By Henry Uche
In a bid to ensure that Nigerians protect, promote and respect human rights, Prof. Akin Ibidapo-Obe, has called on the Federal Government to incorporate human rights as a course in its curriculum for all levels of education, particularly in the faculties of law.
While decrying the level of human rights abuses, the professor of public law who made this call via zoom at a Human Rights Summit put together by Human Rights Committee of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos Branch, reaffirmed that every human being, particularly lawyers have essential roles to play in promoting Human Rights.
The don who spoke on “Human Rights lawyers: A dying breed?” maintained that from time immemorial, lawyers had always been rights activists and advocates, but nowadays, the learned beings seem to be losing steam and focus of the calling. “We seem to be losing steam and focus. We must be sensitive to human Rights issues and keep fighting this course. Human Rights must at the center of every lawyer’s endeavor. So Human Rights education should be a compulsory course in the University and faculty of law because lawyers would continue to be in the vanguard of Human Rights activism. We must not forget that the prize of freedom is eternal vigilance,” he maintained.
On his part, guest speaker, Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo (retd) reminded the government across board that human rights was globally recognised and inalienable, thus its sanctity must be guarded and respected by everyone.
Justice Taiwo, who spoke on, “Fundamental reflections on delivering sound human rights oriented judgment” cited the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, African Charter of human and People’s Rights and other regional instruments and Conventions of which Nigeria is signatory to, said none of these Human Rights (including Fundamental Human Rights) should be violated by anybody.