A few weeks ago, the organised labour announced its decision to call out workers on a nation wide strike to press home the need for an increase in the national minimum wage which as at today is fixed at N18,000 under Section 1 of the The National Minimum Wage Act Cap. N61 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (As Amended). The section for the avoidance of doubt reads as follows:

Last week I examined the provisions of the Education Bank and stated how the failure of government led to the inability of the bank to fulfil its statutory road. I detailed how, owing to the refusal of the government to set up the Governing Board of the Bank, it was eventually run throughout its existence by the Minister of Education contrary to the express provisions of the Bank

Last week I discussed the twin issues of poor funding of education and unemployment. I stated how several factors, with particular reference to the growing population of the country continue to push the percentage of unemployment upwards. This week I will focus on the Education Bank set up in 1993 to provide loans to students and why government should consider the reintroduction of the bank to meet current challenges in funding of education and provision of jobs for unemployed youth in the country.

Inadequate funding of “education and youth unemployment” are two issues which continue to attract public discourse in Nigeria. Over the years, government funding to education has decreased leading to various crisis within the educational sector. Strikes, dilapidation of structures, massive exodus of qualified personnel to foreign universities, otherwise known as brain drain are some of the ills with which Nigerian tertiary institutions are identified. Closely related to the downturn in the fortunes of the educational institutions is the rising youth unemployment. Many graduates lack the proper or adequate education to make them employable even within the country.

Over the last two weeks I have discussed the issue of lie telling and when it may or may not amount to a crime to tell lies. In conclusion I will now discuss the issue of the seeming penchant for politicians, particularly in Nigeria, to tell lies.

Last week I introduced a discussion of how lie telling can be categorised and how given some circumstances, lie telling may or may not be criminal. This week I intend to relate the background already made to recent events in the world and particularly Nigeria’s political climate. It is however important to firstly state that there are instances where the law expressly criminalises the conduct of lie telling.

On the 17th of September 2018,, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, announced that he had issued a directive to Judges of that Court barring them from granting ex parte orders in political cases. Reporting the development, the Vanguard stated as follows:

Last week I began an examination of the long standing debate on the desirability of abandoning the current four year tenure in favour of a single seven or six year tenure. I stated the fact that the current four year tenure and the need for re-election brings about too much distraction to the incumbent. I referred to the ongoing preparations for the elections and the resultant effect it has had on the day to day running of some states in which the Governors have for several months devoted their entire attention to issues of re-election.

With the gradual approach of the 2019 elections, I have discussed several issues connected to the enthronement of a true democratic culture such as the need to ensure credibility of candidates of political parties, constant defection of politicians and the absence of identifiable ideologies of political parties. However, some developments with such defections and the skewed process of nomination of candidates have remained constant

This week I will continue my discussion with a focus on the developments in Imo State. The act of the House of Assembly in proceeding with the said impeachment despite the fact that there was a Court order restraining it from so doing is deplorable and same should be condemned. For starters, it is settled that all persons against whom an order of Court is made are duty bound to respect and obey same until same has been set aside by a Court of competent jurisdiction. It is not within the election of parties to choose whether or not to obey a Court order. Please see the case of NGERE V. OKURUKET (2014) 11 NWLR (PT. 1417) 147 @ PG. 173, PARAS F-G, where it was held that:

It is settled principle of law that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land and the failure to follow any of its provisions renders any steps taken unconstitutional, null and void

The immediate impact of this is felt in the corruption that has pervaded our political class. Each state and local government receives what is known as monthly allocation from the Federal Government of Nigeria. The ongoing prosecution of some past office holders on account of misappropriation of funds from the monthly allocations of their state or local government shows that the said allocation is seen by politicians as a prime opportunity to corruptly enrich themselves.

Nigeria as a Nation has for several decades been engaged in a constant struggle for the evolution of the perfect electoral system, it is the dream of many Nigerians that the country should have an electoral system in which transparency is made the watch word …

If young Nigerians after acquiring educational or vocational training are unable to find jobs, there is bound to be an effect on the rate of poverty in the country

Knowledge, books, and education have manifold implications when it comes to dealing with conflict… – they embody curiosity, independent thought, freedom of speech and expression