Senior lawyer and constitutional reform advocate Olisa Agbakoba has called for a renewed national conversation on Nigeria’s future, arguing that the country’s challenges extend beyond constitutional provisions to issues of leadership, national unity and respect for the rule of law.
Speaking on Arise TV on July 1, Agbakoba said constitutional safeguards alone cannot prevent abuses of power if political leaders choose to disregard them.
“You can have the best constitution. You can have the best guarantees, but some guy comes in and absolutely breaks all the rules,” he said.
The former Nigerian Bar Association president acknowledged that existing constitutional safeguards have often failed and questioned how Nigeria should respond to those shortcomings.
Citing the late statesman Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Agbakoba said the country must first address fundamental questions about its identity and future.
“You remember that the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo asked two questions. The first question he asked was: Do we want to be one country?” he said.
Agbakoba argued that the question remains central to debates on constitutional reform, restructuring and national cohesion, urging an honest dialogue and stronger institutions to safeguard democracy and accountable leadership.
