Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, has urged the Federal Government to comply with court orders on the establishment of the Education Bank, the revival of the Peoples Bank of Nigeria, as well as the provision of basic education for every Nigerian child.
This, according to him, will not only help indigent students but also assist in empowering the youth as well as reduce poverty in the country.
Falana said this in a chat with our correspondent, after delivering the 19th Mike Okonkwo Annual lecture in Lagos.
The lawyer, who spoke on the topic: ‘Nigeria’s Unity: Matters Arising,’ disclosed that with Education Bank, brilliant students with challenges of funding would have access to education, irrespective of the part of the country they come from.
“This I believe is the most important way we can have unity in the country; not the Federal character system, which now favours some people than others,” he said.
Falana, who said the lecture could not have come at a more opportune time than now when the nation prepares for the 2019 general elections, also urged states in the country to promulgate the Child Right Law so that over 15 million children on the streets can be given free education for a better future.
He said it was high time that poverty was seriously attacked, adding that this could only be achieved through qualitative education, empowerment of the masses and job creation for young people.
“We must reject poverty alleviation or reduction and demand poverty eradication. In addition, the recovery of the stolen wealth of the nation by foreign and local thieves should be a collective battle while the fund recovered from corrupt public officers and their privies is spent on job creation and fixing of hospitals and, more especially schools as well as the provision of other social services,”
he said.
The human rights lawyer also cautioned state governments on the money being wasted on religious activities, which he said was to the detriment of the future of the children.
He added that sponsoring citizens on the holy pilgrimage to mecca and to Jerusalem by the state was wrong and should be stopped.
“Apart from the huge costs of transportation, estacode is paid to all pilgrims by the state and this is paid from the public treasury,” he said.
On how to foster unity, Falana said there was the need to revisit the distribution of power.
He also added that aside power distribution, Nigerians should be organised, empowered and mobilized through their unions, associations and religious groups to rebuild the country on the platform of social justice and equity.
On killings and kidnappings in the country, the senior advocate of Nigeria said there was the need to have community police, which would be monitored by the people in the community and not the Federal Government.
He added that security operatives should not be allowed to wear uniform beyond their barracks because it was found out that they helped perpetrators in their trade, especially kidnappers.
