Nigeria’s fourth republic has failed to deliver dividends of democracy – Ladoja 

Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja (Arusa1), the Olubadan of Ibadanland

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has lamented that Nigeria’s Fourth Republic has failed to deliver key democratic dividends to many citizens, particularly in education, the rule of law and security, despite 26 years of uninterrupted democratic governance.

Ladoja made the remarks on Thursday at the 23rd Annual Daily Trust Dialogue held at the Nigerian Air Force Conference Centre, Kado, Abuja.

The monarch questioned the inability of successive governments to guarantee access to basic education for Nigerian children, warning that the growing number of out-of-school children poses a serious threat to the country’s future.

“Government has not made education a guaranteed right. Today, many of our children are out of school. Should this be happening in Nigeria at this point in our democratic journey? Can we not guarantee education for all our children?” he queried.

According to him, no nation can achieve sustainable development while denying a significant portion of its population access to education, stressing that the consequences would be felt for generations.

Ladoja also called for continuous constitutional and legal reforms, arguing that Nigeria must keep refining its laws until they genuinely serve the interests of the people.

He noted that law-making responsibilities should not rest solely with the National Assembly, pointing out that state houses of assembly and local governments equally possess constitutional powers to enact laws capable of improving citizens’ welfare.

Expressing concern over the state of the rule of law, the traditional ruler cited inconsistent interpretation and application of laws as major obstacles to justice and accountability.

“I have spoken with lawyers who say we cannot even guarantee what the law means, because today’s interpretation may change tomorrow. That level of uncertainty weakens the rule of law,” he said.

Ladoja further raised security concerns, referring to incidents where citizens are accidentally killed by law enforcement agents and claims by security operatives that criminal groups are often better equipped than those mandated to protect the public.

He said Nigeria must confront these challenges decisively to build a democratic system that truly reflects the aspirations of its people, noting that while the Fourth Republic has endured for over two decades, its full promise remains largely unrealised due to persistent governance, economic and security shortcomings.

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