Editorial
Another Feather In Mary Odili’s Cap
Justice Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili, a retired Supreme Court judge, has recently been in the news for all the
right reasons. She was confirmed as the 51st Chairperson of the Body of Benchers, succeeding Wole Olanipekun, SAN, who took office as the 50th chairman in March 2022 and became vice-chairman on March 30, 2021.
Justice Peter-Odili has an impeccable judicial record and possesses all the qualities of an excellent judge, including judicial temperament, intelligence, morals, courage, integrity, experience, and education. We congratulate her on her elevation and hope she draws strength, wisdom and experience from the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who himself is a lifelong Bencher.
The Nigerian Body of Benchers is a professional body concerned with the admission of successful candidates at the Nigerian Law School Bar Final Examination into the legal profession. Members of the body are called Benchers. The body also regulates the call of graduates of law school to the Nigerian Bar, as well as the regulation of the legal profession in the country.
Without doubt, Peter-Odili’s appointment constitutes a perfect key to a greater development of legal jurisprudence and dispensation of justice in Nigeria. It will fetch the Body a new synergy and strengthen the principles of the legal organisation. Her contributions to Nigerian jurisprudence are so outstanding that they have continued to elicit accolades among legal practitioners.
Justice Peter-Odili’s service and the fecundity of her jurisprudential knowledge have continued to give unquantifiable boosts to the legal profession, not only in Nigeria but also across Africa. We can truly describe her emergence as putting a square peg in a square hole. It is a demonstration of true merit such that an author, Amit Kalantri, says, “It is like steel and not like cotton, that seems small from the outside but weighs heavy on the inside.”
Mary retired from the Supreme Court last year as the first woman from Rivers State to be elevated to the apex court in Nigeria. She was appointed to the court to fill the vacancy created by Justice Nikki Tobi’s retirement. In appreciation of her exemplary service, Governor Wike built a judicial training institute, saddled with the responsibility of training judges and magistrates, in her honour.
The eminent jurist is the wife of Dr Peter Odili who served as Governor of Rivers State from 1999 to 2007. While serving as the First Lady, her Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), The Adolescent Programme (TAP), trained several youths and women in the state on various skills and provided them with starter packs to make them self-reliant and productive. She has not only proven her mettle in her chosen carrier, but she is also a quintessential wife and mother.
Given her professional orbit and all-embracing knowledge of the Nigerian judicial system, her tenure in her new-found position will be a remarkable success. Because she is a titan in the legal profession, who has contributed to the ideological conduct of legal professionals through great works, enviable comportment and unbending principles, the Body of Benchers cannot be in better hands.
Beyond her appointment as chairperson of the organisation, she must start strongly, particularly as her tenure will last for only a year. We urge her not to lose sight of the unpleasant happenings bedevilling the legal job. The profession is under attack and aggression. Members of the Body of Benchers must join hands with her to identify and address the myriad of challenges facing the Nigerian legal occupation currently.
The vulnerabilities that have been noticed and exposed in the legal carrier are disturbing. Peter-Odili’s appointment provides the opportunity for deep introspection and self-assessment. The Benchers must make efforts to ensure that the practice of the legal occupation and the courts always measure up to the moral, ethical and statutory standards they subscribe to.
Legal education is crucial; any neglect would amount to a fatal consequence in the entire process of justice adjudication. However, the state of legal education in Nigeria is regrettable. It is far from the international standard. This is taking its toll on the entire system of justice administration at every step of our journey as a nation. The development has always been reflected in the quality of lawyers in our nation.
Consequently, the Body must take tough steps and end poor funding of legal education. Successive governments are guilty of this. This case of clear neglect on the side of the government has kept legal education in stagnation for years. Shamefully, no faculty of law in Nigeria has modern facilities to train a 21st-century lawyer. The traditional method of bombarding students with notes and handouts is still in place, slowing the pace of learning.
Also, the proliferation of law faculties is another factor militating against legal education in Nigeria. The more law faculties we have, the more substandard. In 1962, there were four faculties of law in the country and one Nigerian law school located in Lagos. Today, over fifty law faculties exist in federal, state, and private universities. This results in a monumental disproportionate student–lecturer ratio.
Likewise, the law school curriculum remains the same. This hinders innovation that could have repositioned legal research and the industry as a whole. The obsolete programmes offered by the various law schools in Nigeria also persist and largely unimproved, thus leaving students in an uncongenial academic predicament.
Indeed, the challenges facing legal education and the legal profession in the country are considerable. Justice Peter-Odili and her team of Benchers must pull out all the stops to salvage a dangerous situation. Where necessary, pressure should be brought to bear on relevant stakeholders and the government to prevent our “legal ship” from sinking entirely.
