Impact of Nigerian legal system on the administration of social justice: A critical analysis

Abstract

In modern societies there are laws, rules and regulations and corresponding system of enforcement. Nigeria had centuries ago adopted the received English law, enacted several legislation and the Constitution with a view to regulating all kinds of human activities. Apropos, the Nigerian Legal system consists of all the laws and the Constitution made to serve different purposes including the establishment of organs of government, institutions that constitute the fulcrum for the prescription of rights, duties, obligations and remedies arising from any breach. On the part of the government certain basic amenities are expected to be provided for the citizens as guaranteed under chapter II of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria known as fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy. Complementing the provisions of chapter II are the federal character principles and the social objectives injected into the Constitution, all designed to enthrone justice, equality, equity, fairness, access and opportunity to participate in governance etc. This paper has therefore, with the aid of case law and statutory provisions critically examined the performance of the organs and institutions of government in relation to the administration of social justice in Nigeria. In another breadth the paper looked at the impact of government policies in ensuring that the parameters of social justice are reasonably applied by government, institutions as well as individuals. Finally, the impact of large scale corruption in all the facets of Nigerian Society as an impediment in the administration of social justice was examined. Government policies should be fashioned or modeled towards captivating the good of the people in all ramifications.