Gabriel Dike
Two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Folake Solanke and Mr. Femi Falana on Thursday charged the Federal government to explain to Nigerians how it intends to use the over N605billion loot recovered by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in the last six months.
The duo made the demand at the 20th edition of Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture in Lagos as part of the birthday celebration of the presiding bishop of TREM, Dr. Mike Okonkwo. The two legal luminaries also asked the Federal government to tell Nigerians how much it had been collected.
While Chief Solanke was chairman at the event, Mr. Falana, was the guest speaker; both agreed that the Federal government owns Nigerians explanation on what it intends to use the money recovered under the whistle-blowing policy of the present administration.
Falana in his paper titled ”The Danger of Unequal Criminal Justice System in Nigeria,” said there Federal government whistle-blowing policy had paid off as EFCC recovered looted to the tune of N600b, challenging the government to tell Nigerians what it would use the money for.
He advocated that government should allocate N1billion each to the 777 local government councils in the country for skill development of youths.
According to him, the explanation became necessary to avoid what happened with previously recovered loots by successive administrations and commended the former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adesoun for introducing the policy.
Falana, however, recommended that the whistle-blowing policy be included in the country’s law and also asked the state governments to replicate the policy.
He shocked the audience when he stressed that Nigerians who were kidnapped and paid ransom should demand a refund from the Federal government.
He said it is the right of the government to protect the citizens, stating ”all kidnapped Nigerians that paid ransom have the right to demand fund.”
In her remarks, Chief Solanke decried the non-disclosure of what government used previously-recovered loots for, and stressed that government must explain to the citizens how much was realised and how it intends to use the money.
Solanke said the theme of the lecture was ”pivotal in our Nigerian situation because the law which is translated to justice is the foundation of endearing peace in nation-building.”
She described the pegging of cut off marks for 2019/2020 admissions exercise into the universities at 120 by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) as a national scandal.
Her words: ”Scandalous! I was appalled to her that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board approved of 120 out of 400 as a pass mark. Heavens above, 120 out of 400 is 30 percent. Thus, many students enter educational institutions with such a low standard performance and come out as unemployable graduates.
”I plead with educational institutions to stop the national education scandal. I respectively invite the gallant people here present to participate in this protest and be part of the public conversation to stop this erroneous policy.”
On pass marks in examinations in schools, colleges, and universities, Chief Solanke said, she was astonished to know that educational institutions, including law school, now accept marks below 50 percent as a pass mark.
”I just heard to my consternation that one institution accepts 120 out of 400 as pass marks! It is my humble plea that educational institutions should not descend to the substandard orientation of pupils and students, many of whom are indolent.
Students should be held to a higher standard of performance in order to improve the quality of our graduates. Currently, people are appalled about the poor performance of our so-called graduates. It is advocated that a pass mark is 50 percent and above.
”Below 50 percent is a failure. The authorities must be partially blamed for the poor academic performance of graduates. Mediocrity should not be encouraged, rather students should be encouraged to aspire to reach academic Utopia.”
Falana lamented that some parents buy UTME marks for their children seeking admission, paying between N250,000 to N300,000 for special posting of their wards and also that parents no longer want their kids to repeat a class, thus they bribe teachers for promotion of their children.