dc.description.abstract |
The purpose of the efficacy of the Human Rights Violation Investigation
Commission (Oputa Commission) in the Process of Transitional Justice (1966-
1999) is to explore the range of political and human rights problems that
confronted Nigeria from colonial times, exacerbated by military incursion into
governance in 1966. As the colonial period laid the foundation for ethnic and
religious politics, the period of military rule brought moral, physical and
institutional decay to Nigeria.
The motivations of these military rulers were not driven by service to the
country but personal gratification and accumulation of wealth. Corruption
assumed pandemic proportions. Military leaders not only looted the coffers of the
state but, like other dictators, their actions were above the law. They hounded,
terrorised and jailed journalists, academics, human rights activists and all those
who disagreed with them or their policies.
Attempts to deal with these various problems of governance, which
resulted in cases of gross violation of human rights, led to the Human Rights
Violation Investigation Commission (the Oputa Commission) being established
with a broad mandate to investigate past abuse and reconcile the peoples of
Nigeria, so that harmony could be restored.
The Oputa Commission, through its work, traversed the country and
brought to light gory tales of past abuse in such a way that no one could deny they
ever happened. The submissions received by the Commission revealed that all
ethnic clusters or regional groups in Nigeria felt marginalised and cheated in
federation. This general feeling of anger made the Commission’s work towards the
restoration of harmony in the country even more urgent and important.
The thesis will review Nigeria’s role to assess whether the country during
the period under review complied with its international human rights obligations.
The thesis finally discusses the lessons from the Oputa Commission as a
transitional justice mechanism for Nigerians, and perhaps other nations emerging
from war and/or human rights violations. This is important, considering the
challenges of unity and national development of the Nigerian State. A comparative analysis of other countries with a history of authoritarianism and human rights
violations will be made to evaluate whether the Oputa Commission achieved its
mandate. |
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