Being speech delivered by CDHR president, Comrade Kehinde Taiga during the World Human Rights Day.
SPEECH PRESENTED BY COMR. DR PRINCE KEHINDE TAIGA THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF COMMITTEE FOR THE DEFENCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS (CDHR) NIGERIA TODAY SATURDAY 11TH OF DECEMBER, 2021 AT THE 2021 HUMAN RIGHTS CONFERENCE AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING
Distinguished members of our noble organization, fellow NEC members, members of the high table, invited guests, media personnel present, ladies and gentlemen.
In my usual way, I must give all glory and honour to Almighty God for everything he is doing for us, especially for journey mercies to this conference from our respective destinations, and I trust that God in his mercies will lead us all back to our destinations safely.
Today is a remarkable day in the world calendar as together the whole world marks Human Rights Day.
Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December — the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
The UDHR is a milestone document which proclaims the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being – regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
Available in more than 500 languages, it is the most translated document in the world.
This year’s Human Rights Day theme “Equality: Reducing inequalities & Advancing Human Rights” relates to ‘Equality’ and Article 1 of the UDHR – “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”
The principles of equality and non-discrimination are at the heart of human rights. Basic human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more.
Today the whole world is reminded that everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination whatsoever.
And as CDHR Nigeria marks this year’s Human Rights Day with this history making conference focusing on the theme; Citizen’s participation in good governance for sustainable Development: Lagos State as case study, we are basically using it as a medium to train all members of our organization, all other Civil Society Organizations and interested public on Leadership and Capacity building.
It is important that we as citizens of our dear country, must know that without our collective and active participation in governance we won’t be able to get the desired development as a nation.
A collective commitment that must be void of selfishness, corrupt tendencies, deceit and injustice, marginalization, but must be driven with unity of purpose, transparency, accountability and respect to the rule of law with the view of making life better for ourselves as a nation.
As citizens, we have to co-create good governance, we cannot outsource it and hope to be passively happy consumers. Like everything worth its while, good governance must be earned.
So, as members of Civil Society Organization like ours and others, we must be willing and ready to play our role in the polity of our country. And playing our part in the process starts with everyone of us getting registered for our permanent voters card (PVC), canvass many around us to also register.
And by so doing, we will be able to participate actively by voting the best at all levels with the mind that our votes will surely count.
I will like to use this time to commend the Nigerian Navy for their courageous effort in the making of our locally made Navy Ships, it is a great step in the right direction. We therefore call on the Federal Government to continue to give massive and transparent support to our local content creators in all fields of life across the nation, so that we can make judicious use of the massive talents in this country.
I call on the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government to declare state of emergency on security in our nation, as the insecurity bedevling us is getting to a serious high with the recent acts of bandits killing at least 16 worshippers in a mosque at Ba’are village in Mashegu local government area of Niger state, the sad incidence of unknown gun men killing the commissioner for Science and Technology Rabe Nasir at his residence in Katsina State and others that time will fail me to mention.
All of these happenings are enough reason for the Federal Government of Nigeria to declare a State of emergency on security.
We also call on the Federal Government to increase the manpower and welfare of the Nigerian Police and other security agencies, so that they can continue to carry out their responsibility without the mind of insufficient appreciation from the State.
CDHR calls on the Inspector General of Police Usman Alkali Baba as we head towards another festive season to as a matter of urgency send the necessarily signals to some of his officers who have turned our highways and roads to contribution collection units where Nigerians are extorted of monies to put an end to such unholy and evil act, especially some Police Officers from the Edo State Command that have turned Benin-Ore road to money making avenue, they must put an end to it now.
Benjamin Franklin once said and I quote “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”, And the only way to get knowledge is through education. No wonder our dearly beloved and one of the greatest African Freedom fighters Nelson Mandela said “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. It’s not therefore new to us all that education is the key or should I say the first step for people to gain the knowledge, critical thinking, empowerment and skills they need to make this world a better place.
But today, we are witnessing a very little investment from successive Federal Government after the time and days of our rare gem Obafemi Awolowo. Today’s politicians have turned blind eyes to our schools, that’s why you will see in Lagos State many cases of Primary and Secondary School in bad state. Not to mention how deplorable the state of many other schools in the northern, eastern and some western part of our nation are as many of them don’t have access to writing materials, good structures among many other factors.
It is a situation where politicians loot the money that is meant to make our schools better and use the same stolen funds to send their wards to the best private and foreign schools so that they can get quality education.
And good governance is the only driving force that can make our politicians do the right thing with the view of creating a better future for us. We must also not forget that Research is the bedrock of scientific innovations, but it is sad to know that research work are not well funded in our higher institutions.
We therefore make a passionate cry to our political elites to prioritize investing more in our education sector, so that we can get the best enabling platform that will make our school a fertile grounds of inventors and developers of the future.
We must commend the effort of the Nigerian Police Force over the quest for justice in the unfortunate events that resulted to the painful death of the late young and promising Sylvester Oromoni, it will be a great Joy to see that justice is served to whoever is found wanting in the case.
I must commend the tireless efforts of our Planning Committee ably Chaired by our National Treasurer Comr Roy Olokungboye, Comr Ojo Kayode Olajide who is our moderator of today as the Secretary and other members of the Committee. Comr Roy whose leadership prowess and unfettered commitment as the Chairman of this Conference Planning Committee has made today a reality.
Comr Roy as a symbol of strength and courage in our continuous struggle in making CDHR a better place is a formidable leader not just here in Lagos State alone but across the entire organization, I salute you and the entire members of the Committee greatly.
And to all our members who have travelled from different part of the nation, I salute your
doggedness and determination to getting more knowledge that will make us all a better Human Rights Comrade especially in the area of good governance.
As we continue in this conference, I want to encourage us all to utilize this opportunity as a means to network among ourselves so that we can create the needed synergy that will help us continue to succeed in our continuous fight for the defence of the fundamental Human Rights of our Nigerian people.
Thank you very much for your rapt attention, and I wish us all a successful Conference.
God bless us all!
God bless CDHR!!
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!!
