Former Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, has described Nigeria’s constitution as the most maligned document despite its profound and useful objectives.
The former Lagos State governor gave this description at the 30th anniversary lecture of Nasrul-Lahi-l-Fatih (NASFAT) held at the main auditorium of the Nigerian Institute Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos, on Saturday.
Speaking on the theme, ‘faith, social justice and economic empowerment: pathways to a better world’, Fashola submitted that the country’s constitution is enabling as it has provision for social justice and speaks to the kind of Nigeria every Nigerian yearns for.
He said, “The Nigerian Constitution, a much-maligned constitution I dare say but some of the profound elevating provisions of that constitution have not received the kind of attention they should receive. Have you read the provisions of section 14-27? They are very enabling and speak to the kind of Nigeria all of us would want to see. Provisions of social justice are contained there.
How many of us know that Nigeria Constitution provides for social justice? Because we have listened to one story that it’s a bad constitution and should be changed. The objectives of that document are very profound and useful.
“Long before we started hearing about equal payment for men and women, Nigeria Constitution has said that men and women who do the same work must receive the same pay. It’s in that much-criticised book. I urge us to read it from time to time. It should not be seen as such a scary document as some of our colleagues have made it to look.
