Former President Obasanjo was once jailed, granted a presidential pardon by General Abdul Salami Abubakar, late Yaradua was jailed too. And late MKO Abiola was incarcerated and later died while in detention. Heaven did not fall either. It would have been more appalling and completely insensitive of Nigeria’s judiciary, if Nnamdi Kanu was never convicted
By Adekunle Alaye, PhD
Imagine, for a moment a parallel Nigeria-one in which the court ultimately acquitted Nnamdi Kanu, or refused to convict him on the terrorism charges. What would that world have looked like, and why would many argue that the recent verdict (in reality) was sacrosanct for the stability of the country (Nigeria)?.
Without any legal check, Radio Biafra of Nnamdi Kunu was broadcasting unchecked. The transmissions, which in reality were judged by the court to be incendiary and inciting violence remained a powerful megaphone
Kanu was consistently giving orders. The call for the weekly sit-at-home orders, disrupted economic life in the Southeast and stoke anger among his followers.
The weekly sit-at-home directives subsequently multiplied. Banks did not open, schools were closed down, businesses grind to a halt.
The Southeast’s economy suffered not just from lost revenue but from increasing lawlessness, as fringe elements interpreted Kanu’s word as permission to use force on the people.
In response to the order, the Central government deployed more security agencies to the Southeast. Military checkpoints, raids,and clashes became more frequent. And the risks of genuine open conflict grew unabated.
Subsequently, the tension became more visibly globally. International media, human rights organizations, and diasporic communities raised alarms that Nigeria was sliding into a quasi-civil war.
Foreign governments pressured Nigeria to find a political solution but without the legal restraint (i.e, Kanu’s conviction) there would not have been strong institutional way to channel his movement into a peaceful and constitutional change.
Why the Conviction Matters?:
.It preserves National Integrity: Nigerian court ruled that self determination is a political right but any self determination not done according to the constitution of Nigeria is illegal.
Preventing Disruption and Economic Damage: The court found that Kanu’s sit-at-home orders caused real economic losses, as banks, schools, business shutdown. Hence, without a conviction, in the parallel world those periodic shutdowns might become perpetual or more disruptive-crippling further infrastructure and commerce in the Southeast.
Deterring incitement to violence: According to the verdict Kanu not only called for sit-at-home orders but also made broadcast that the considered incitement to kill security agencies and formenting terrorism.
Accountability of the Rule of Law: The court also found that Kanu illegally imported a radio transmitter to run Radio Biafra, which was unregistered.
His conviction therefore, sends a message: even powerful, charismatic leaders are subject to the law: Without it, leaders might act impunity, weakening the rule of law.
We should just stop being unecessarily emotional about Kanu’s conviction. Very high personalities in Nigeria have also been one time or the order convicted.
This idea of bringing ethnic colorations to his conviction is merely hypocritical and insensitive of justice for people who lost their lives to such odious and inhuman killings championed by Kanu.
Late Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo was once sentenced and served his prison term in Calabar Prison after he was convicted in Lagos in 1963. He had stop over in Broad Street Prison in Lagos before being transferred to Calabar two days later. He was released from Calabar Prison in August 1966 by General Yakubu Gowon.
Former President Obasanjo was once jailed, granted a presidential pardon by General Abdul Salami Abubakar, late Yaradua was jailed too. And late MKO Abiola was incarcerated and later died while in detention. Heaven did not fall either.
It would have been more appalling and completely insensitive of Nigeria’s judiciary, if Nnamdi Kanu was never convicted.
God bless Nigeria.
•Opinions, positions or thoughts expressed here are personal and strictly of the writer/author and do not represent the views of The Daily Crucible.
