How the Attorney General of the Federation’s Office Is Being Quietly Restored

For many years, the Attorney General of the Federation’s (AGF) office was embroiled in disputes that frequently eclipsed its constitutional significance. Whether the position should be kept apart from the Minister of Justice’s was the subject of intense debate. As public trust in the office slowly declined, critics bemoaned what they saw as a rising politicization.

But there seems to be something extraordinary going on today. The dignity and grandeur of that post are being reinstated in a quiet, low-key manner. Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi (SAN) deserves a large portion of the credit for this, since his leadership as the Federation’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice has been characterized by professionalism, prudence, and a deep regard for the organization he oversees rather than by noise.

In light of this, the relative calm that has marked Fagbemi’s term should not be confused with passivity. Absolutely not. His involvement in the legal fight for local government autonomy may have had the biggest impact.

For many years, state governments controlled and interfered with municipal governments to varied degrees, leaving them mostly at their mercy.

Under Fagbemi’s leadership, the Federal Government decided to challenge the practice at the Supreme Court, a politically dangerous move.

One of the Fourth Republic’s most significant constitutional rulings may eventually be the ensuing ruling, which upheld local governments’ financial independence.

Regardless of execution challenges, the case was a daring endeavor to bolster constitutional governance and expand grassroots democracy.

The AGF has done his share, to be fair.The law is in agreement. The Supreme Court has made its position very plain. These days, politics and government are more accountable than the courts.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must now show the political will necessary to assure that local governments receive their allocations straight from the Federation Account and to ensure adherence to the ruling.

In the end, history might evaluate the case based on the faithfulness with which the ruling is carried out rather than the strength of the legal arguments that led to success.

After all, the desire of governments to abide by judicial rulings is what gives them their actual worth, not the beauty of their statements.

The growing focus on prosecutions related to terrorism has been as important. Nigerians have always called for convictions rather than just arrests. After all, catching suspects is not the only test of criminal justice. Due process is being used to secure convictions.

Counterterrorism does not end on the battlefield, as seen by the successful prosecution of those responsible for the horrible Owo Catholic Church massacre. In the courtroom, it concludes.
In the end, convictions serve to solidify security triumphs. Fagbemi’s Ministry of Justice has been crucial in this regard.

The debate surrounding the prosecution of juveniles detained in relation to the EndBadGovernance demonstrations provided yet another illustration of cautious leadership. The arraignment of youngsters who were clearly emaciated on charges of treason sparked public indignation.

Instead of delving further, the AGF stepped in, obtained the case file, and then ordered the charges to be dropped. It served as a reminder that prosecutorial authorities are more than just tools for punishment. Additionally, they are tools of justice. The AGF chose moderation over retaliation and compassion over rigidity during a period of intense emotion.

What hasn’t happened may be just as significant. In contrast to earlier times when Attorneys-General were often at the center of institutional conflicts and public disputes, Fagbemi has mainly given the courts and the law a voice.

He has behaved with the decency, professionalism, and moderation that the country’s highest law officer is expected to exhibit.

In fact, his clear resolve to keep his office and himself away from the temptations of partisan politics has been one of the most notable aspects of his management.

He hasn’t tried to turn the position into a platform for political grandstanding or pursued political importance.

That’s an important distinction.

Because the AGF post is too significant to be reduced to a political office.

In fact, the question of whether the AGF’s position should be distinct from the Minister of Justice’s was hotly contested for years by legal experts and public affairs pundits.

Concerns that the merger of the two offices frequently led to conflicts between partisan political concerns and professional legal obligations were the main source of the argument.

Calls for such constitutional surgery were only reinforced by subsequent disputes involving certain office holders.

Oddly, under Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi’s leadership, the severity of that discussion has significantly decreased.

This may be due to the fact that the public’s trust has been progressively rebuilt thanks to the actions of a classic gentleman who has handled his position with dignity, professionalism, and prudence.

His tenure serves as a reminder that institutional failures are not necessarily caused by flawed design.

They occasionally fall short due to the personalities of individuals in charge of them.

In certain cases, what seems to call for a constitutional amendment only needs the appropriate occupier.

That may be one of the stewardship’s subtle but important lessons.

No AGF is able to please everyone.

Nor should any public servant be shielded from criticism.

Criticism, however, shouldn’t stop acknowledgment when it is merited.

There isn’t a single example that represents the current AGF’s best accomplishment.

It is about reestablishing the honor and dignity of a position whose legitimacy had been threatened at various points.

Politics rewards loudness. History favors outcomes.

Furthermore, there are enough signs to indicate that Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi is attempting something that is becoming more and more uncommon in Nigerian public life, even though it may still be too early to make a firm assessment of his tenure.

He is prioritizing the institution over the individual.

Go beyond the spectacle.

Law comes before politics.

That in and of itself is noteworthy.

Because quiet improvements can occasionally become the most lasting legacy of all in a nation that is frequently sidetracked by commotion.

And that might be the AGF’s Office’s stealthy restoration.