A Nonprofit organisation, Nation of Justice (NOJ), on Wednesday, concluded its two-day sensitisation programme to students of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA).
The founder of NOJ, Jyde Adelakun, called for the need for students to uphold social justice and perform civic duty, saying it is an essential weapon to build a society where equality and justice prevail for everyone.
“True freedom does not mean the absence of responsibility. True freedom means the courage to act rightly, the discipline to obey the law, and the sacrifice to serve the common good,” he said.
Relying on Nigerian constitutional provisions, he explained that every Nigerian has the duty to abide by the laws of the land, promote national interest, and join the efforts of the recognized law enforcement agencies in upholding the rule of law across the country.
“Under Section 24 of the Constitution, every Nigerian is obligated to abide by the Constitution, respect its ideals, promote the national interest, render assistance to lawful authorities in the maintenance of law and order, and contribute positively to the well-being of the nation.
“Equally, Section 23 of the Constitution sets out the National Ethics that must not remain words on paper, but must live in our hearts. These are not ceremonial ideals,” he said.
Justice is not a slogan…
Quoting the-then President of the United States of America John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the founder charged the youths to begin to think about what they could do for their country in lieu of what the nation herself could do for them.
Mr. Adelakun, who is also the executive director of TOF Energy Company Limited, also said that the fundamental principles of discipline, integrity, dignity of labour, social justice and patriotism are binding moral and civic responsibilities for every youth.
He called on meaningful Nigerians to support the national government in its efforts to demand accountability lawfully, and to contribute actively to building a better country.
“And let it be clearly understood: this call is not optional. It is your constitutional duty, and it is my constitutional duty.”
Adelakun further challenged the students to reflect deeply on the meaning of justice.
“Justice is not delayed until it loses meaning. Justice is the condition of freedom under the rule of law — where rights are protected, duties are enforced, and power is held accountable,” he said, urging students not to be too young to matter in shaping Nigeria’s future.
Reactions
Following the enlightenment sessions, about 1,869 students, who are currently sitting for examinations, were handed over different varieties of food to support their welfare.
Each beneficiary either received 3.5kg of garri; beans or rice, as well as sachets of cornflakes, milk, vegetable oil, instant noodles, including notebooks and pens.
Speaking to this newspaper, many beneficiary-students described the gesture as timely, adding that it raises a hope for them especially during a time of need.
Elijah Confidence, a 100-level student of Finance, said the support would ease the pressure of feeding during exams. “This package will help me to turn the money for feeding this week to other important needs. I thank the organizers and this is something I hope to do when I grow up too,” she added.
Another student, Husaybah Gabadin, a law undergraduate, said many students in the school’s hostels have already finished their foodstuff. Beyond the support, she said that the words of the founder resonated a lot with her.
“As someone who hopes to become a philanthropist, the words of the founder speak many things to me. As an aspiring lawyer, his words have helped me to change my horizon about our society and the rule of law,” she noted.
