ROLF Viral Disease – A New Political Disease Outbreak in Nigeria

By Lucky Okoedion

While the world is still battling with Covid-19, I have discovered a new deadly disease in Nigeria. It is called ROLF, an acronym which stands for “Rule Of Law Fatigue”. It is not biological, it has to do with human rights and civil liberties. A very deadly disease that infects lovers of alternative justice in Nigeria. By alternative justice I mean those who do not only accommodate sharia “death sentences” but actually love them. People who love it when for example a crowd apprehends a street thief and then they take laws into their own hands, pour gasoline on the alleged thief and burn him alive. They love it because it is fast – it does not require the need to file a case in court and go through the long processes for fair hearing.

There is a growing number of such people in the political space in Nigeria who have developed legal fatigue after losing several court cases and after seeing how some persons who they believe are guilty of certain offenses have been able to allegedly maneuver the law and win certain court cases. 

First we must restate how important it is for all citizens of a nation in a democracy – be they elected government officials or not, and be they lovers of quick mob justice or not – to tame their appetite for barbaric desires like quick “death sentences for insulting a politician”, street beheadings and burning to death for stealing and other forms of  lawlessness, and instead subject themselves to the rule of “democratic” law, else we all risk the collapse of the nation due to primitive animal rage and full-blown anarchy.

When, as has become popular of recent in Nigeria, elected or appointed supposed public servants through their actions openly show their loss of trust in the rule of law, loss of faith in the judiciary and by extension loss of loyalty to the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, they unknowingly make themselves threats to the continuous existence of the nation Nigeria. It would have been better for them to join groups like the #RevolutionNow protesters who are demanding for an amendment of the Nigerian Constitution or begin their own agitation for our laws to be amended than for them to openly ridicule, disrespect, disregard and disobey the laws on which our democracy is founded. Their tendencies are far too consistent with the ways of Boko Haram who are similarly fed-up with our democratic way of life which they feel is a result of what they have termed the forbidden “western education”?  

In a previous post, a case of a high ranking appointee of the president promoting lawlessness was presented. Read the post here.  

All these are happening on the heels of an accusation by Former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Deputy Governor, Dr. Obadiah Mailafia – accusation that a serving northern governor, is a commander of Boko Haram. Hence, we fear whether a group of haters of democratic laws – men who are rule of law fatigued – men who hate court processes have not hijacked the government of Nigeria.

However, let us conclude this piece with the very words of another appointee of president Muhammadu Buhari – Justice Tanko Muhammad, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, gotten from a September 23, 2019 publication of Premium Times:

“The rule of law must be observed in all our dealings and we must impress it on the governments at all levels to actively toe the path.

“The right of every citizen against any form of oppression and impunity must be jealously guarded and protected with the legal tools at our disposal.

“All binding court orders must be obeyed.

“Nobody, irrespective of his or her position, will be allowed to toy with court judgments,” he said.

He called on all to collectively show the desired commitment to the full enthronement of the rule of law in Nigeria.

“As we all know, flagrant disobedience of court orders or non compliance with judicial orders is a direct invitation to anarchy in the society.

“Such acts are completely antithetical to the rule of law in a democratic environment, and will not be tolerated under my watch as Chief Justice of Nigeria.

“We must work together to make Nigeria one of the frontline countries that observe the rule of law and rights of the citizens in all ramifications”.

Lucky Okoedion is a believer of a new Nigeria where true democracy and effective governance is practiced. He writes from Benin City. And can be reached on +2347038820118 .