Poverty and Unequal Access to Justice by the Poor in Nigeria: Lessons from other Jurisdictions In Nationalism and Economic Justice in Nigeria
| dc.contributor.author | *Animashaun O.O.* | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-05-07T11:39:08Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-05-07T11:39:08Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2014 | |
| dc.description.abstract | The global financial crises have enlarged the rank and multiplied the suffering of the poor significantly. The power elites who are the architect of the crises have created safe pathway for their rank while the poor and the middle class bear the brunt of the problem. In Nigeria, evidence abound that the poor and the disadvantaged are vulnerable to various human rights abuses. One of such is the unequal access to justice that undermines the possibility of equality in society. It is against this backdrop that this treatise examines obstacles the poor faces in accessing justice and proposes some ways in which these problems may be addressed. The article highlights various social, political and legal obstacles that are peculiar to the poor; and those that, though are applicable to the affluent, but create more problems for the poor because of his status. The article goes on to analyse the concept of fundamental rights as enshrined in the 1999 Nigerian Constitution and the impact on the rights of the poor to access justice. Furthermore, the article evaluates the capabilities of the court system as a whole, as well as the judiciary, and identifies the principle of independence as the main requirement. The article also examines the institutional and procedural obstacles that the poor encounters when seeking justice and suggests policy responses for overcoming them in order to avert anarchy in the society. However, if for whatever reason, this access to redress from injustice is denied, the poor’s hope is automatically dashed and they become disillusioned and lose confidence in the whole system. In most cases, they take the laws into their own hands and resort to violence and self-help. Ethnic Militias such as Egbesu boys, Bakassi boys, Odua People’s Congress, election related violence, “Operation Wet-e”, pipeline vandalisation in the Niger Delta, even coup d’état have been linked with injustice. Drawing inspirations from other jurisdictions, the article explains why justice is so important for poor people and introduces a broad range of responses in the areas of legal and institutional reforms. | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Animashaun O.O (2014): Poverty and Unequal Access to Justice by the Poor in Nigeria: Lessons from other Jurisdictions In Nationalism and Economic Justice in Nigeria. Yunusa K. Salami, JO Famakinwa & Gbenga Fasiku (eds.) 138-165. Ile Ife: OS.: Published by Department of Philosophy, Obafemi Awolowo University Press. ISBN: 978-136-661-6 | |
| dc.identifier.issn | 978-136-661-6 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://kwasuspace.kwasu.edu.ng/handle/123456789/6896 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Department of Philosophy, OAU/Obafemi Awolowo University Press | |
| dc.title | Poverty and Unequal Access to Justice by the Poor in Nigeria: Lessons from other Jurisdictions In Nationalism and Economic Justice in Nigeria | |
| dc.type | Book chapter |