The Nigerian government on the 21st of October 2021 shown the world on her lack of respect for human rights and democracy.
To see the trial of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu the Leader of IPOB. The spectacle that happened at that court was such a national disgrace, that no one with an ounce of brain will trust the judgement that will come of such a trial.
The Minister of Justice And Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami who is responsible for this trial today should resign because he did not portrait Nigeria image in a good light. While the eyes of the world were watching.
As Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was pick up in Kenya on June 27, 2021 by the Nigerian government and their collaborators. This means that they have more than three months to plan and prepare for this trial today. Knowing the high popularity of Mazi Nnamd Kanu and the interest of the public and international community in the trial there is no excuse for their failure.
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Is expected that a democratic government would plan to provide for transparency in term to how the security operatives should conduct themselves during the trial, who should be allowed to attend.
The court room sitting capacity should be made public so that there will be no doubt why any restriction is being applied. To the best of my knowledge an average court can seat about 250 people.
This mean the government would have prepare to accommodate the family of the defendant, prominent political leaders for the southeast, local and foreign journalist covering the trial with press passes.
Atleast Limited numbers of lawyers that have interest in the case should have been given access to the court room. As a matter of public interest about 50 ordinary citizen that wish to attend the trial should have been given a chance to attend by a lottery system.
This is a common practice in other advance democracies that conducts trial of such level of standard and publicity. When things are done in an organized way people will then have confidence in the outcome of the trial.
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What the world saw on display during court session was nothing but a child’s play. When will Nigeria government rise to acceptable standard in anything, we cannot continue this way forever.
Despite the poor planning for the trial, when it comes to the charges brought against this man in the court, the are all laughable charges that no government with integrity will bring against anybody.
The question now is why all these charade and waste of lives and resources over one man and his loyal followers. Had Nigeria being a strong nation with deep value the growth of Mazi Nnmadi Kanu would have been nip on the bud, but his success affects Nigerian duties to its citizens.
Now we are the crossroad, the genie is out and there is no way putting it back. The demand for self-actualization is growing like wildfire, the Yorubes are now demanding, the people of Niger Delta are also demanding so when will it end.
Mazi Nnmadi Kanu’s IPOB have its tentacles all over the world and once the zeal for freedom and a promise for something better than the present Nigeria have lighted in people’s sprite it will be hard to stop.
So where do we go from here, base on what happened 21st October it is obvious that Mazi Nnmadi Kanu will not get justice from Nigerian government. They have lost all form of credibility and demonstrate their inability to conduct a fair trial.
Human rights violations at this trial are to numerous to count. All over the world currently there are many people asking for the same thing Mazi Nnmadi Kanu is asking a simple referendum, The Scottish people in the United Kingdom, the people of Quebec in Canada and no one have being brought up to trial for those activities.
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Nigeria government should stop making a mockery of itself with this frivolous trial. The only option left for them now is to free this man and return him to United Kingdom where he is also a citizen. Then Nigeria political leaders should get together and reexamine the Nigerian question and look for an answer. Our future is at stake.
O.C Okebata
Political Strategist And Consultant
(USA)
