Justice for black people will not flow into society merely from court decisions nor from

fountains of political oratory. Nor will a few token changes quell all the tempestuous yearnings of millions of disadvantaged black people. White America must recognize that justice for black people cannot be achieved without radical changes in the structure of our society. The comfortable, the entrenched , the privileged cannot continue to tremble at the prospect of change in the status quo.

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

A Testament of Hope

Human Security and Sustainable Development in Nigeria: Where does the Judiciary stand?
A Paper Presentation by Ademola OLAYOKUat the IBADAN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT (ISDS) 2011 On the 9th of August, 2011

Introduction
Suffice it to say the assertion that Nigeria is not developing cannot be held valid with the emergence of the recent events in the country. The rise in the numerical variance of casualties of bomb blasts in Nigeria from 1986 to the present day lays credence to this fact Many questions persist with regards to the identity, source, sponsorship and genuine reasons for the sect which bravely and unrepentantly constitutes security threats to the country since there lies a fundamental contradiction in the name Boko Haram and the adoption of Western technology in the perpetration of their unwholesome acts Nonetheless, bomb blasts are just but one of the many threats to human security in Nigeria. Nigeria, in fact, has had her fair share of ethnic disturbances with which she still grapples (with Jos still as volatile as it can be) alongside armed robbery, accidents, sickness, illiteracy, , unemployment, corruption and certain natural disasters which all result in and enhance insecurity in the Nigerian environment

Human Security at a Glance

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in its 1994 Human Development Report opined that the concept of security has for too long been interpreted narrowly: as security of (a) territory from external aggression, or as protection of national interests in foreign policy or as global security from the threat of a nuclear holocaust. It has been related more to nation-states than to people. In adopting a new meaning to the concept, the report further stated that Human security is not a concern with weapons - it is a concern with human life and dignity. the new conceptualization of the term as such encapsulated four characteristics which include the:

- Universality of Human Security - there are basic threats to security being witnessed in varying degrees both the developing and developed nations. The threats identified include crime, unemployment, pollution, drugs and human rights violations - Interdependence of Human Security - The interrelatedness of nations within the global space also impacts on the components of human security. In this regard, regional and international organizations are expected to indulge in activities aimed at solving security threats posed within individual nations - The Effectiveness of Proactive Measures as Against Reactive Measures - it was more cost effective and efficient to invest in preventive measures in combating threats to security rather than trying to eradicate them - Human Security as People Centered - an agenda which has private citizens as its central focus. The life and existence of the individual within the state, his access to basic social amenities, the guarantee of his essential rights and freedom are all to be factored into consideration in ensuring his security

Defining Human Security

human security means the security of the individual with respect
to the satisfaction of the basic needs of life; it also encompasses the creation of the social, political, economic, military, environmental and cultural conditions necessary for the survival, livelihood, and dignity of the individual, including the protection of fundamental freedoms, the respect for human rights, good governance, access to education, healthcare, and ensuring that each individual has opportunities and choices to fulfill his/her own potential
An excerpt from the draft on African Non-Aggression and Common Defense Pact proposed at a meeting of African ministers of defence and Security in Addis Ababa (Jan . 20-21 2004)

The Common Threats to Human Security in Nigeria and Their Implications

Armed Robbery
The word piracy is as elastic as an English word can be. The Websters Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary defines the word piracy as either robbery on high seas or the unauthorized use of anothers production, invention or conception especially in infringement of a copyright The Microsoft Encarta Dictionary 2009 defines piracy in the following contexts: - Robbery on the high seas especially the stealing of a ships cargo - Robbery committed on board any form of transportation especially on aircraft. - The hijacking of an aircraft or another form of transportation. - The taking and using of copyrighted or patented material without authorization or without the legal right to do so. - Unauthorized or illegal broadcasting of TV or radio programs Following from the above, armed robbery is both a physical and meta-substantial threat to human security from the individual level to the international level

 AccidentsLand-The events of armed robbery on Nigerian roads do not exist in isolation. In fact, accident is a working tool for Nigerian highway robbers who ingenuously devise different forms of obstructions from pronounced logs of wood to apparently insignificant nailed bulb of tomato which is very potent for puncturing tires and causing other havocs on the road. The former potholes on both federal and state roads have fast developed into abysmal depths serving as lead-ways to the six- feet for many travelers Air- The obsolete state of newly purchased aircrafts does not make travelling by air any more attractive. What with the incessant premature landing of aircrafts shortly after takeoff and the unexpected power outage at critical moments at the airport. This is not leaving out the occasional plane crashes to which no solutions are in sight with the most recent taking place in Kaduna on 24th May 2011 where a plane crashed during a test flight after its routine maintenance Water - As regards water transportation, the few who use it do so having no other alternative means of transport trusting in providence to see them through in case of eventualities since there are often neither life jackets nor reliable security measures to save the boats against both human and naturally induced disasters HSE- The delay in the house of assembly to pass the Health, Safety and Environment Bill reflects how lackadaisical the leadership of the country is when it comes to safety issues. This has led to a carefree attitude by both multinational and indigenous companies with regards to ensuring the health and safety of their workers and the residents of the communities where they carry out their commercial activities

