Lawyer advocates for civil society organisations, media to hold leaders accountable
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Malam Yusuf Ali, emphasised the important role of civil society organisations and media in keeping the nation’s leaders accountable for good governance.
Speaking at the 2024 Ramadan Lecture organised by The Companion, an Islamic organisation, at Lagos State University Ojo, Ali stressed the necessity of staying vigilant and engaged with government affairs to bring about positive change.
During the lecture themed “The Role of Stakeholders in Resolving the Challenges Facing Nigeria, How Far, So Far,” Ali urged people not to turn a blind eye to issues in the government, as active participation is crucial for improvements to be made.
“The civil society organisations should keep the leaders on their toes to right the wrongs.
“The media should live up to their calling and subject the government to critical examination of its policies, thereby making the government to be responsive,” he said.
He said that the problem of banditry and insurgency, among others in the country, with attendant loss of lives, was troubling.
Ali called on government at all levels to continue to improve the nation’s security formation to ensure safety of lives and property in the country.
Speaking at the event that was spiced up with Quran recitation, the Coordinator, Companion, Alhaji Kamor Ogunfowora said that the body had only one agenda — to ensure family welfare.
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According to him the body, apart from preaching the scripture, has continued to engage in intervention programmes in areas that impact people positively, such as construction of community toilets
“The 2024 edition of the Ramadan coincided with the time the nation is passing through difficult times as a result of hard economic experience, banditry and other social undoings.
“Companion, as a stakeholder in nation building, has, aside from its core devotion, deemed it fit to enlist quest for the national question as the focus of its Ramadan lecture with a view to contributing to national discuss toward proffering solutions to social challenges,” he said.
Ogunfowora, a Special Assistant to Ogun Governor on Physical Planning, said that the organisation had more pro-life intervention to execute in the state, but the dearth of fund had been its challenge.
The humanitarian cleric, appealed to individuals, corporate bodies, donor agencies to assist the organisation with fund to enable it complete many of its projects, including an Islamic centre.
The faith based organisation offered medical care and food items to assist people involved in the Ramadan fast.
With focus on youth and women welfare the group, annually, at Ramadan engages qualified medical personnel and purchases drugs and food items to assist people, especially the less privileged.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this year’s event drew people from across the state.
Some beneficiaries with ailments were provided with drugs, given reading glasses and referred to hospitals.
Cereals, dairy products, and others were also given to faithful.
