'What is Activism' (2) By Adesina Ogunlana

THE LEARNED SQUIB

This piece ought to have been published last week. But I never did, simply because I forgot to write it. Instead what I wrote and published was: “The 6 virgins.” Don’t mind me. I am no virgin myself.

So what is activism? Before we answer this question, let us know the position of the Chief Judge. According to Alabi C.J, the bar or the bench is not a place for anybody to practice activism. Activism according to the Chief Judge may be good on the pages of a newspaper, on the television but, it is not acceptable in the legal profession.

From the Chief Judge’s statement, it appears that whereas a journalist can be an activist, a lawyer or a judge should not be.
So who is an activist? What is activism? And why is it that activism is proper in journalism but is improper in the legal profession?
Activism, or social activism, to my mind, is an individual or group’s reaction to a state of affairs in any community, with a view of making same better, or eradicating it, if an evil, by way of specific moves to achieve the objective.

Social changes can be effected in two main broad ways - peacefully or martially. The peaceful means include discussions, negotiations, mediations, litigations etc., while martial means may range from mild confrontation modes such as street demonstrations, rallies, petitions, strikes and boycotts to high confrontation modes such as military sabotage, assassinations, kidnappings, fights, unrests, shoot-outs and ultimately wars.

An activist, contrary to facile understanding is not a trouble-maker or a criminal. He is a challenger of a set of social, economic, even political relations in society, considered inimical to the progress of the society or to the progress of a section of society. Unfortunately, adversaries of activists don’t see any good in them because they fail to appreciate the goals of the activists. That is why it is said; ‘one man’s liberation fighter is another man’s terrorist.’
An activist, a genuine one only wants a better society that he met or lived in. If this is true, why should activism be an anathema in the legal profession?
We all know that the legal profession is not in the pristine state of paradise. There are so many warts all over it. Corruption, inefficiency and of course injustice are very well established in the bosom of the legal profession in Nigeria.
Now how can such a profession be made better, if the wish of Honourable Justice Alabi should prevail?

According to Justice Alabi, the legal profession is conservative and tradition bound - but what exactly does that mean? Does it mean that such a profession is perfect and is it a crime to make criticisms in such a profession?

I cannot find myself in agreement with the Chief Judge. One may tolerate his lordship’s position a little if his position is that efforts at making the legal profession better should not take a violent or martial turn. But to say that criticisms of a sorry state of affairs or peaceful engagements such as frank discussions and bold revelations of misdeeds in the profession are improper, is in fact an extreme and violence-inspiring position to hold.
True activists are really gems that society should appreciate and revere. They are Benthamites who sacrifice their time, resources, comfort and even risk their lives to ensure that it is a better society they left than they met.

Activists demand for ideals and virtues in society. If according to Alabi C.J they have a place in a profession like journalism, why should they be outcasts in the legal profession and justice sector?