Arbitrary Court Adjournments

ARBITRARY COURT ADJOURNMENTS

       

Brethren, as concerned and patriotic citizens of this noble country, it is our duty as well as our civic responsibility to call anyone to order via our respective abilities whenever the person or officer derailed or goes astray.

In one of my previous pieces, published precisely on Monday July 7, 2014 on one of the dailies, which was on my personal tribute to the Late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, I reminded us at the sixth paragraph of the said work that “Judiciary is the last hope of a common man.” And I went further to define a common man as “a person who can boast of nothing or no material possession, but only his life.”

Taking a painstaking study on the Nigeria’s judicial system, you would see for yourself that the aforementioned philosophy no longer hold water owing to the fact that several anomalies have set in unannounced. One of the aberrant syndromes is the issue of consistent inconsequential and uncalled manner of court adjournment taking place in most of our existing judicial institutions.

Recently, I’ve watched with keen interest as regards the ordeal, thereby discovering that an establishment widely known and recognized as the “last hope of a common man” has virtually lost its vision. Taking any state as a case study, the manner in which court proceedings are being abruptly adjourned either till further notice or until a specific date, is indeed a scenario that calls for urgent and severe attention of the jurists in higher positions of authority or some reputable judicial bodies or committees such as the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC), or the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), as the case may be.

Of course it’s no longer news to most of us that some court suits/cases have lasted for several months, if not years, all to no avail. Funny enough, in some quarters you would notice that some of the persons involved in the court case, which could be the applicant or the defendant, had already kicked the bucket prior to the final judgement. Such incidence is mostly attributed to sudden occurrence of hypertension or other ailments related to pressure irregularity or emotional imbalance. Let’s ride on!

The other devastating consequence of this unwarranted judicial tradition is in a situation whereby a certain plot of land situated amidst some living houses is under a dispute and the case has been taken to an appropriate court of law; since the land which is in court can never be tampered by anyone irrespective of his or her status, it is obvious that someday, the grasses on it will definitely grow into a forest which is tantamount to accommodating series of deadly animals or predators such as snake and what have you, thereby constituting menace to the members of its immediate environment.

Above all, lately in most parts of Nigeria, we have been overhearing some cases of alleged extra-judicial killings. It is worthy to note or take into cognizance that sometimes the issue that often results to the killing is already in court. In such circumstance, you would find out that the person who actually committed the murder may be of the view that the court proceeding is taking enormous time frame to unveil justice. Sure it sounds ridiculous, but the truth of the matter remains that, such manners of unlawful behaviours are really happening in various facets of the country.

In view of the above facts, it is of no gain reiterating that all hands are meant to be on deck towards ensuring that these ongoing abnormal practices occurring in our various courts of law are put to a final stop in earnest. In this regard, I call on all government arms particularly the legislature; as well as all respected jurists or legal luminaries and bodies, civil rights societies, religious institutions and all well-meaning individuals across the country, to sleep over the ugly conundrum that constitutes a societal menace.

Thus, I urge the law makers to enact a law that would address the disgusting and perilous scenario. The proposed law ought to stipulate the expected duration for all forms of law suits, ranging from criminal to civil, land, company, and what have you, which would no doubt go a long way to remedy the ugly situation. Honestly, these men need to be called to order in earnest. Think about it!

   

 

COMR FRED D.N NWAOZOR
(The Media Ambassador)
___________________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com
+2348028608056

 

2015 World Day of Zero Discrimination (Aired Newstalk)

KICKING AGAINST ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AS THE WORLD DAY OF ZERO DISCRIMINATION IS MARKED TODAY SUNDAY MARCH 1, 2015

                  

Discrimination is simply the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things. It can also be defined as the practice of treating one person/thing or group of persons/things less fairly or less well than other persons, things or groups, as the case may be.

This biased behaviour known as ‘Discrimination’, which is an action that denies social participation or human rights, has in the recent times caused a severe harm or succeeded in placing millions of lives across the globe in a state of jeopardy or agony. Indeed, it has made several mindsets to be preoccupied with skepticism when it calls for one seeking for what he/she deserves, especially when the bearer of the said mindset considers him/herself as a less-privileged.

Discrimination, which is widely recognized by the civil society as an inhuman behaviour/act, could be as a result of various reasons or factors such as gender, language/ethnicity, race, deformity, health condition, age, marital status, religion, retaliation/revenge, educational background, social status or class, among others.

For instance, in a political terrain especially in a less-civilized country like Nigeria, someone might be discriminated by others simply because the person is a woman or belongs to the women folk. On the other hand, someone may be denied of a job or employment opportunity because he/she is too young or old for the job, or due to his/her ethnic or religious affiliation.

In the same vein, a person or group stands the chances of missing a certain opportunity as a result of their marital status, class or racial heritage. More so, discrimination might be experienced by someone or a group of persons owing to their educational background even if they are mentally and intellectually qualified to fit in the cycle, or simply in order to punish them for what their predecessors or parents as the case may be, did to the potential benefactor sometime ago; this aspect which is known as retaliation is not just unreasonable but childish.

Recently, the most devastating form of discrimination experienced by people or some members of the public is in the case where the applicant or seeker is physically challenged or suffering from a certain illness such as HIV/AIDS, hypertension, diabetes, or even tuberculosis that is curable. This aspect of discrimination, which is globally addressed as ‘Stigmatization’, has called for the concern of various international societies including the United Nations.

Take for instance, in a situation where a person is deprived of an admission space because he/she is a sufferer of any of the aforementioned diseases, or that the person is suffering from one form of deformity or the other. Most times, it doesn’t even has to do with when the carrier or the affected person is seeking for a favour, contract or job as the case may be; in some quarters, he may not be allowed to enroll for his membership in any social group he is meant to belong. Such intimidating or humiliating act is liable of causing the death of the person in question, or it could even make him/her to become violent or a monster in the society he or she belongs.  

