October 14, 2024
Nigeria’s former Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has made a stirring call for strategic and collaborative reform during the launch of “It is Possible – Influencing Change in Nigeria.”
With a mix of personal insight, humour, and powerful reflections, Osinbajo underscored the necessity of bold ideas and practical action in Nigeria’s journey toward meaningful change.
“There are no hard and fast rules to influencing change,” he declared to a captivated audience at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, setting the stage for a profound discussion on leadership and the future of Nigeria.
Acknowledging his younger brother, Jude, for spearheading the project, Osinbajo emphasised, “Jude has always been about thinking big and challenging conventional approaches to solving the toughest issues facing Nigeria and Africa.”
His keynote speech signaled a defining moment in the ongoing dialogue about how to effectively navigate the nation’s challenges, urging leaders and citizens alike to embrace innovative strategies that push boundaries.
Osinbajo expressed his delight in being part of the project, thanking his younger brother Jude and his team for the invitation.
He humorously reflected on the concept of a “primer,” noting, “This is the problem with smart people like Jude; they assume that everyone knows what they are talking about.”
He shared a story from his early teaching days, illustrating the importance of clear communication and understanding foundational concepts.
“I have learned my lessons the hard way,” he said, recalling a tutorial where students misunderstood the “eggshell principle” in criminal law.
Elaborating on the term, Osinbajo stated, “A primer is a basic introductory text, a book or an article that tries to simplify or explain a particular subject.”
He explained that the primer being launched seeks to elucidate how to influence change in Nigeria.
Drawing from his experiences with judicial reform in Lagos State during his tenure as Attorney General in 1999, Osinbajo highlighted two key challenges he faced: building a Ministry of Justice focused on citizens’ rights and reforming an administration of justice system plagued by delays and corruption.
“We decided that we had to implement a justice sector reform and we engaged all possible stakeholders, especially civil society,” he recounted.
He recalled conducting a survey of 200 lawyers regarding the integrity of judges, where 89% stated that judges were “notoriously corrupt.”
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Osinbajo explained, “At the meeting, I showed them the damning results of the survey and opened discussions on how to reverse the trend.”
He emphasized the need for adequate remuneration for judges, noting, “There was no way N67,000 could even scratch the surface.”
Osinbajo detailed how they improved judges’ salaries and introduced new policies for appointments and discipline.
“We agreed that we had to have proper competency tests for judges, and mandatory training before new judges resume,” he stated.
The reforms led to the dismissal of 22 magistrates for corrupt practices and the appointment of 26 new judges, significantly transforming the Lagos judiciary.
Osinbajo articulated the key elements that made these reforms successful: clarity of objectives, strict adherence to a developed blueprint, building partnerships across civil society and institutions, creating a compelling narrative for stakeholders, and planning for sustainability.
He stated, “In 2007, we conducted another survey of lawyers practising in the High Court of Lagos and found 0% now said there was corruption! A dramatic change.”
Despite acknowledging that challenges remain in the judicial system, he asserted, “The administration of justice system in Lagos is still the gold standard for State judiciaries.”
He highlighted that the reality of bringing about real change is humbling and requires collaboration and synergy among various stakeholders.
Osinbajo concluded by highlighting the importance of positively influencing change, stating, “If we do not intentionally and¹, positively influence it, there will be change anyway; only that the change could be disastrous.”
He lauded the primer as a significant contribution to understanding the complexities of instigating and managing change in Nigeria.
“This primer helps our understanding greatly but more importantly gives hope,” he affirmed.
He commended Jude for his dedication and hard work, expressing anticipation for further contributions from Thoughts and Mace Advisory, which he described as essential for fostering a vibrant ecosystem for change in Africa, adding, “We look forward to more of these kinds of efforts.”
