2023 World Human Rights Day: NLI Founder, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo Unveils Bold Strategy to Combat Human Rights Violations Globally

Founder of the Nations Leadership Institute (NLI), Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, has proposed a ‘multi-dimensional strategy’ to address incessant cases of human rights violations in Nigeria and worldwide.

He made this known while speaking as a Guest Speaker at a symposium organized by the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights, CDHR, Kwara State Chapter, on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, at the NLC Secretariat, Ilorin.

Recall that the Kwara State chapter of the CDHR kick-started the 2023 Human Rights Day with the theme, “Consolidating and Sustaining Human Rights Culture Into The Future” on Friday, December 8, 2023. CDHR members paid courtesy visits to the Kwara office of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) in Ilorin.

The Kwara CDHR Chairman, Comrade Afolabi Lukman, on Saturday, December 9, appeared on NTA Ilorin, where he discussed prevailing human rights issues and this year’s theme. He also led the CDHR team to Diamond FM Ilorin on Sunday, December 10, 2023, to dissent same.

During his presentation, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo said, “To consolidate the gains and address the challenges of human rights violations, I propose a multi-dimensional strategy as follows: strengthening state institutions like the National Human Rights Commission, Public Complaints Commission, and the Judiciary to ensure that laws and policies on human rights are effectively implemented.

“We need to ensure continuous dialogue between the government, CSOs, NGOs, and the citizenry to foster understanding and cooperation. We need to invest in education that instills the values of human rights from an early age, creating a culture of respect and dignity.”

He also called for leveraging digital media to mobilize, educate, and empower citizens on human rights. “This could be used effectively as a sustaining instrument of the culture of Human Rights. The example of this was witnessed during the ENDSARS crisis in Nigeria.”

“It is true that society is dynamic, but regression is not a positive dynamism. If the thinkers of old believed that man must leave the nasty state of nature for one that is more accommodating, preserving human dignity and love; recent developments point to a direction of going back to the ignoble past. There is a need to get worried about whether human rights will survive the coming onslaught on human dignity, compassion, justice, peace, and fairness,” he concluded.

Other speakers at the event were Barrister (Mrs.) Jumoke Olaoye, Kwara State Coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), and Comrade Yomi Clement Adeboye, the General Manager of Kwara State Printing and Publishing Corporation (Publisher of Herald newspaper).

Dignitaries at the event were Barrister Gambari, the Ilorin branch Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA); Comrade Muritala Olayinka Saheed, the Kwara State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC); and Comrade Michael Olanrewaju, the General Manager of Diamond FM.

Others included representatives of the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Kwara State Comptroller of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).