To be realistic; the only reasonable or acceptable way someone could be discriminated or denied of his or her right, privilege or opportunity in any society, is in a situation where the person is affiliated to a certain vice or illicit social activity, to include robbery, cultism, rape, drug/human trafficking, prostitution, admission racketeering, examination malpractices, and what have you. Other than these or any other related act, anyone in any given society or country has the right or privilege to be treated equally like others, since he/she is a bona-fide citizen of the said country or society. 

In this regard, there is an urgent need for every right thinking individual across the globe to ensure that his or her quota as regards fighting this scourge is immensely contributed. On this note, I call on all concerned bodies or authorities to intensify their awareness crusade regarding the elimination of this societal menace.

Today Sunday 1^st of March, the world over is commemorating the 2015 World Day of Zero Discrimination. The Zero Discrimination Day is an annual worldwide event that promotes diversity and recognizes that everyone counts. The first commemoration of the Day took place on March 1, 2014 by the effort as well as the mandate of the United Nations (UN); the celebration came in consequence to the launch of Zero Discrimination Campaign on World AIDS Day in December 2013 by the UNAIDS – the UN arm on Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

As the global community marks the annual World Day of Zero Discrimination, I enjoin the entire members of the Nigeria’s legislative arm to enact a strict and formidable law that would put a final stop to any form of discrimination taking place in the country at large. The teeming members of the public are also expected to assist in the proper implementation of the proposed law by ensuring that anyone around them that indulges in the uncalled and disgusting act is brought to book.

Above all, we ought to note that it is our civic responsibility to endeavour to ensure that, this aberration is totally and thoroughly restored in our respective communities or societies. Think about it!

 

COMR FRED NWAOZOR

(The Media Ambassador)
__________________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com
+2348028608056

 

2015 Int'l Mother Language Day

PROMOTING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MOTHER TONGUE AS THE INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY IS MARKED TODAY SATURDAY FEBRUARY 21

        

A language can be defined as a system of sounds, written symbols, and/or signs used by the people of a particular country, geographical area, tribe, or status as the case may be, to communicate with each other. It can also be described as the human ability to acquire and use complex systems of communication.

There are several forms of languages in existence, such as spoken language, sign language, computer language, and animal language. Estimates of the number of languages in the world vary between five thousand (5,000) and seven thousand (7,000). However, any precise estimate depends on a partly arbitrary distinction between official languages and local/mother languages.

Mother language or Mother tongue, which is also widely known as dialect or native language, is the indigenous language of one’s parents which is usually the first language learnt by him/her. In the same vein, it is also referred to as the language of one’s ethnic group. Suffice to say that, one’s Mother tongue is an apparent indication of where he/she hails from.

Mother language is often regarded as one’s ‘first language’. Therefore by contrast, a second language is any language that one speaks other than his or her first/native language. The Mother language is noted as ‘first’, because it is regarded as the most important language spoken by anyone due to its hereditary value as well as its cultural impact on the concerned individual.

No doubt, Mother language or first language contribute immensely in a child’s personal, social, cultural, intellectual, educational and economic life. Personal; in the sense that a child’s first (native) language is critical to his or her identity. Social; in the sense that when the native language of a child is not maintained, important links to family and other community members may be lost. Cultural; in the sense that sustaining a child’s Mother tongue would help the child to value his or her culture and heritage, which contributes to a positive self-concept.

Furthermore, the intellectual aspect of it is that, when students who are not yet fluent in their second/official language such as English or French, but have switched to using only the said official language, would have the tendency of functioning at an intellectual level below their age thereby resulting to academic failure. Educational wise; students who learn second language and continue to develop their native language would have chances of higher academic achievement in later years than those who learn their second language at the expense of their first language. More so, economically; there are available better employment or job opportunities in Nigeria and in the disapora for individuals who are conversant with their official language as well as another language – probably a native language.

Today Saturday February 21, the world over is commemorating the 2015 International Mother Language Day. The Day was proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 1999. The date – February 21, represents the day in 1952 when the Pakistani students who demonstrated for recognition of their native language, Bangla, as one of the two national languages of the then Pakistan, were shot and killed by the Police in Dhaka – the capital of what is now Bangladesh.

On 16^th May 2007, the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution called upon Member States to promote the preservation and protection of all languages used by peoples of the world. By the same resolution, 2008 was proclaimed as the ‘International Year of Languages’, to promote unity in diversity and international understanding through multilingualism and multiculturalism.

As the global community celebrates the Int’l Mother Language Day, I call on every Nigerian, both home and abroad, to join in the ongoing crusade of promoting the significance of Mother tongue by acknowledging that Mother languages are the most powerful instruments required to preserve and develop our respective tangible heritages.

To this end, I also call on the National Assembly to enact a law that would ensure that every citadel of learning in Nigeria, ranging from primary to tertiary level, offers at least one native language relevant to the area or community where the institution is situated. In addition, the proposed law ought to also mandate the various existing examination boards in the country including the West African Examination Council (WAEC), the National Examination Council (NECO), and the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), to ensure that the students compulsorily enroll as well sit for the said native language or subject as it concerns their respective schools or the institution where they are seeking for admission, as the case may be.

Indeed, considering the singular fact that Mother Language helps to create full and thorough awareness on cultural traditions coupled with its role in promotion of solidarity among members of any given community thereby uplifting the level of moral, social and intellectual values of our young ones, it is of no gain reiterating that the ongoing crusade regarding uplift of various Mother languages is a task that awaits all and sundry. Think about it!

 

COMR FRED D.N NWAOZOR

-The Media Ambassador-
_____________________________________

frednwaozor@gmail.com

+2348028608056