NATURAL LAW AND THE ATTAINMENT OF JUSTICE IN NIGERIA; AN OVERVIEW

ABSTRACT Human well-being and the flourishing of the individual require a society which will exemplify justice as derived from natural law. Natural law was socio – political theory that impels society to discover the need to realize and appreciate how natural rights objectives and reasons can relate to law. In Nigeria, successive military regime by the promulgations of nefarious Decrees, render the court in the ambits of judicial dispensation powerless, her jurisdiction to adjudicate and make progressive pronouncement in crucial matters concerning natural rights of Nigerians are permanently ousted. However, with the enactment of the 1999 constitution, Section 6(3) therein established the superior court of records. Thus, the authority of the court is derived from the constitution and this enhanced the effective discharge of their duties. Clearly the power of the Nigerian judges is no longer circumscribe in the application of natural law for the attainment of justice. Evidently, the theory of natural law has been seen to have made great impact on the Nigeria Legal System with particular reference to the attainment of abiding justice. This article explore the concept of natural law and it impacts on the attainment of justice by examining thoughts of foremost jurist in Nigeria and beyond, as well as statutory and judicial pronouncement both under the successive military and democratic dispensation in Nigeria.