Joel Ajayi

Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Chief Sunday Dare, has reiterated the President’s strong commitment to upholding judicial independence and ensuring access to justice for every Nigerian.

Dare made this known on Friday while delivering a keynote address at the Media Transformative Group Summit in Ibadan, Oyo State, marking Nigeria @65 with the theme, “Rule of Law: Systemic Problem — The Way Forward.”

Dare began by reflecting on Nigeria’s progress and persistent challenges since independence. He emphasized that the rule of law is the foundation of legitimate governance, transforming power into justice. However, when laws are selectively applied or weakly enforced, the nation’s moral and institutional fabric begins to unravel.

Dare identified the rule of law problem as systemic, rooted in interconnected weaknesses in the nation’s legal codes, judicial system, law enforcement, and public morality.

He noted that Nigeria’s Penal and Criminal Codes, still largely based on colonial-era laws, are outdated and fail to address modern realities.

“These codes were designed for a pre-industrial society that no longer exists,” he said, adding that obsolete penalties such as ₦500 fines for public mischief — have lost deterrent value in today’s economy.

Former Minister of Sports also lamented the inefficiencies within Nigeria’s court system. Despite the enactment of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) in 2015 to modernize criminal procedure, implementation has been uneven. Many states have yet to domesticate the Act, while others struggle with enforcement due to adjournment abuse and outdated processes. “Justice delayed remains justice denied — and millions of Nigerians continue to wait years for verdicts that never come,” Dare stressed.

On policing, he described the Nigerian Police Force as overstretched, undertrained, and ill-equipped. Officers, he said, are expected to enforce modern laws with outdated tools and poor welfare. “When enforcers of the law feel abandoned, the enforcement of law becomes optional,” he warned.

Agbaakin of Ogbomoso Land, Dare linked these weaknesses to a collapse in deterrence, where impunity now overshadows accountability. “The fear of law has been replaced by the confidence of impunity,” he stated, adding that many citizens no longer believe wrongdoing carries consequences. He criticized political elites who disobey court orders and manipulate due process, noting that such behavior erodes public faith in justice.

According to Dare, low deterrence reduces compliance, forcing the state to spend more resources on reaction rather than prevention. “When crime no longer carries consequence, law ceases to command respect — and without respect, even the best laws are just paper,” he observed.

Dare also underscored the vital role of the media in sustaining the rule of law. “The media remains the oxygen of democracy and the conscience of accountability,” he said. Beyond reporting infractions, he urged journalists to investigate and expose systemic weaknesses, emphasizing that ethical journalism is both a professional duty and a patriotic act.

Dare outlined five key reform priorities to rebuild public confidence in justice

“Legal Modernization: Overhaul the Penal and Criminal Codes to address contemporary crimes such as cybercrime, gender-based violence, and digital fraud. He called for empowering the Nigeria Law Reform Commission (NLRC) with independence and funding to ensure Nigeria’s laws evolve with society.

“Full Implementation of the ACJA 2015: Dare urged all states to domesticate and enforce the Act while investing in digital tools like e-filing, case tracking, and virtual hearings.

“Professionalizing the Police: Transition the police from a reactive force to a preventive service through training, welfare reform, forensic capacity, and technology adoption such as body cameras and digital databases.

“Judicial Independence and Accountability: Ensure judicial appointments and promotions are free from political influence while maintaining transparency and digital modernization within the judiciary and.

“Civic and Institutional Reorientation: Strengthen civic education to rebuild public trust and encourage respect for law as a collective moral duty.”

He highlighted ongoing efforts by the Tinubu administration to address these long-standing structural challenges. He noted that the government is pursuing fiscal and governance reforms to restore accountability, digitizing civil service operations, and strengthening anti-corruption institutions — all of which reinforce the culture of compliance.

Adding that renewed federal support for ACJA implementation, collaboration with states, and digital justice initiatives are key to speeding up legal processes. The administration has also prioritized police modernization through the Police Reform Roadmap and Police Trust Fund, focusing on improved welfare, logistics, and technology-driven investigations.

Furthermore, the Federal Ministry of Justice and the NLRC have begun reviewing outdated laws to align them with Nigeria’s social and technological realities. The President’s commitment to judicial independence, Dare emphasized, is reflected in ongoing dialogues to improve judges’ remuneration and working conditions. “Justice cannot be strong if its guardians are weak,” he said.

Former Minister then called for collective responsibility to sustain reforms and promote accountability. “Our true national project is not just to grow GDP or build roads,” he said, “but to build a culture of consequence  where the law means what it says and says what it means.”

 “Without justice, there can be no peace. Without peace, there can be no progress. Let the next 65 years of Nigeria’s story be written not by the rule of men, but by the rule of law.

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