans to not participate in these elections slated for March 28th (Presidential, Senatorial and House of Representatives) & April 11 (Governorship and state House of Assembly) 2015. I choose to believe that it was no coincidence that the day of love was initially chosen to contain a period known for violence. Let’s say no to violence, let’s vote and not fight. Get your voters card (PVC) and show your love for your nation.

Let brotherly love be shared among us even if the results of the elections do not go our way. We all want the same thing, a better Nigeria. So let us show love for one another by contributing our quota to National development. Happy Valentines’ day and may our elections be peaceful.

Hello 2015

Hello, Happy New Year.

The year started a bit slow and has been picking up momentum ever since. So sorry for my extended silence, I owe my faithful readers who have been checking up on me regularly even when I don’t post in a while. I promise to repent in 2015 *big grin*. With everyone becoming a life strategist, telling you how you should live your life and what to do about New Year resolutions, I decided to sit still and be quiet. I want to try envisioning the year and life from a different perspective. So here is what I came up with on Facebook just a few hours before the New Year about how I intend to take on 2015.

“It’s one thing to not have goals or plans for 2015; it's quite another to not have a vision for 2015. God wants us to have a vision for our lives. Having a vision gives us a drive, a sense of fulfillment and makes living a joy even when all situations around us look hopeless.

As we cross over to 2015, nothing really changes unless we choose to make things change. We are change agents and the drive that pushes us to desire the change that we eventually create is vision.

Don't live your life without a vision. Dream, dream big, trust God and watch your visions come to life. He said in Joel that the young men shall see visions. We are young. Don't just see things (goals, plans, achievement), have a vision. Speak things to life, use the creative power at work in you to create a picture of the future you want and keep hope alive. Have a vision.”

Pretty neat huh?

That’s my plan, to focus on my vision for 2015, the bigger picture, rather than the goals to get there. For me, focusing so hard on the goals for some years now has not yielded the results I need (especially when I fall short). So, while I’ve been silent, I’ve been reading Arrow of God by Chinua Achebe, Avonome by Xavier Ighorodje (comic) and Rich Dad Poor Dad’s practical take on Resolutions and how to accomplish them. I’ve also been mourning a dear relative whose death came as a shock to us all as we were unaware of any previous health issues (medicine calls such cases acute) and I’ve responded to an interview by chukzbooks – feel free to check it out.

So this is me signing out and saying welcome to a queer 2015 for Ann Esievoadje.

Movie review (Nollywood)

I can see all my Nollywood fans jumping for joy after pleading with me for so long to do this (Nigerian Movies’ Review). Unlike my skeptics, I do not intend to bash the millions of Nollywood home videos ever produced, I simply just want to tell of the few Nigerian films I have actually enjoyed or have left an indelible mark on me that I can never forget.

I’ve never been a fan of Nollywood Movies though I admit we do have some fantastic actors and actresses in the business whose names are enough to make me sit down for at least 30mins of whatever film they act that I stumble upon (because really I don’t go out of my way to watch Nollywood Movies), people such as Olu Jacobs, Joke Silva, Desmond Elliot, Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Pete Edochi, Omoni Oboli, just to mention a few. I have even had the pleasure of organizing a photo session for Tontoh Dikeh back then when she was just starting out and parted away with a $100 gift from her. Lol.

All these to prove that I do respect the work of our Nigerian Movie Industry even though I’m among the few Nigerians who aren’t entrapped by tribalism, the glory days of culture before colonization or a definitive art form. I was raised in an environment of whites, exposed to western cultures at an early age and in turn, I have a wide appreciation from a variety of art forms. Well, enough about me, back to my review.

Nigeria is rated among the top three movie producing industries in the world within the likes of Bollywood and Hollywood in terms of quantity of movies churned out so it means we must be doing some things right. Here are a few impressionable movies I’ve encountered:

1. Last Flight to Abuja – ‘stroked’ by many for the heavy dependence on green screen effect (weak explosions and flying simulated scenes) and multiple flashbacks, I find this movie interesting. Its inspiration was drawn from the multiple aviation mishaps that had shocked the Nigerians into focusing on the need to improve our aviation sector (e.g. Sosoliso and Arik airline crashes as far back as 2007/2008). Directed in 2012 by award winning director Obi Emelonye (a Nigerian who studied Theatre arts and film in Nigeria before going to the UK where he studied and practiced Law then ventured back into film making in 2008; who also became one of the few Nigerians whose film (Mirror Boy) was a critical and commercial success as well as one of the few to be seen in a film festival outside Nigeria), starred the likes of Hakeem Kae-Kazim, a Nigerian born who has made great strides in Hollywood and is best known for his roles in the movie Hotel Rwanda and the Jack Bauer series, 24. The film had good casting; believable dialogue, meaningful scenes which made the film feel rich and I must say it was full of ingenuity. Kudos.

