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To begin a journey without a destination is the beginning of frustration and distraction. It makes every bus stop attractive. It makes focus impossible because there is no projected end to focus on. It is sign of mental illness to leave a point without a destination in mind.
As we sat on the 28th of September 1999 in the Auditorium of the Nigerian Law School, Bwari, Abuja, being called to prestigious Nigerian Bar, my mind again began to meditate on what the future held for me in this noble profession; particularly, how I would use the instrumentality of the profession to positively affect my society and be a hope to the hopeless, a voice to the oppressed and an eye to the blind.
This meditation did not begin in that Auditorium. It had been on since I began my relationship with the profession many years back, when I gained admission into the Lagos State University to pursue a degree in Law. Now the call to the Bar was the last hurdle in the tedious race of becoming a legal practitioner in Nigeria, and I was yet to have a clear picture of the purpose of my professional calling.
I was once faced with the temptation of thinking that there was a connection between the legal profession and public service. But many of my lecturers in the University dowsed that inclination. They did their best to convince me that the profession was conservative in nature. The impression created by their submission was that law practice was all about conforming to status quo.
The attitude of the mainstream of the profession to practitioners, who pitch their tents against the established norms in the society on the basis of the fact that they (norms) do no serve the interest of the people seemed to lay credence to my lecturers' position. I remember reading a judgment where a Chief Judge of Lagos State referred to a notable legal practitioner as a "Rabble Rouser" because of his stout anti-status quo stance. The Chief Judge accused this practitioner of acts unbecoming of a legal practitioner and sentenced him to one-year imprisonment for contempt of court.
One question that punctuated my soul searching for the purpose of a legal practitioner in Nigeria was: if the profession is conservative in nature and practitioners are called to conform to the status quo, how then does it become possible for a legal practitioner to be instrumental to the liberation of the people from the fangs of oppression, which has become their lots.
As that historical event of the 28th of September, 1999 progressed, the words of he first Nigerian Lawyer, Christopher Alexander Sapara William (19/7/1855 - 15/3/1915) who enrolled in Nigeria on Monday, January 30th 1888) suddenly cut through my probing mind: "The legal practitioner lives for the direction of his people and the advancement of the cause of his country." My recollection of these instructive words of wisdom gave me the final clue to the purpose of a legal practitioner in a developing nation. It is a purpose for which the legal practitioner's conscience and society would hold him accountable.
Immediately the reality of the purpose thrust on a legal practitioner by the founding father of the profession in Nigeria dawned on me, I began to ruminate on the state of the Nigerian nation. In the society today, the rights, hopes, yearnings and aspirations of the generality of the people are against every norm of civilization and respect for human dignity trampled upon with breath-taking impunity by the powers- that-be. It follows that anybody who wants to be a hope to the oppressed Nigerian people must inevitably clash with an Establishment that has held them in an excruciating political, social and economic captivity.
Rascoe Pound, (1870-1964), the great American sociological jurisprudence exponent has the following to say about the indispensable relevance of the legal practitioner to the social welfare of the society: "there is more in the profession than the traditional dignified calling. The term referred to a group of men pursuing a learned act as a common calling in the spirit of public service, no less a public service because it may incidentally be a means of livelihood. Pursuing of the learned act in the spirit of public service is the primary purpose. Historically there are three ideas involved in the profession: organisation, learning - pursuit of learned act, and a spirit of public service. These are essential."
Also, in a specific address to the African lawyers, the great African leader, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah addressing a conference on Legal Education held in Ghana Law School in January 4, 1962 declared, "The lawyer in a developing society must be something more than a practising professional man. He must be, in the fullest sense, a part of the society in which he lives and must understand that society, if he is to be able to participate in its development and the advancement of the economy and social well being of its members"
Thomas Jefferson, a legal practitioner, drafted the universal charter of freedom (the American Declaration of Independence) when the United States declared its independence from the British in 1776. This declaration, which has today become an eloquent reference point in the struggle for the respect of fundamental human rights the world over, has this as one of its major features: the power of a legitimate government must flow from the people. This explains why in Nigeria today, the people in exercising their right to choose their leaders (as propounded by Thomas Jefferson) did all within their powers despite brazen intimidation and persecution to show the military the way back to the barracks and we now enjoy "a government of the people, by the people and for the people".