The recent massacre in Yelewata, Benue State, ranks among Nigeria’s deadliest attacks of
2025. While official figures put the death toll at 59, media reports and Amnesty International estimate between 100 and 200 fatalities. This atrocity extends a decade-long pattern of violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where Beacon Security data records 1,043 deaths in Benue alone between May 2023 and May 2025.
President Tinubu’s visit on 18 June—four days after the 14 June attack—has drawn sharp criticism for its lateness. This delay echoes a history of inadequate responses, with Human Rights Watch documenting similar inaction in Plateau and Kaduna states since 2013, fuelling a culture of impunity. The attack lasted over two hours without meaningful security intervention, despite claims of swift action.
The violence bore hallmarks of genocide, with survivors recounting systematic house burnings and executions. More than 2.2 million people have been displaced in the region since 2019 due to comparable attacks. Data show Benue’s agricultural output falls by 0.21 per cent in crops and 0.31 per cent in livestock for every 1 per cent rise in violence.
Security forces continue to underperform. No arrests were made following the Easter attacks in April (56 killed) or May’s Gwer West massacre (42 killed). During his visit, Tinubu questioned publicly why no suspects had been detained four days after Yelewata, highlighting entrenched accountability failures.
The roots of the conflict are complex, with climate change pushing northern herders south and 77 per cent of Benue’s population reliant on agriculture. A Tiv community leader described the violence as “calculated land-grabbing” rather than mere clashes, with over 500 deaths recorded since 2019.
Government interventions have largely fallen short. The 2018 federal task force and 2025 Forest Guards initiative failed to curb violence. Tinubu’s newly announced committee of ex-governors and traditional rulers has been met with scepticism given the litany of past unkept promises.
The economic fallout is severe. Benue’s status as Nigeria’s “food basket” is crumbling as farms are destroyed and farmers displaced. This worsens the nation’s food crisis, with hunger surges in 2023-2024 directly linked to farming disruptions caused by insecurity.
Citizens demanding justice have been met with force; protesters faced police tear gas, and the State Assembly conceded total failure in safeguarding lives, admitting that the governor, deputy, and 32 lawmakers had all neglected their constitutional responsibilities.
The massacre has drawn international condemnation. Pope Leo XIV decried the “terrible massacre,” while the UN called for an investigation. The hashtag “200 Nigerians” trended worldwide on X, with many contrasting Nigeria’s slow response to India’s swift action following a plane crash with similar fatalities.
Nigeria’s centralised security system is clearly overwhelmed. A single police force is tasked with covering 36 states and 774 local government areas for a population exceeding 200 million. Between 2021 and 2023 alone, 29,828 killings and 15,404 kidnappings were recorded nationally. Proposals for state police, floated since January 2025, remain stalled.
Other populous nations offer alternative models. Canada’s provincial police, India’s state forces, and Indonesia’s municipal units demonstrate the effectiveness of decentralised policing. Nigeria’s centralised structure creates intelligence and response gaps, worsened by the distance—both physical and bureaucratic—from Abuja to affected communities.
The immediate aftermath is dire: 21 IDP camps in Benue are overwhelmed, and a humanitarian crisis is deepening. The State Assembly declared three days of mourning (18-20 June), but survivors lack sufficient medical aid. Tragically, many of those killed were already displaced by earlier violence.
A lasting solution requires a multi-pronged approach, including targeted security deployment, regulated grazing land, and full enforcement of Benue’s 2017 Anti-Open Grazing Law. The National Economic Council’s failure to prioritise state police in May 2025 represents a missed chance for reform.
Without decisive intervention, trends suggest conditions will worsen. More than 20,000 Nigerians have been killed and 13,000 kidnapped nationwide in 2025 alone. As Governor Hyacinth Alia stressed during Tinubu’s visit, state police may be the only viable path forward. All 36 states have submitted proposals supporting decentralisation—a crucial step towards breaking Nigeria’s vicious cycle of violence.
Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999 marked a watershed moment in the nation’s political history. After enduring nearly 16 years of successive military dictatorships, Nigerians embraced a new era of civil governance with the inauguration of President Olusegun Obasanjo on May 29, 1999. Since then, the country has sustained a democratic system for 26 years. But, this democratic journey has been a complex mix of progress and persistent challenges.
The formal recognition of June 12 as Democracy Day in 2018 by former President Muhammadu Buhari acknowledged a long-standing injustice. The annulment of the 1993 presidential election, Nigeria’s freest, betrayed the democratic aspirations of millions. That it took decades to honour this date reflects the nation’s complex relationship with its democratic memory.