2. Ije (the journey) – from the minute I saw the preview of this movie starring Nigerian’s top 2 actresses (Genevieve and Omotola) I knew I would love this film because my curiosity was stirred. Released in 2010, this film won Best Editing at Treasure Coast International Film Festival and Best International Student film at Swansea Bay film festival in Wales, that same year. It wasn’t edited by Nigerians but it was directed, co-written and co-produced by Chineze Anyaene (a Nigerian) and had one other Nigerian actor in it (Clem Ohameze) alongside many foreign actors. Most of the scenes were shot in America but for me the movie stood out because of the social issues it subtly dealt with (the pitfalls desperate Nigerian girls fall into when in Diaspora) without being preachy. Staged around a murder trial and the justice system as it affects Africans in other countries, I found the beginning a bit boring because the narrator sounded like someone reading a script rather than someone facing the camera to tell a story. Yet I found the balance between the romance and actual criminal case to be quite refreshing. Well done.

3. Figurine (Araromire) – I have a weakness for the supernatural and when someone recommended I watch this film, I had no idea this film was about that and that Nigeria could pull of the storyline as well as they did. But why wouldn’t they when they had a good script written by Kemi Adesoye and a fantastic cast starring Ramsey Nouah, Omoni Oboli, the director himself, Kunle Afolayan, and Lagbaja as the narrator. This film grossed over 30,000,000naira at the box office and was met with wide critical acclaim when it was released at Rotterdam International film festival in 2009. It went on to win multiple awards (5 out of its 10 nominations) at the 6thAfrican Movie Academy Awards organized also in 2009 - and was held in Gloryland Cultural centre in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State- including Best Achievement in Cinematography and Visual Effects and also Best Picture. The idea of basing the story around University friends going off to NYSC as well as life after National Youth Service Corps, gave the story an originality that allowed the actors transform on screen as multiple angles and timelines were shot. This movie reminded me of the kind of stories I like to write and inspired me to work harder on my supernatural thriller genre.

4. TV Dramas – Well, I couldn’t stop without mentioning a few TV dramas that made way for Nollywood industry which began to bloom in the 1990s with home videos like Living in Bondage, Sacobi the snake girl, etc. Without the likes of Hot cash - popular remembered as Willy Willy - (a supernatural suspense drama on a nephew whose aunty killed him in a ritual to make money and his spirit came back to haunt her till her demise), Village Headmaster (a comedy series about school life in post colonial era), Behind the Clouds (adrama series about a family and how they adjust to changes in life), Tales by Moonlight (a children’s program that brought folklore to life with drama), Ripples, New Village Masquerade, CheckMate, etc as well as recent TV series like Clinic Matters (a comedy series based on life working in a Nigerian hospital), Super story (a drama collection of different stories of happenings in Nigeria in form of fiction), Everyday People, Family Circle and so much more, Nollywood would never have come to be. These TV series exposed us to the talents and variety of genres that Nigerians embraced and made it possible for us to not view our movies as second rate products not worthy of purchase. Through these dramas, acting talents are discovered like Ego Boyo, Richard Mofe Damijo (aka RMD), Carol King, Ignis Ikwe, Ireti Doyle, Nkiruka ‘Kiki’ Omeli, and a few others.