Here in Nigeria, there is equally a legal practitioner, who has effectively and formidably demonstrated to the world that a legal practitioner is a social crusader. Of him Dr. D. G. Darah has the following to say: "…Chief Gani Fawehinmi, a fearless antagonist of irresponsible governments and lawlessness, a terror to corrupt magistrates and judges, a brilliant legal practitioner, a controversialist, a radical and intransigent moral reformer, a valiant crusader for fundamental human rights and liberties, an incorruptible patriot, a revolutionary guerrilla for justice and democracy."
History is replete with other great men like V. I. Lenin of the Soviet Union, Fidel Castro of Cuba, Mahatma Ghandhi of India, Obafemi Awolowo of Nigeria, Oliver Tambo and Nelson Mandela of South Africa, who employed their professional calling as legal practitioners as an effective tool of social engineering. These men paid dearly with their resources, freedom and in some cases, their precious lives, in their pursuit of "the learned act in the spirit of public service," which according to Rascoe Pound is the primary purpose of the noble profession of Law.
Having shed lucid light on the fact that the legal practitioner is by calling a social crusader, the need then arises to ask the question: what makes a legal practitioner a social crusader? In other words, what prompts him into becoming a social war monger?
The saying goes thus: "what you don't know, does not hurt you." The other side of this saying is: "what you know, hurts you." The legal practitioner knows. He is learned. By virtue of his professional training his eyes are wide open to what the others of the society do not see. His training makes a social navigator out of him because it enables him to develop a sight far beyond his nose. This gets him agitated about the ills in his society and his soul does not find rest if he does nothing about them (ills). Thus when the enlightened mind of the legal practitioner finds a catalyst in his personal conviction, an unrepentant and dogged crusader is born. He becomes a submissive slave of his own conscience and becomes completely uncomfortable when he keeps quiet in the face of injustice. This is what I will call, the irresistible driving effect of the practitioner's burden of knowledge.
Adebayo Williams, aptly captured the reason for the crusader in the legal practitioner in the following words: "A properly educated mind will refuse to accept crude tyranny, for to accept tyranny is an act of intellectual self-dispossession, long after the guns have been silenced, the supersonic boom of ideas, the thunderous artillery of thinking will continue to echo.
With all these on my mind, I left the Auditorium of the Nigerian Law School, Bwari Abuja with a straight and single eye on history and prosperity, with an unshaken determination to heed with all my heart and mind, the instructive words of the founding father of the legal profession in Nigeria, Christopher Alexander Sapara William: "The legal practitioner lives for the direction of his people and the advancement of the cause of his country." In this I know I will find fulfillment. So
help me God.
What else can I help you with?
How do you change or make laws?
The laws change but it depends what it is.The president has to sign the paper that's of what law wants to be changed.The laws change but it depends what it is.The president has to sign the paper that's of what law wants to be changed.
This law imposes potential liability on the host of a party if alcohol is served to an obviously intoxicated person or a minor?
social host
What is the relationship between temperature and consumption of oxygen?
According to the gas law (V=nRT/P), a change in temperature will cause a direct change in volume.
Did Emily Murphy do the same thing as nellie mcclung?
yes they did the same thing as each other for Canada and so did three other people. they worked together as a team, so they could change the law. yes they did the same thing as each other for Canada and so did three other people. they worked together as a team, so they could change the law. yes they did the same thing as each other for Canada and so did three other people. they worked together as a team, so they could change the law. yes they did the same thing as each other for Canada and so did three other people. they worked together as a team, so they could change the law. yes they did the same thing as each other for Canada and so did three other people. they worked together as a team, so they could change the law. yes they did the same thing as each other for Canada and so did three other people. they worked together as a team, so they could change the law. yes they did the same thing as each other for Canada and so did three other people. they worked together as a team, so they could change the law. yes they did the same thing as each other for Canada and so did three other people. they worked together as a team, so they could change the law.
