The Ford Foundation West Africa’s Regional Director, Dr. ChiChi Aniagolu-Okoye, has underlined how important the rule of law is to establishing socioeconomic stability and good governance in Nigeria.
Speaking at the Nigerian Bar Association’s (NBA) 2024 Annual Law Week, Enugu State Chapter, Dr. Aniagolu-Okoye pointed out that bolstering the rule of law will help tackle Nigeria’s present socio-economic problems, including as a slowing GDP growth rate and rising inflation.
According to Dr. Aniagolu-Okoye, “socioeconomic development is built upon the rule of law.” “It ensures human rights, equality, equity, and the preservation of fundamental liberties—all of which are critical for drawing in investments, fostering economic expansion, and lowering poverty.”
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A society governed by the rule of law is crucial to socio-economic development, which includes social conditions of equality, stable economic growth, the guarantee of fundamental freedoms, employment and investment opportunities, access to social services, and predictability in terms of social order and security. This is due to the fact that in order to provide residents and investors the confidence to prosper economically, the rules governing business, service delivery, and human relations must be perceived as just and genuine.
Additionally, Dr. Aniagolu-Okoye emphasized the vital role that attorneys and the NBA can play in advancing good governance and the rule of law in Nigeria. She exhorted attorneys to act quickly and hold people in authority accountable.
Dr. Aniagolu-Okoye stated, “The NBA has a unique opportunity to shape the course of Nigeria’s history.” “Lawyers can contribute to the establishment of a society in which every Nigerian can live with dignity, hope, and prosperity by advancing the rule of law and good governance.”
