Falana advocates true rule of law, deplores ‘rule of rulers’ in Nigeria

A human rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN), has called for a return to true rule of law in Nigeria, emphasising that governance in the country must be accountable to all, including the government itself. Falana, who spoke during the fourth anniversary of Yinka Odumakin’s memorial lecture yesterday, criticised the current state of the legal system, where the rule of law is replaced by a rule of rulers. According to him, true rule of law means that all individuals, including government officials, are subject to the law and treated equally.

“What you now have is rule of rulers, rule of guardianship. Whatever they say, nobody will challenge,” he stated. He further lamented the growing culture of impunity in the country, pointing to the recent incident of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member facing consequences for expressing dissent as examples of how citizens are silenced for speaking out.



The human rights lawyer stressed that Nigerians must take bold action to challenge the status quo and continue the work of the late activist, Yinka Odumakin, who fought tirelessly for justice and accountability. Also speaking at the event, Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, emphasised the need for a united human rights community to safeguard the country’s democracy. He expressed concerns over the decline of democratic values in Nigeria, saying, “Our democracy is dying and called for renewed efforts to protect it.

Adams urged Nigerians not to forget the struggles of leaders like Odumakin, adding that the fight for the masses must remain at the forefront. President of the Yinka Odumakin Foundation, Dr Joe Odumakin, called on the public to continue to fight for their rights, stressing that freedom of speech and movement must always be protected, and also stay vigilant in the fight for democracy..