There are many more great works out there and as I expose myself to them, I’ll keep you informed. I have a ton of writer/director friends who are doing amazing things in Nollywood and I can’t wait to tell their stories. The likes of Ejiro Onobrakpor who has taken his stage dramas to movie level with his hit movie, A Few Good Men starring Kate Henshaw, and created the TV show e-box inspiring; and Stanley Ohikhuare who has put his animation projects (like Lifespan – the tale of some Niger Delta Mosquitoes) on hold since 2007 *weeping* to become a household name in creating award winning short films like Loop, Verdict, Oblivious and the comedy skit, Horn-Free Day which right now has earned him 11 nominations in the upcoming African Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) 2014. Particular Kudos to the TV series (Tinsel, Dowry and Bachelors) created Victor Sanchez Aghahowa, as well as his internet web series #howsheleftmybrother, which proved that Nigerian writers are capable of producing so much more than we’ve enjoyed in the past. Even an old secondary school buddy who I used to party with back in the day, Jay-Franklin Jituboh, has done some remarkable work worthy of note like the movie, Caught starring upcoming actors like Tamara Isibor and Henry Ohikhuare (yes, Stanley’s younger brother) and IBK Spaceshipboi’s video, Loving you.

And last but not least, rising stars Xavier Ighorodje, writer of the documentary Will of Iron that won the Short Film Challenge and may get a chance to be shown at the Sundance film festival as well as the movie script Them and Us recently produced by themandus.vhx.tv; and also Greygon Avwokuruaye (who has worked with Entertainment Afrique and Amoeba 3), whose works are going to blow your mind. If you haven’t taken an interest in Nollywood, now’s a good time to start.

THE “THEY” MENTALITY (Part 2)

This is so much more than just the judiciary system. It is connected to the ‘they’ mentality possessed by most of us - the belief that ‘others’ are the ones responsible for everything while the rest of us are exempt from and therefore free of any obligation to act. This mentality is what is killing us as a people. We show no interest in the crisis in Egypt, Syria, Liberia and other nations because we believe it has nothing to do with us. We raise our noses up at the plight of others because it has not gotten to our backyards yet. The Ebola issue is a classic example of this attitude; where thousands were dying and we did nothing for almost 6 months after its initial outbreak until Patrick Sawyer came into the country and we lost 20 lives. I applaud our rapid response but this same attitude I’m referring to is why America, Spain and other countries did nothing until it got to their shores. No more digression, back to Nigeria. If we are to be a people, we need to work together to ensure all parts of our society is working so our future generation can be secured.

Below are a few suggestions & recommendations on how to right the wrongs in our society so as to build better systems to sustain us as a nation:

1. Enlightenment Campaigns - these can be done by anyone (bloggers, journalists, activists or even concerned citizens) on any platform or medium be it on TV, print or social media. We need to educate people on how to be value oriented, emphatic as well as sympathetic towards the plights of humanity all around us. But most especially to be compassionate (which takes empathy and sympathy to the next level which is action!), doing something about the issues around us. Only then can we see the change we seek that can restructure our failed national systems.

Isioma lamented, “Sometimes it seems like all we do is talk, protest and speak plenty English” and who can blame her when you put all our efforts of #bringbackourgirls on the scale of protest versus actions. But I believe that in speaking regularly through every medium about issues plaguing our nation and their solutions, we not only create awareness that these problems exists and needs to be solved but also encourage more people to be solution oriented and proffer better solutions that can be implemented if the right people get wind of all our chatter.

2. Laws and Sanctions- it’s not enough to create laws but there needs to be mechanism in place to ensure that these laws are carried out and sanctions are emitted on those who do not. This is where law enforcers come in, not to victimize the populace but to ensure law breakers are actually knowledgeable about the laws they are breaking and the penalties for them before executing sanctions.

3. Accountability – this is where you and I can play a very active role. We can hold our leaders accountable by holding protests (street march/sit downs & hash tag online campaigns), calling in to ask questions during televised debates with our leaders or engaging in PRO debates. We can also be effective if we knew who the people representing our constituencies are and call them out of they fail to do their jobs.

4. Think and Act - I don’t know about you but I am tired of reading articles that point accusing fingers at everyone else as the blame for the failure of Nigeria as a nation. If we all do what is right, raise children who believe in doing right, then we would have raised a generation of thinkers whose passion is to act on what they know is right to do. Don’t just sit and complain; ask yourself, what can be done? Who can help make my ideas reality and what can I do to ensure the solutions I’ve come up with are heard and implemented? It doesn’t matter who takes the glory for the solution you provide, what matters is if it’s acted upon.