Who made Nebraska's state motto?
That all men (and women) are equal in the eyes of the law without concern to: * Race. * Creed. * Color. * Religion. * Gender. * Or condition of servitude. * Social status. * Wealth.
Why Law as an instrument of social change?
Law is one aspect of "formal social control" which is based upon legal enforcement. Formal social controls are used when "informal social controls" don't provide social order. Informal social controls consist of interpersonal reactions such as a smile, frown or ridicule which are used in order to reinforce societal norms onto a group or individual.
Law as an instrument of social change?
Yes it is because laws can change people's opinion and people's opinion can change the laws. Most judiciary is elect by the people and they must have views that people want to vote for.
What is law and social conditions did King want to change?
king wanted to change the segregation
What is maintaining social control as away of function of law in the society?
This is talking about our social media and what we allow,"according to America" what we allowed in our broadcast.
What does the social function of the law includes?
The social function of law includes maintaining order in society, resolving disputes, protecting individual rights and freedoms, and promoting social justice and equality. It serves as a mechanism to regulate behavior and ensure that citizens adhere to established norms and rules for the betterment of society.
What is the course of study for Harvard Law School?
* Law and Government * Law and Business * International and Comparative Law * Law, Science and Technology * Law and Social Change
How does law facilitate economic development?
Law is deeply implicated in our economic, political, and social worlds. And so pursuit of social change invariably involves an engagement with law. Students who seek to understand how law can be harnessed for social change, or who wish to pursue careers as social change agents, are encouraged to follow the Law and Social Change Program of Study.
Should social policy change or affect the law?
yes it can because law avoid any illegal things
What impact do changing social values have on the criminal justice?
Criminal justice is the combination of the criminal law and social justice. When social values change, they can change the laws of a nation and how people interpret these laws. These things then indirectly change the criminal justice system.
What are the characteristics of social change?
Characteristics of Social Change:(1) Social change is universalIt means that social change is not confined to a particular society or group. It occurs in every society, sociologically, speaking an unchangeable society is considered as a dead society. Thus, no society is free from the impact of social change.(2)Speed of social change is related to time factorThe speed of social change is not uniform. It differs from period to period. In modern society the speed of social change is rapid or faster than traditional society.(3)Speed of social change is unequal and comparativeWe can argue that speed of social change is more or less similar in each society. It is slow in traditional society whereas it is rapid in modern society. In urban areas the speed of social change is faster than the rural areas.(4) Social change is an essential lawEssential law means a law which occurs and over which we have no control. It may be planned or not, it must occur.(5)Social change may be planned or unplannedPlanned changes are those which occur by some deliberate or conscious effort. On the other hand, unplanned change refers to the change which occurs without any deliberate effort like earth-quake, war, political revolution and other natural calamities. Thus, social change occurs both in planned and unplanned manner.(6)Social change may be short term or long termSome change brings immediate change which is known as short term change, like fashion, behavior of the individual etc. But other changes take years to produce result which is known as long term change. Custom, tradition, folkways, mores etc. are long term changes.(7)Social change lacks definite predictionPrediction means 'foretelling' in case of social change we are well aware of various factors but we cannot predict although it is a law. Definite prediction of social change is not possible, because what will the result of social change we cannot say.(8)Social change is a community changeSocial change does not refer to the change which occurs in the life of an individual or life pattern of individuals. It is a change which occurs in the entire community and that change can be called social change which influences a community form.(9) Social change is the result of the interaction of various factorsA single factor can trigger a particular change but never causes social change. It is always associated with other factors such as Cultural, Biological, Physical, Technological and others. It is due to the material interdependence of social phenomena.
Law as an instrument of social engineering?
Law can be used as a tool to shape and influence social behavior by setting boundaries, incentivizing certain actions, and deterring others. Through legislation and enforcement, lawmakers can design laws to promote specific social outcomes and address societal issues. By applying legal frameworks, society can be guided towards desired behavioral norms and values.
When was Social Law Library created?
Social Law Library was created in 1804.
