Human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi, has criticised Nigeria’s justice system, arguing that the country’s dysfunctional legal institutions have created an environment where social media activist VeryDarkMan (VDM) is increasingly relied upon by ordinary Nigerians to seek justice.
Farotimi, in a strongly worded statement, said a society governed by the rule of law and supported by functional police and court systems would not tolerate the circumstances that have enabled VDM’s rise.
According to him, VDM represents “a live indictment” of Nigeria’s judicial system, which he accused of being populated by individuals who do not uphold the ideals expected of jurists.
> “A society that is ruled by law, with a functional police system, a functional court system would not tolerate the presence or existence of VDM,” Farotimi said.
He argued that the failure of conventional institutions has pushed citizens towards alternative avenues for seeking redress.
“The society you have built requires VDM to find JUSTICE. It’s easier to find JUSTICE through the types and likes of VDM than through your courts,” he stated.
Farotimi also challenged the popular description of the judiciary as the “last hope of the common man,” insisting that the realities faced by Nigerians tell a different story.
“They say that JUDICIARY is the last hope of the common man, na lie! VDM HAS BECOME THE LAST HOPE OF THE COMMON MAN,” he declared.
The activist concluded by blaming not only lawyers and judges but the wider society for creating conditions in which personalities such as VDM become necessary intermediaries for citizens seeking justice.
“SHAME all of you! And not just the Lawyers and Judges but the entire society that has made this possible,” Farotimi added.