 Diseases/Sickness
The poor health conditions of Nigerians was succinctly captured in the CRS report of 2008 which put their average life expectancy at forty-seven (47) years while also stating that Nigeria housed two- third of the worlds polio cases as at 2004 and was, as at 2008, having the third largest population of HIV/AIDS victims in the world after South Africa and India. It is indeed saddening that as at June, 2011, an estimated 300,000 children under the age of five (5) were said to die annually from malaria and malaria related diseases the National Accord Newspaper, in its editorial of 20th June, 2011 sadly observed that:

it is widely believed that the country has one of the worst healthcare delivery systems in Africa. This ugly situation has been attributed to the dilapidated health care infrastructure, poorly motivated health care personnel, high cost of medication and low doctor to patient ratio etc

 Poverty

Olaniyan and Bankole (2005) stated that a definition of the word poverty will be dependent on its nature and extent; and by implication its context They subsequently adopted the World Banks broad definition of poverty as the: insufficient or total lack of basic necessities like food, housing and medical cares. It embraces the inadequacy of education and environmental services, consumer goods, recreational opportunities, neighborhood amenities and transport facilities While in more specific terms, people regarded to be living in poverty are those whose income fall below the community average. When one considers that a senator earns close to $1.2m per annum while most people in government employment still live far below the yet to be implemented (as at July, 2011) minimum wage of N18,000 per month (N216,000 per annum) then a broad categorization of what constitutes the community average cannot be said to be accurate The indispensable fact is that the insufficient or total lack of the basic amenities has led to the underdevelopment of human capital in Nigeria and this has had negative ripple effects on her growth since human capital is fundamental to the growth and development of any nation. Little wonder Nigeria still seems to be learning how to walk at fifty (50) as majority of her citizens continue to languish in abject poverty.

 Unavailability/Inaccessibility of Quality Education

According to the UNICEF statistical analysis as at March 2010, while the net survival rate for pupils who enroll into primary education is put at 75% and 98% as deduced from administrative and survey data respectively. This is not as worrisome as the ratio of attendance at the secondary school level which is 45 for male and 43 for female per 100 people Worse still is the quality of products of the Nigerian educational system which is nothing to be proud of. This becomes glaring if one also considers the fact that out of the 1,493,604 that sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) exams this year, only about 597,494 students (40%) had above two-hundred (200) points which seems to be the cutoff mark. Sadly too, there is no guarantee that all those who qualify will be able to gain admission into their desired tertiary institution. For example, of the 99, 195 applications made to the University of Lagos it would only be able to admit 9,507 students which is about 10% of the entire applications the private universities reflects them to be beyond the reach of an average Nigerian with no assurance of sound academic and moral education. The resultant effect of this is half-baked products with little innovations based on the limitations imposed on them by their society; semi-literate individuals who can only afford to perform semi-skilled and unskilled functions and an increase in the legitimate and illegitimate exodus of our best brains in search of greener pastures abroad

 Corruption
Corruption in Nigeria got to its peak during the undesirable military stratocracies which were characterized by flagrant disrespect for the rule of law where in Kukahs words, the rule of law became the rule of men. Alarmingly, Abacha alone is said to have stolen $3.5bn within just five (5) years of his administration Almost fifty years after this incursion, there has indeed been no significant difference in the status quo. It is a well known fact that corruption as being discussed above is not limited to the Nigerian politicians alone as it cuts across the other strata of the society. According to Dikes analysis, the types of corruption prevalent in Nigeria encompass the political, bureaucratic and electoral corruption; embezzlement and bribery Bureaucratic corruption has to do with favoritism and discrimination against people who have no godfathers in the high places. An Average Nigerian graduate ordinarily has no hope of being given equal opportunities in the federal civil service. This is because alongside his certificates, he also has to be certified by a senator or a minister with either a business card or a small note which may be less in mass but far more relevant than the bulk of paper works he accumulated as a result of his academic feat after at least four years of learning The judiciary, it could be said, is not immune from corrupt practices such as unnecessary delay of judgments and manipulation of the interpretations of the law to suit the purposes of their patrons. One can only pray for a reverse of fortunes in this light

