Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Jibrin Okutepa, has launched a scathing critique of Nigeria’s governance and justice system, declaring that the country’s greatest challenge is not its institutions but the people entrusted with running them.
In a statement posted on his X account on Wednesday, the legal luminary argued that Nigeria’s systems of governance and justice are fundamentally sound but have been undermined by corruption, abuse of power and widespread impunity.
“I have consistently said and I will say here again that the problems of Nigeria are the Nigerians that corrupt the systems and have refused to allow the systems to work for the good of all,” he wrote.
According to Okutepa, the country’s justice system is not inherently defective, but has been compromised by those who operate it.
“There is nothing wrong with the justice systems we have. What is wrong is the people operating the systems. There is vindictiveness and abuse of power everywhere. There is no branch of government that is impunity free. Just check and you will see,” he said.
The senior lawyer maintained that Nigerians across different sectors, including the legal profession, have contributed to weakening institutions by pursuing personal interests above the common good.
“The people in charge of the systems of governance in Nigeria are Nigerians. Even the foreigners learn Nigeria and they have mastered Nigerian systems. These foreigners are allowed into Nigeria by Nigerians. It is Nigerians that destroy every system of governance put in place for the good of all.”
He added, “There are Nigerians in the legal profession too who are also abusing their powers and positions to satisfy primordial selfish interests.”
Okutepa argued that meaningful national progress would remain elusive unless those managing public institutions embraced accountability and integrity.
“The problems of Nigeria are Nigerians who corrupt and adulterate the systems for the benefit of individuals rather than the good of all of us. So there is nothing wrong with our systems. It is those who operate the systems that need to change and put the systems to work for the good of us.”
“Until we agree to do the right thing, nothing good will happen in Nigeria even if we decide to adopt true or false federalism,” he added.
The SAN also blamed the country’s governance crisis on what he described as the absence of consequences for abuse of office and the celebration of sycophancy over honesty.
“The lack of consequences for those who abuse power and the reward we give to sycophants, while punishing those who speak the truth and the honest ones among us, are likely to follow us into whatever system we choose to operate.”
He lamented that many Nigerians willingly undermine reforms for personal gain.
“Most Nigerians are terribly and incorrigibly available to kill every good system for their selfish interests,” he said.
Okutepa further criticised political leadership, alleging that impunity has become entrenched in Nigeria’s democratic process.
“Those who forced themselves on us cannot be accountable to us. Nothing works where impunity reigns supreme. Nigeria is a perfect example of impunity.”
He continued: “That is where people know something is wrong but they still defend it with arid legal jargon and expect you to be happy with it. For all I care, you can be in office for as long as you can if your actions produce the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.”
Questioning the state of Nigeria’s democracy, the senior advocate alleged that public resources were being mismanaged in some states while those responsible remained unaccountable.
“Are we happy with our so-called democracy in Nigeria? I don’t think so. Go to some states, leaders there have been stealing the money. That is the Nigerian justice system.”
“Those who have no business being in power are in power. They do all manners of obnoxious things to remain in power. We have no liver to question them. Sycophancy is officially recognised as an asset of loyalty. Truth does not matter in our politics.”
Okutepa also expressed reservations about judicial decisions, claiming that injustice sometimes finds expression through the courts.
“I really don’t get carried away by the judgments that are being delivered. The Nigerian justice system has room to accommodate injustice in judgments.”
He further alleged that electoral malpractice often goes unpunished, saying, “Rig elections by all means and you will get the electoral umpire on your side. We presume as correct what we know is not correct.”
Concluding, the senior lawyer stressed that wealth without positive impact on society amounts to failure, while lamenting what he described as growing hostility towards honesty and truth in public life.
“No matter the amount of wealth you have, if you don’t touch people’s lives positively, you are the poorest of the poor. Honesty does not seem to pay again. There is general hatred for those who speak the truth and you are warned to see evil and say nothing.”