One of the most momentous successes of Nigeria’s democracy has been the uninterrupted civilian rule over the last two and a half decades. The country has witnessed seven general elections, with power transferring peacefully among different political parties. This is particularly notable considering that prior to 1999, no civilian government had completed a full term without military intervention. The peaceful transitions in 2007, 2015, and 2023 are testaments to Nigeria’s evolving democratic maturity.
Electoral participation, while uneven, has also reflected a level of democratic engagement. In 2003, voter turnout stood at about 69 per cent, but this figure dropped to approximately 34.75 per cent in 2023, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Although the declining turnout raises concerns, it also highlights the increasing expectations of the electorate, who demand credible and transparent elections.
Another area of progress is the growth of a vibrant and free press. Nigerian media has played a crucial role in holding governments accountable and fostering public discourse. Investigative journalism and civil society activism have exposed corruption and human rights abuses. The rise of social media has further expanded the democratic space, enabling young Nigerians to mobilise and advocate for change, as evidenced by the 2020 #EndSARS protests.
Judicial independence has seen mixed results. On one hand, the judiciary has occasionally demonstrated resilience, such as in landmark rulings that overturned fraudulent elections or curtailed executive excesses. On the other hand, allegations of political interference and corruption within the judiciary persist, undermining public confidence in the legal system’s impartiality.
Nigeria’s democracy has also facilitated the decentralisation of power through the federal system. State governments now wield some autonomy, allowing for experimentation in governance and service delivery. While this has led to innovative policies in some states, it has also entrenched patronage networks and uneven development across the federation.
Despite these successes, Nigeria’s democratic journey faces formidable problems. Electoral integrity remains a critical concern. Reports from election observers, including those from the European Union and ECOWAS, frequently highlight issues such as vote-buying, ballot box snatching, and violence. The introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic transmission of results in 2023 elections showed promise, but technical glitches and alleged manipulations dampened public trust.
Corruption continues to be a pervasive issue. Nigeria ranks 145th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index, with a score of 25/100. Democratic institutions meant to check graft—such as anti-corruption agencies and the legislature—often struggle due to political interference and weak enforcement mechanisms.
Security challenges have also strained Nigeria’s democracy. Insurgency in the North East, banditry in the North West, separatist agitations in the South East, and herder-farmer conflicts across the Middle Belt have collectively resulted in thousands of deaths and displacements. According to the Global Terrorism Index 2024, Nigeria ranks as the eighth most impacted country by terrorism. The government’s difficulty in ensuring safety erodes public confidence in the state’s capacity and legitimacy.
The economy poses another critical remonstrance. Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita stands at approximately $2,400 as of 2024, with over 40 per cent of the population living below the national poverty line. High unemployment and inflation have fueled discontent and disillusionment with democratic governance, especially among youth. Without addressing economic grievances, the democratic dividend will remain elusive for many Nigerians.
Ethnic and religious divisions further complicate Nigeria’s democratic consolidation. Politicians often exploit identity politics for electoral gains, exacerbating social tensions. Although federal character principles aim to promote inclusiveness, they have also sometimes fostered a quota mentality rather than merit-based appointments.
Gender representation remains inadequate in Nigeria’s democratic institutions. Women occupy less than 10 per cent of seats in the National Assembly, one of the lowest rates globally. Efforts to pass gender parity bills have faced stiff resistance, highlighting deep-seated cultural and institutional barriers to female political participation.
Civil liberties, while constitutionally guaranteed, are under threat. Crackdowns on protesters, restrictions on press freedom, and surveillance of activists reveal an authoritarian streak within the democratic framework. The controversial Twitter ban in 2021 exemplified the country’s willingness to curb digital freedoms, prompting domestic and international criticism.
The political crisis in Rivers State embodies broader democratic struggles. Attempts to control the state through undemocratic means expose weaknesses in federal institutions and the rule of law. Immediate restoration of democratic governance in Rivers State is vital to preserving Nigeria’s democratic integrity and institutional credibility.
Local governments remain under the control of state governors, depriving citizens of grassroots democracy. Last year’s Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy is promising, but state-level resistance threatens its implementation. Genuine autonomy would bring governance closer to the people and foster democratic innovation.
As we mark Democracy Day, we must honour the sacrifices of Chief M.K.O. Abiola, Kudirat Abiola, Femi Falana, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Pa Alfred Rewane, President Bola Tinubu, and countless others, who fought for Nigeria’s freedom. As democracy in Nigeria continues to evolve after 26 years, this day should inspire action toward its renewal. With despotism and state failure as real threats, both citizens and leaders must take responsibility—citizens by demanding more, and leaders by delivering. Excuses are no longer acceptable.