The effects of corruption cannot be overemphasized and as Dike expressed, they cover the stunting of economic growth, insufficient funding of the educational system, unnecessary wastage of human capital, political instability, negative international image to mention but a few

 Natural Disasters
Flooding- The incessant rainfall that plagued Lagos state on the 11th July, this year indeed had very devastating effects on its residents. While properties worth millions were destroyed and movements were restricted, this devastation cumulated in the loss of lives. As at the 12th of July, twenty-five(25) bodies (eleven (11) of which belonged to children) were said to have been recovered from the canals at Dopemu and Aboru, in the old Alimosho Local Government Area and Agbado-Oke Odo Local Council Development Areas while twenty-eight persons (28) became homeless in Ajegunle Alongside flooding, there are also other environmental hazards in Nigeria which are induced by men and so cannot be wholly referred to as natural disasters. Examples of these include the drought which plagued Nigeria between 1972 and 1973 (killing about 300,000 livestock in Northern Nigeria) and also in 1987 (where crop production dropped to between 56% and 75% of the previous year). Others include oil spillage, wild bush fire and landslides to mention but of a few of these threats Though the occurrence of natural disasters is not as pronounced in the country as we have them in other parts of the world, recent events have shown that they cannot be in anyway ignored

Sustainable Development as the Answer to Human Security Issues in Nigeria

Definition- The holistic definition of the Brundtland Commission comes handy when one tries to conceptualize the term sustainable development. The commission defined it as the ability to make development sustain-ableto ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs Goal- Its goal according to Lawanson is the reduction of absolute poverty by providing lasting and secure livelihoods that minimize resource depletion, environmental degradation, cultural disruption and social instability. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): The attainment of this goal was elaborated by the UNDP in the outlining the focal points for the millennium and they are:
Eradication of extreme poverty and hunger Achievement of universal primary education Attainment of gender equality and women empowerment Reduction of child mortality Improvement of maternal health Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases Ensuring environmental sustainability Developing of global partnership

The achievement of these goals therefore became the concern of the member nations of the United Nations as it emerged as the yardstick for the determination of growth and development. As it has been shown in the discussions above, Nigeria is still a far cry from developing legacies which could be sustained and enhanced by the future generations

Components of Sustainable Development

What is to be sustained? For How Long? 25 years Now and in the future Forever NATURE Earth Biodiversity Ecosystems PEOPLE Child survival Life expectancy Education What is to be Developed?

Equity
Equal opportunity LIFE SUPPORT Ecosystem services Resources Environment LINKED BY Only Mostly But And COMMUNITY Cultures Groups Places SOCIETY Institutions Social capital States Regions ECONOMY Wealth Productive sectors Consumption

Conclusion
As a matter of fact and urgency, a rebrand of Nigeria must align with the clich that charity begins at home. No nation of the world will change its perception about Nigeria without Nigeria in the first place changing her perception what she ought to be. This change of perception, in the opinion of this paper is what can engender sustainable development and ensure that the set targets of the MDGs are put in perspective. The change being referred to here must also necessarily cut through the different strata of the Nigerian society as a collective effort towards restoring Nigeria to her pride of place among the comity of nations in Africa and by extension the Globe. However, the Judiciary has a critical role to play if the desired is to be achieved. The Judiciary The judiciary has become the puppet of the Nigerian government thereby losing the vote of confidence of many a Nigerian. The conviction of innocent citizens, delay of judgments having received bribes and cases of missing files in the law courts without doubt leaves much to be desired in the Nigerian juridical system The need for an independent and reliable judiciary which is operational for dispensing justice in the country cannot thus be overemphasized. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) substantiated this fact in 2008 when it requested for $13.8m to aid the Nigerian government during fiscal year 2008 to support programs aimed at strengthening the capacity, transparency, and independence of the judiciary; improving anti-corruption efforts; and building civil society capacity amongst other efforts Ploch, L. 2008. Op. cit. p. 22

 There is the need to imbue morality into this arm of government since therein reside the custodians and interpreters of the laws of the land There is the need to uphold the rule of law which ought to be supreme over everyone and not just the unprivileged. The judges, from the supreme courts to the magistrate courts should uphold the objective interpretation of the law and be neutral in their interventions at all times This indeed will help in instilling morality into the average Nigerian and aid the right direction towards sustainable growth and development. It is as simple as the assertion that : Rid the judiciary of corruption, and then you have ridded Nigeria of corruption and paved a way for a lasting legacy to the unborn generations!

Thank You for Listening