Nigeria has a checkered human rights record. Whether in the military or civil regimes, human rights have always been violated in Nigeria with impunity. Reports from Amnesty International and World Human Rights Reports 2020 indicate deplorable human rights situation in Nigeria at present. Rights of individuals in Nigeria whether as a citizen, employee, tenants, spouse, customer etc are grossly abused on daily basis. Part of the reason for this is not just because of the people’s ignorance of their inalienable rights, the corrupt justice system in the land, poverty or the adverse socio-cultural environment but also because of the absence or the insincerity of human rights activists in Nigeria.
Human rights activism in Nigeria as exposed by the apparent taciturnity of those who claim to be on the side of the masses in the face of the obnoxious policies and violations of the present regime is characterized by hypocrisy, sectionalism, showmanship and partisanship. Those who claim to be human rights activist are mostly rent-seeking and self-seeking, dissemblers, political contractors, pettifoggers and ethnic jingoist.
However, in the midst of the pack, there are still some genuine human rights activists who are committed to their vocation. And one of those who is sincere and in the forefront in advocating for and promotion of human rights and social justice in Nigeria today is Ahmed Isah, the Ordinary President and proprietor of the Human Rights Radio, who has been doing wonderfully well in civil advocacy, investigation of right abuses, arbitration, remediation among others. Apart from human rights activism, Ahmed Isah is a humanitarian and a philanthropist who has empowered countless number of individuals. As an operator in the third sector, he had forged workable partnership with organizations and engaged in many corroborative programs to build capacity in aid of the members of the vulnerable groups in the country.
He is into real civil advocacy, rights protection and promotion. His programs have mass appeal. Every day, millions of Nigerians from all walks of life listen to his radio programs everywhere because of the peculiarities of the cases he handles. In the morning on the way to work, in the evening on the way home, in the public transport in the taxi everybody listen to Ahmed Isah’s Human Rights Radio. It is like the National Station. Through his radio station, he has provided a veritable platform for people to be heard. People come from everywhere not just Abuja and its contiguous states but every nook and cranny of the nation to human rights radio to be heard and to seek redress. His station is the real voice of the voiceless and Ahmed Isah is the defender of the defenseless.
His methods are effective and it is a significant departure from the showmanship and braggadocio associated with human rights activism in Nigeria. He interfaces directly and effectively with the vulnerable groups—the poor, the sick, the hungry, the oppressed, the helpless, the marginalized, the voiceless, the underprivileged inter alia. And he gives them result, succor, support, care, hope etc.
Ahmed Isah is an archetype of a human rights activist who does his job with passion. He is a shining light in the human rights community. It is clear that Ahmed Isah knows what his vocation was from the git-go and he pursues his passion with uncommon zest and patriotic élan unlike those who pay lip service to the plight of the masses. He has a clearly defined mission and mandate and that is to fight for the right of the oppressed. He is an advocate, a fighter and a philanthropist per excellence. As an advocate, he is objective and honest. As a fighter, he is rugged, dogged and courageous. As a philanthropist, he is caring, compassionate and humane. He is fair but blunt, courageous, bold and result-oriented. He is religious but not fanatical. He is self-less, altruistic and detribalized. He identifies with all irrespective of tribe or faith. Through his advocacy, he is exposing and fighting corruption and injustice in the land. He is also using his platform for public enlightenment. It is always a delight to listen to him.
I know that the anti-corruption agencies, National Orientation Agency (NOA), National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), SERVICOM among others will find his programs helpful and complementary. In particular, the NHRC should work with the Human Rights Radio to popularize its programs. NHRC has a lot of lofty programs on their website but like most government funded institutions has been lethargic in implementing them. Ahmed Isah’s Human Rights Radio is actually helping the NHRC to achieve its mandate of civil advocacy and promotion of human rights. National Human Rights Commission should identify with and partner with Ahmed Isah’s Human Rights Radio to implement some of its programs.
Ironically, as relevant and lofty as his programs and activities are, they are hardly reported on our national dailies. I have never read about him in any of the major Nigerian newspapers. There are no reviews of his activities neither is there any features or editorial about him in the Nigerian newspaper. I have not even seen his picture on the pages of the newspapers. Is it that he is news shy or that the main stream media negligently did not want to report about him? Or there are no spin doctors blowing his trumpet? Nobody has contributed to the defense of human rights in Nigeria more than Ahmed Isah yet he is not hyped in the Press. Nobody has given a voice to the voiceless in Nigeria more than Ahmed Isah. Nobody has arbitrated on matters and given succor and support to the less privileged as he did yet praise-singers, “aye-sayers”, hear-say human right analyst and media spin doctors have chosen to ignore that.
I am writing this because it fitting to give honor to whom honor is due. I have never met Ahmed Isah but if there are personalities in Nigeria of today that I want to meet, he is one of them. His tenacity, sincerity of purpose, dedication and exceptional commitment to fight for the oppressed and helpless people are something to commend. Nigerians should learn to give honor to whom honor is due. Ahmed Isah is an activist with a difference, the real voice of the voiceless. He is a man with the heart of Gold. He is the real Senior Advocate of the Nation. Ahmed Isah of Human Rights Radio, the Ordinary President of Brekete Family deserves a National Merit Award. Indeed Ahmed Isah is a case study in human rights activism. He is an activist in a class of his own. Without doubt, if those who lay claims to human right advocacy in Nigeria are like Ahmed Isah, the culture of human rights abuses that is prevalent in Nigeria would have become a thing of the past or at least reduced to a tolerable limit.
Expectedly however, the report about his work is on everybody’s lips. In government offices, in the work places, market places and sundry other places, people speak of Ahmed Isah and his Brekete Family. The masses speak glowingly about him and his accomplishments in putting smiles on the faces of the oppressed. There is no better award than the testimony of the masses. The voice of the people is still the voice of God!
Therefore, while I enjoin Ahmed Isah to keep up the good work which he has done for over a decade now, I would also want to suggest that Human Rights radio document and publish some of its special human rights cases for scholars, researchers, students and others would require them for future references.
Irogboli, an economist, writes via [email protected]
An economist and public policy analyst