It‘s time we get off our high horse and get rid of this ‘They’ mentality that absolves us of any responsibility towards the improvement of Nigeria, our nation. @grandverve said, “the sort of change we need requires critical mass” and I agree. Only a few good men can’t change our systems no matter the significant position of power they hold. If we won’t do it, who will? Let us not be like those who live in the moment and forget to keep an inheritance or leave a legacy for generations unborn. If our heroes past did not stand up and fight for our independence, we may not be here as a country 54 years later. If we truly believe in the unity and posterity of this nation, then it’s time for us ALL to cast aside all forms of segregation especially the ‘they’ mentality and embrace a ‘We’ mentality approach to Nation Building.

You can follow me on twitter @annkite0 or on my facebook page Life, Love and Anything Goes or Ann Esievoadje (for writers tips)

THE “THEY” MENTALITY (Part 1)

On the 9th of June this year, I was drawn into a conversation on twitter about a nameless woman who was raped to death by some cattle rustlers in Ovia North East LGA about a week prior to this discussion. News report had it that the only witness to the crime was the woman’s 18year old son who fled the scene and reported the matter to Ekiadolor Divisional Police headquarters. In the news report that sparked up the conversation on twitter, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) to Edo State police Command confirmed that three suspects linked to the crime had been apprehended. The possibility that justice would be served if corrupt police officials aren’t paid off to release the suspect pending a court case was what stirred the conversation on twitter. This conversation was by a few concerned Nigerians (not necessarily those living in Edo State) and it went from on how the criminals should be prosecuted and sentenced to how flawed the justice system in Nigeria is. The cases sited to support the latter claim were the ALUU4, Cynthia Osisogu Facebook murder case, and a few other high profiled cases in which there has been no closure despite the years gone by. I recall sharing their sentiments when the Oscar Pistorius Trial in South Africa, came to a close within a year of the suspect’s arrest with every detail of the court proceedings covered by BBC Africa and other international journalists.

Why does it seem like the judicial system in Nigeria is non-functional? Why do cases go on forever with no closure even when the accused or suspect has been granted bail? It hurts to see a guilty suspect go on living a normal life as though nothing ever happen just because the court is yet to decide appropriate punishment for the crime. Why does it seem as though Lady Justice is not only blind but sluggish? It is because our legal system is broken.

It is filled with everyday people like you and I whose basic instinct is first survival before a high desire for seeing justice served on offenders. It’s not like lawyers don’t have a sense of moral indignation that fuels their desire to protect the vulnerable in society against perpetrators of crime, it’s just that practicing law is first a job that meets their basic needs of food, shelter, etc before it can become a form of social activism. That is why most lawyers hardly take on pro bono cases because for them to do that or for them to become vigilantes, they need a steady source of income that won’t be affected by their passion for justice. This is no way an attack on lawyers but a way for us to see how each individual element contributes to the breakdown of our justice system. Starting with the law practitioners is simply my attempt to explain why cases would rather be adjourned forever because each court appearance is factored into the fees to be paid by their client -the guilty, innocent, victim or accused.

Yes it is true that sometimes the police does make mistakes in their arrest and accuse innocent people of crimes they did not commit. [As can be seen in the story of Cynthia’s Murder where an innocent pharmacist, a graduate of Igbinedion University Okada, IUO Benin, was framed by the police and wrongfully accused. In his case protests and petitions from friends and well wishers both on social media and otherwise was what saved him from the 15count charges.] These suspects are held in prison cells till the case has either been taken to court or settled out of court at the police station since it is usually up to the judicial system to decide the suspect’s fate – guilty or innocent.

In the case sparking this discussion, it was agreed that in every state there is a legal aid who should be responsible for taking up cases like this nameless women’s case as pro bono and fight till justice is served. As of right now, i'm unaware of the existence of a Public Defenders Legal Aid office (where the lawyers' fees are covered by the Government to enable the poor get justice if they can't afford the normal legal fees for court proceedings) in any State in Nigeria. We are most certain that one of the reasons a lot of crimes go unpunished in our system is because most victims cannot afford the legal fees associated with fighting for justice and if that’s the case why bother reporting to the Police when a crime is committed?

If the system has failed to maintain order and protect citizens, who then should be held responsible for restructuring the system? By the justice system, we are referring to the lawyers, judiciary, the executive and the legislators. @adeken01 said, “So far the current system allows the inept to thrive while good men are labeled as whistle blowers?” Whose job is it to ensure that something is being done when criminals are said to be tried and sentenced under the Law? Who is to follow up and ensure due process is achieved?