The Executive Director of the African Heritage institution (Afriheritage), Professor Ufo Okeke-Uzodike, has condemned the increasing rate of human rights abuse in Nigeria, expressing sadness that despite the fact that Nigeria is both a state party and signatory to the United Nations human rights documents, there exists increasing rate of abuse of human rights in the country.
He noted with dismay that the rights abuses are now normalized and deeply embedded across Nigerian communities and institutions.
According to him, “All national and international human rights documents including the United Nations Charter, the International Bill of Human Rights, the
Nigerian Constitution, and others agree that the idea of human rights
refers to universal rights and freedoms that all humans have by virtue
of being human.”
He added that human rights are neither created nor open for annulment
by any government.
The Executive Director said: ” Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) expressly and unequivocally guarantees fundamental
human rights which include: Right to life; Right to dignity of human
person; Right to personal liberty; Right to freedom of expression and
the press; Right to fair hearing; Right to freedom of thought,
conscience and religion; and Right to peaceful assembly and association “.
Professor Okeke-Uzodike, who bared his mind at a press briefing on the forthcoming workshop on the “” Big ideas podium “, a forum for researchers, policy makers and other stakeholders to brainstorm for good governance, said the workshop is coming up on 16th May, 2019 at the Afriherritage Conference Hall, Independence Layout, Enugu.
He regretted that most Nigerians do not enjoy the wide-ranging human
rights (civil and political; social, economic and cultural), which they
possess not only constitutionally but also by international agreements.
“The rights of individual citizens are often trampled on in Nigeria by
officials of government and sometimes by other citizens with no genuine
recourse”, he said.
“By their actions, Nigerian officials and bureaucrats seem to
pledge allegiance to their perceived overlords rather than to the
Nigerian constitution and laws. As such, Nigeria is a human rights
abusing country where human lives can be taken with no consequences, “he stated.
The executive director expressed concern that abuse if human rights in Nigeria poses a danger to the journalism profession. “As members of the press, you are well aware that serious journalism has
become a massively endangered occupation in Nigeria due to official
manipulations, highhandedness, and human rights abuses that have
combined to weaken and impoverish journalists professionally. ”
The Big Ideas Podium , he explained, “Seeks to reenergize and
refocus public attention on the importance and value of respect and
protection for the human rights of all Nigerians. As you already know,”
He maintained that , “Human rights compliance is a necessary ingredient for good governance
and nation-building”
Professor Okeke -Uzodike advised that “basic fact should not be lost on Nigerian
political leaders as the nation prepares to inaugurate a new democratic
mandate. ”
He said that the media are central to ensuring government’s respect and full compliance for human rights, appealing to journalists to partner with the Afriheritage in their first Big Ideas Podium event of 2019.
This Executive Director said that a prominent human rights advocate, scholar, activist and administrator, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, will be the guest speaker at the big ideas podium and that he will be speaking on : “Human Rights and Democracy in Nigeria: Agenda for a New Era”.
