Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has berated governors in the Southwest over what he described as failed governance, infrastructural decay, and reckless mismanagement of public funds.

Falana, speaking on Wednesday as a panelist at the 2025 National Conference of Egbe Amofin O?dua, held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, accused state governments in the region of abandoning the people for personal enrichment, a sharp departure from the legacy of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

The conference, themed ?Regional Justice, Security and Sustainable Development,? brought together several senior legal practitioners and stakeholders, including Dr. Wahab Shittu (SAN), Mrs. Titilayo Akinlawon (SAN), Chief Olumuyiwa Akinboro (SAN), and Mr. Kayode Akinremi, Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abeokuta branch.

Falana condemned what he described as misplaced priorities and wasteful expenditures by governors in the region, particularly criticising Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, for allocating N63bn for the rehabilitation of the Government House.

?The governor of Oyo State, who comes to work from his private residence, now wants to rehabilitate the government house with N63bn, an amount that can provide good roads and electricity across the state,? he said.

He also took a swipe at the Lagos State government, alleging that the state House of Assembly spent N45bn on utility vehicles in four years and was planning another N20bn allocation for the same purpose, even as large parts of the state suffer neglect.

The human rights lawyer said the Southwest region may continue to regress unless political leaders, both at the state and local government, stay honest with the people and prioritise good governance and service to the people.

Falana added, ?We are always quick to shout about the misappropriation and reckless spending of public funds in Abuja but in Lagos, after spending N45bn to procure SUVs in the first four years, the state House of Assembly is planning to spend another N20bn on the purchase of utility vehicles, yet the people are wallowing in poverty.?

The activist lawyer warned that the region was regressing due to widespread poverty, decaying education, and a lack of vision-driven leadership.

Falana added, ?Ikorodu has been submerged in the last three days. If it were to be abroad, they would be using the helicopter to go and drop food for the victims, but what is being done for the people? Nothing.

?Similarly, the governor of Oyo State, who comes to work from his house now, wants to rehabilitate the government house with N63bn ? the amount that is enough to provide good roads and electricity for the state.?

?While people in Ikorodu have been submerged for days, no real emergency response has been provided. Abroad, they would deploy helicopters for food drops. But here, nothing,? Falana lamented.

He pointed out that none of the Southwest states is up-to-date in accessing the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) funds, even as out-of-school children in Nigeria have ballooned to 18.3 million.

He said, ?Education is in bad shape; there is no Southwest today that is up-to-date in accessing the UBEC fund. There are 18.3 million out-of-school children, including children from the Southwest.

?Today, the roads in the Southwest are terrible; infrastructurally, we are not there. Unfortunately, when they now want to flag off a road that they will not even complete, you will see them making so much noise, doing a ceremony; there is a need for a rethink.?

He added, ?Our children are now running to miracle centres. Only the children of the privileged few are still in school, while the region?s commonwealth is being privatized before our very eyes.?

Falana also raised concerns over the growing influence of touts and street gangs in the region.

?Area boys have taken over the Southwest ? from Lagos to Abeokuta, even in the rural areas. You buy land, and you pay them to lay the foundation and to roof your building,? he said.

?Our children are no longer going to school. You can?t buy a piece of land now and enjoy peaceful possession. As you are laying the foundation, you will see them. When you want to roof the building, you will see them again.

?Go and look at the results of WAEC now. Two years ago, Ekiti came 28th, one year ago, Oyo and Osun came 28th and 27th. What is happening to us in the Southwest?

?Our children now run to the miracle centres; the children are not going to schools again. Only children of the privileged few are going to school because of poverty, yet the commonwealth of our region is being privatised right before our very eyes.?

He challenged legal practitioners to be more proactive in holding political leaders accountable, revealing that federal lawmakers inserted 11,000 constituency projects worth N6.9 trillion into the 2025 budget.

He charged, ?For the 2025 budget, Senators and members of the House of Representatives inserted 11,000 constituency projects valued at N6.9trn.

?As lawyers, you must do more than sit and watch. Ask these lawmakers where the projects are cited and, if they are not giving any satisfactory answers, take them to court.?

In his keynote address, former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN), called on legal practitioners to uphold justice, equity, and the rule of law. He praised the late former Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, for initiating the Amotekun Corps, noting the need for greater inter-state collaboration to boost the security outfit?s capacity.

?The governments of the region must engage their people regularly and respond to their needs rather than initiating projects that are of no immediate relevance. The region is blessed with fertile land and a vibrant population. Youth empowerment must be a top priority,? Olujinmi said.

President of Egbe Amofin O?dua, Mr. Isiaka Olagunju (SAN), urged members to protect and defend Yoruba heritage, expressing concern over narratives portraying Lagos as ?no man?s land.?

Similarly, the leader of the Oodua Peoples Congress, Chief Gani Adams, advocated restructuring and true federalism as sustainable solutions to insecurity and economic instability across Nigeria.

Chairman of the conference planning committee, Mr. Olusegun Fabunmi (SAN), said a follow-up committee would be constituted to ensure that key resolutions ? especially those on regional security and economic integration ? are presented to relevant authorities for implementation. (The PUNCH)

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