The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has charged young advocates to leverage public interest litigation to bring about a just society in Niger Delta region.
The Deputy Director, SERAP, Kolawole Oluwadare, gave the charge in his opening remarks at a one-day interactive session with young advocates and passionate Nigerians from across the Niger Delta and launch of SERAP’s first Strategic and Public Interest Litigation Lab(LitigaLab), held on Saturday, in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.
“The aim of this interactive session is to strengthen your capacity in using public interest and strategic litigation as a tool for social justice.
“The session which also doubles as capacity enhancement engagement is to raise the consciousness and enhance the capacities of young advocates, which consists of lawyers, students in tertiary institutions, accountability club and those who love accountability and use of strategic litigation in bringing social justice in Nigeria, particularly in Niger Delta.
“What we look forward to at the end of this conversation is to have more Nigerians who don’t only understand socio justice but also understand how to use public interest litigation to achieve social justice.
“We are looking forward to a new breed of young advocates who are able to hold government accountable using public interest litigation.
” I consider this a peer review session, a learning session. After these conversations, we will be able to leave here much more better informed about why SERAP does what it is doing every time and how you people can take it and do it in your own way”, Oluwadare said.
Similarly, SERAP’s trainer, Festus Ogun Esq, while speaking on the topic, “Legal Basis and Constitutional Frameworks for PIL”, said that the youths as agent of change in society play a unique and powerful role in driving efforts, especially through public interest litigation, by leveraging their energy, digital savvy, and moral clarity to.challenge systemic injustices and demand responsible governance.
He advised the participants to add their voices and get involved in SERAP’s effort in mobilising natural resource communities on using strategic litigation to achieve social justice in Niger Delta.
Furthermore, he urged them to work in synergy with the organisation to realize human right, end discrimination, advance gender equality, reduce corruption, protect constitutional rights and promote justice for the marginalised in the Niger region
“We have taught you how to deploy the use of public interest advocacy, public interest litigation, use of research, use of Freedom of Information Act to demand accountability and transparency from leaders in the Niger Delta region.
“Leaving here, I expect that you will hit the ground running . There are so many issues of corruption, injustice, transparency, accountability that is on going in the Niger Delta region.
“We want to see after now how you put all of this knowledge that we have shared today or imparted on you today. We want to see that the knowledge are put into use”, he said.
Also speaking, Legal Adviser, SERAP, Valentine Adegoke, stressed the need for the young advocates to engage in public interest litigation.
She said, “Today, we have learned public interest litigation, the approach, constitutional framework, who can file, where to file, how to file, the procedure for filing, the processes .
“You see learning is just one thing. Action, putting what we have learnt here into practice is the most important thing.
” I would love all of us to go back to our various places, homes, schools, law firms to spread the message and study more on public interest litigation.
” It is important that we engage in it. You can partner organisations that are into public interest litigation like SERAP to deepen your knowledge. Social justice is a fight for all. As lawyers, young advocates, law students, we can act.
” It is our responsibility to take action.
” You can write FOI either individually or come together/ jointly to write FOI to demand accountability and social justice in your various places and communities.
“You can always reach out to us to help you review it, guide you how to do it. If you don’t want to do it alone for fear of victimisation we can co-write it with you. It is not enough to act, we need to sustain ourselves to conclusion. When you start an action for social justice it is in your best interest and best interest of the people we are fighting for to sustain it to the end”, she maintained.
