Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and fiery legal commentator, Jibrin Samuel Okutepa, has delivered a blistering critique of Nigeria’s political and judicial systems, accusing those in power of “breaching the Constitution for self-serving partisan interests” and turning dishonesty into a national culture.
In a strongly worded statement released on Friday, Okutepa said politics has corrupted every sphere of governance, warning that the country is being crippled by institutional dishonesty and a lack of accountability.
“In Nigeria, we play politics with everything, including breaching the Constitution for self-serving partisan interests,” Okutepa said.
“Most Nigerians in positions of responsibility can do anything to breach the Constitution, as long as it favours them.”
“Dishonesty Is the Name of the Game”
The senior lawyer lamented that dishonesty has become the dominant currency in governance, eroding public trust and weakening state institutions.
“Dishonesty is the name of the game. The level of dishonesty in Nigeria is too alarming for comfort,” he said. “Most people in power abuse power and expect Nigerians to hail them. This dishonest use of power has destroyed the trust of most Nigerians in their government.”
He accused some members of the judiciary of compromising justice to serve vested interests, adding that “some judgments now create more problems than they solve.”
“Whether it is true or not, the perceptions of dishonest justice delivery are there for all to see,” he added.
“There Are No Consequences for Misbehaviour”
Okutepa said the country’s leadership failure persists because those who should strengthen national institutions have instead “strangulated them” for personal gain.
“There are no consequences for misbehaviour,” he said. “Those who are to make institutions strong have destroyed them. The birth of sycophantic praise singers has ruined truth and honest advice in governance.”
He noted that both the ruling and the ruled are complicit in the moral decay, arguing that dishonesty now defines every generation.
“Most Nigerian youths today, just like most of the older generation, thrive majorly in earning a living through dishonest means,” he said. “Politicians use the young generation as instruments of electoral fraud and manipulation.”
“We Have Rewarded Dishonesty and Punished Integrity”
The senior advocate expressed dismay at what he described as a national culture of celebrating corruption, saying many Nigerians have learned to “mock honesty and glorify deceit.”
“Go to social media and see how unserious some youths and adults take serious matters for jokes,” Okutepa said.
“You see all sorts of sycophancy for those in power. Everything is rooted in dishonest dealings.”
He said the country’s inability to hold leaders accountable stems from a weak and compromised citizenry.
“As a people, we are too weak to hold leaders accountable. The leaders know our weaknesses. They exploit them to perpetuate bad governance.”
“Nigeria Suffers From Poverty of Leadership”
Okutepa linked the failures in Nigeria’s electoral and justice systems to widespread corruption and self-interest among public officials.
“Most of those saddled with national responsibilities see those opportunities as means to self-serving glorification and aggrandisement,” he said. “Until we embrace honesty as a way of life and punish dishonesty, Nigeria will continue to suffer from poverty of leadership.”
He urged Nigerians to reclaim moral integrity as a national value and rebuild the country on truth, accountability, and justice.
“Let us embrace honesty as a policy and Nigeria will be great,” Okutepa concluded.
