Constitution amendment cannot solve Nigeria’s security problems ― SAN

A Principal Partner of Afe Babalola & Co, and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Adebayo Adenipekun has taken a cursory look at the myriads of problems confronting the country and declared that constitutional amendments being sought by some leaders of thoughts cannot solve Nigeria’s problems.

Adenipekun, while addressing journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, insisted that Nigerians should erase it from their minds that the call for constitutional amendments is the solution to the security and other problems confronting the country.

While speaking at the official presentation of a book entitled, ‘Wole Soyinka, Quest for Renewal’, written by Professor Mary T. David, an Indian national, Adenipekun maintained that the problem of Nigeria was not the constitution but the implementers of the law in the country.

At the presentation were former Director of Banking Services, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Titus Oladipupo Fatokun, Professor Jide Ajidahun of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba- Akoko, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde SAN, Mr Frank Erinle, Prince Adedeji Atayero, Mr. Kehinde Ogunwumiju SAN, Mrs. Esther Adenipekun, the Chairman, Spectrum Books Limited, Hon. Dayo Ogunniyi, management staff of Lead City University, Vale College, and other schools in Ibadan, amongst others.

Adenipekun while speaking on the nation’s constitution, added that the implementers of the constitution; legislature, executive and judiciary were the ones guilty for failing to implement what is in the constitution.

While speaking further, Adenipekun maintained that the Nigerian government should find ways of addressing socio-economic problems which he described as the main source of the problems, such as thuggery, hooliganism, kidnapping, banditry, poverty, and unemployment among others.

ALSO READ: JUST IN: Man jumps into Lagos lagoon

Adenipekun said, “the problem is not with the constitution, the problem is with executive, legislature and judiciary. We have a very good constitution. The legal framework to address the issue of security challenges are always there, don’t forget that we have so many agencies that deal with security challenges.

“All I can say is that the foundation of our problem is about the economic problem. If we solve the economic problems, some of these issues will be away. A hungry man is an angry man. We have restless youths who are jobless and when you are idle, they said that the devil finds job for idle hand.

“So I don’t think that a constitutional amendment can solve our problem. I don’t think it will change anything. We should find a solution to our economic problem”.

Adenipekun who called for attitudinal change towards reading decried the quest for quick money among the youths in the country.

He said “the reason for that is because of the orientation that you don’t need to work before you make money. In those days when we were young, we look up to doctors, lawyers and professionals, we promised ourselves that we want to be like them, but suddenly people just make money without working. Some become millionaire, billionaire, so with time, the culture started changing, that you don’t need to read before you make money.

“Unless we change our orientation. If you go out of the country, if you are in a train station, you will see a white man he will be reading a book, but a black man will not do anything. So we need to change our orientation, let us practice that culture that hard work pays. If we go back to that system that hard work pays, people will sit down and read. Because knowledge is power, knowledge is wealth”.