The last time I checked, February 20 each year remained the World Day of Social Justice. This implies that, today, the world is commemorating the laudable event.
The World Summit for Social Development was held in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1995 and resulted in the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action regarding Social Justice.
Nearly ten years later, precisely in February 2005, the United Nations’ (UN) Member States reviewed the Declaration when they gathered at a session of the Commission for Social Development in New York, U.S.A.
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Subsequently, on 26th November 2007, the UN General Assembly named February 20 as the annual World Day of Social Justice. The day was scheduled to be first observed in the year 2009.
On that day, the General Assembly urged the leaders of the various Member States to allow their citizens to exercise their civic responsibilities as well as grant them their respective entitlements irrespective of background, status, or age.
At such a time like this, we as a people are expected to do everything humanly possible towards ensuring that credible elections are being upheld in our various societies or jurisdictions.
An election is a process in which people or the public choose a person or group of persons to hold an official position through voting or ballot paper.
In the same vein, a credible election, in a concise term, could be described as an election in which no one is disenfranchised and no iota of injustice is employed. It can equally be described as an election where each of the electorate is entitled to equal rights, and no foul play is witnessed.
On the other hand, social justice is a situation in which individuals or citizens of a certain society are allowed to fulfill their civil obligations as well as receive what is due for them.
Social justice, which is a justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society, assigns rights and duties in the institutions of a given society which enables people to receive the basic benefits and burdens of cooperation.
Considering the significance of social justice, no doubt, it is only by the acknowledgement of its existence, that, a free, fair and credible election would be guaranteed in any country or organization. This is why thorough practice of social justice is required by any nation that claims to possess a good number of true democrats.
It was Abraham Lincoln who said in 19th May 1856, that, “The ballot is stronger than the bullet.” Furthermore, in his first inaugural address as the President of the United States of America (U.S.A) in March 4, 1861, he said, “This country with its institutions belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to dismember it or overthrow it.”
To this end, it is high time the aspirants of any forthcoming election in Nigeria or elsewhere started playing politics of vision to be accompanied by mission with the view that the electorate are the major determinant in every election regardless of its nature/level, rather than the usual alleged believe that the polls do not require the participation of the people for an election to take place, or be successful.
On their part, the electorate ought to comprehend that the future of their country lies in their bare hands by ensuring they concentrate on the real visions of the respective aspirants instead of laying emphasis on his/her ethnic, social, political, or religious affiliation.
They must, therefore, endeavour to focus on the aspirant’s antecedents and background, contrary to the ongoing tradition where aspirants are scrutinized based on their affiliations.
In his words, John Quincy Adams said, “Always vote for principle; though you may vote alone, you shall live to cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.”
Also, in his speech, Woody Allen stated, “We stand today at a crossroad: one path leads to despair and utter hopelessness while the other leads to total extinction. Let us hope we have the wisdom to make the right choice.”
In Nigeria for instance, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which stands as the sole umpire for elections in the country, as well as the various states’ electoral commissions, should in their corporate capacities not attempt to compromise the confidence majority of Nigerians have in them.
By acknowledging the fact that many Nigerians have become skeptical over the effectiveness of elections in Nigeria due to the porosity of the ones conducted in the past, it’s therefore the responsibility of the INEC to prove to the doubtful electorate, beyond reasonable doubts, that subsequent elections in their respective jurisdictions would be the best of its kind in the history of the country. Such measure if taken seriously would help tremendously to eliminate the enormous apathy witnessed among the electorate.
As the world celebrates the World Day of Social Justice, there is need for all concerned, particularly electoral stakeholders such as the civil society, religious bodies and the mass media, at all levels, to strengthen the ongoing awareness on the need to exercise free, fair and credible polls.
As regards this, we are expected to continually preach the gospel of “One man, one vote”, and the need for every Nigerian to participate actively at the polls.
We shouldn’t forget that, for us to actualize the future we dream of, all hands must surely be on deck; else, we will end up actualizing a goal we never wished to behold.
To this end, I appeal to all concerned, particularly the relevant authorities, to always have the interest of their country at heart whenever the people are prepared to cast their votes at the polls.
All in all, the people must note that if they failed to do the needful, they shall all live to exclaim “Had I known” which invariably comes at last.