The Esogban of Benin Kingdom, Chief David Edebiri who marked his eightieth birthday last week, in this interview reviewed Nigeria’s 50 years as independent country and declared that the nation has failed the founding fathers of the nation .

A people with a written Constitution incorporating a Bill of Rights, a free judiciary and a robust civil
society should be in a position, as we are, to blame its Judiciary, at least in some sense of being an accomplice, if such a country misgoverns, or aborts the dream of its original founders.

It is possible to get away with anything in Nigerian if you can pay the bill. Police and even some Military officers are now rented for all manners of ridiculous or condescending activities including using them as temporary aide de camp to smart guys to impress their girlfriends, as recently exposed by some soft-sell magazines.

As you read this piece on this beautiful Friday morning, a public holiday has been declared to mark the 50th Anniversary of this country’s political independence from our colonial masters. Of course, each anniversary of our independence has always warranted a holiday and this cannot be an exception. It’s our golden jubilee after all and there is a sharp division on the question whether we should celebrate meekly or whether we should gloat, dine and wine.

We wish to restate our earlier call on the President of the Court of Appeal, to issue a firm directive to their Lordships handling all the 2007 election-related matters to conclude and deliver judgment on them before or on October 31, 2010. Our case-study (CA/E/EPT/66A/2008 and CA/E/EPT/66B/2008) (Barrister Ejezie v. Chief Raphael Okeke) which has been fixed for hearing and possibly adoption on September 22, 2010, must be credibly entertained.