2016 : Nigerians Are Eager To Safeguard Their Constitutional Rights

During the reign of President Milosevic of Old Yugoslavia, independent journalists were labelled traitors and foreign spies. Several; journalists were killed, put in jail or convicted in the law court.
That particular period of Old Yugoslavia’s history, a clique ruled the country. Milosevic ensured that Serbs became the biggest pariah of the international community. The President also ensured that Serbs were guilty of everything, even as 23 per cent of Serbs were sent packing from their homes. Monthly salaries did not exceed $3.
Indeed, the Judicial system was not independent and not strong enough to ensure justice for the citizenry. This resulted in Milosevic’s trial for war crimes outside his country. Sadly, the international community did not have confidence in the local courts.
Situations like this abound in several countries around the world, still grappling with the hydra like problems of dwindling economic fortunes and corruption. In this countries, the unemployment rate is abnormally high, while the citizens adopt crime as a means to an end.
At the commencement of the Olagunsoye Oyinlola administration in Osun state, Nigeria in May 2003, infrastructure, Education, Water supply and the Health sectors among others were in bad shape.
Osun state been a worker driven economy, the previous administration has impoverished citizens of the state, with its decision to sack a larger number of civil and public servants. Those still lucky to still be in service were earning pittance, occasioned by deductions, initiated by the administration. Today, the state is back to where it was before May, 2003.
Curiously, vocabularies synonymous with capitalism such as Public Private Partnership ad Consultant have taken root in several states of Nigeria.
Of note is the fact that Nigeria’s President, General Muhammadu Buhari(rtd) had written a letter dated 18th April, 2003, to then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
President, Buhari had stated in his letter ”I decided to join partisan politics and seek elective office solely out of my concern for the condition of the country. Here, I need to go into issues such as the collapse of public undertakings, like NEPA, Our university system, health services, roads and transportation and security of life and property. All these inspite of the stupendously high oil revenues that have accrued to the nation since you became President. In my relatively short period of political activism, one of my constant advice to the Nigerian public has always been that they should safeguard their constitutional rights. Without doubt, Nigerians are already acting out President Buhari’s advice by safeguarding their constitutional rights, in a country with a Judicial system similar to that of Old Yugoslavia.