Olusegun Adeyemo
In an exclusive interview with The Journal Nigeria, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Mr. Sunday Dare, speaks on the rule of law, systemic challenges, and the path to reform in Nigeria.
How do you personally define the rule of law?
The rule of law is not merely a legal doctrine; it is the foundation of state legitimacy. It is what transforms power into governance and governance into justice.
But when laws are selectively applied, weakly enforced, or willfully ignored, the very fabric of nationhood begins to unravel. In Nigeria, the problem is not the absence of laws, but the failure of those laws to deter wrongdoing, punish fairly, and inspire compliance.
Can you highlight the roots of Nigeria’s rule-of-law problem?
Our challenge with the rule of law is systemic—rooted in the interlocking weaknesses of our legal framework, justice administration, law enforcement, and public morality.
First, our legal codes are outdated. The Penal Code, still in force across much of Northern Nigeria, and the Criminal Code, applied in the South, both date back to colonial-era formulations from the early 20th century.
Secondly, our court system remains slow, analog, and overburdened. Despite the enactment of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) in 2015, which sought to modernize and harmonize criminal procedure, implementation remains uneven across states.
Thirdly, our police system is overstretched, undertrained, and ill-equipped. The average Nigerian police officer faces the impossible task of enforcing 21st-century laws with 20th-century tools under 19th-century conditions.
How has this weak system affected deterrence and accountability?
The combined effect of these structural weaknesses is the collapse of deterrence. In our society today, the fear of law has been replaced by the confidence of impunity. Citizens no longer believe that wrongdoing has consequencesand too often, they are right.
Political actors disobey court orders. Powerful individuals manipulate due process. At lower levels, petty corruption and non-compliance have become normalized.
When deterrence is low, compliance is low and when compliance is low, enforcement becomes unsustainably costly. We are spending more resources reacting to offences than preventing them—more energy chasing offenders than promoting order.
You’ve often emphasized the role of the media. How crucial is it to this reform process?
At this point, we must recognize the strategic role of the media. The media remain the oxygen of democracy and the conscience of accountability. Its investigative power, reach, and credibility can either amplify justice or suffocate it.
The media must go beyond merely reporting infractions. It must educate, interrogate, and illuminate the systemic weaknesses that enable injustice. In an age of disinformation, ethical journalism is not just a professional duty; it is a patriotic act.
Moving from problems to solutions—what concrete reforms are most urgent?
If Nigeria is to entrench the rule of law, reforms must move beyond speeches and workshops. We must fix the architecture of justice, not just its furniture.
I see five urgent priorities: Legal modernization; Deepened implementation of the ACJA 2015; Professionalization and modernization of policing; Strengthening judicial independence and accountability as well as Civic and institutional reorientation
These are not abstract ideals; they are actionable imperatives.
What steps has the Tinubu administration taken to strengthen the rule of law?
It is important to acknowledge that the present administration under President Bola Tinubu has not ignored these longstanding structural issues. Several reform efforts are already underway to strengthen the rule of law, modernize the justice sector, and rebuild public trust.
President Tinubu has reaffirmed his commitment to judicial independence and access to justice. The ongoing dialogue with the judiciary on improved remuneration and working conditions for judges reflects the government’s recognition that justice cannot be strong if its guardians are weak.