In a comprehensive statement, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, OON, SAN, addressed widespread misconceptions about the recently signed Samoa Agreement, highlighting the NBA’s involvement and clarifying the agreement’s content.
Mr. Maikyau disclosed that before the signing of the Samoa Agreement, the Honorable Minister of Budget and Economic Planning requested the NBA’s review as a key stakeholder.
To this end, Mr. Maikyau constituted a committee led by Mr. Olawale Fapohunda, SAN, former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Ekiti State and Chairman of the NBA Law Reform Committee, to vet, evaluate, and advise on the agreement.
The Samoa Agreement, named after the South Pacific nation where it was signed, is a broad legal framework between European Union (EU) member states and over half of the 79 members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS). The agreement is intended to serve as a foundation for future specific agreements between the EU and the Nigerian government, its sub-national entities, and the private sector. It encompasses six main areas: democracy and human rights, sustainable economic growth and development, climate change, human and social development, peace and security, and migration and mobility.
Mr. Maikyau addressed recent publications and social media posts claiming that the agreement requires Nigeria to endorse LGBTQ rights as a precondition for accessing a $150 billion loan. He categorically denied these claims, stating that there are no such provisions in the Samoa Agreement. The agreement, he clarified, is expressly subject to the local laws and sovereignty of the contracting nations, including Nigeria’s Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act of 2023 and the supremacy of the Nigerian Constitution.
He emphasized that if the agreement had included any clauses undermining Nigeria’s sovereignty or legislation, the NBA would have advised against it. Mr. Maikyau urged stakeholders and the public to educate themselves on the true content and objectives of the agreement, cautioning against the spread of false information that could exploit sensitive cultural, religious, and moral issues.
He called on the government to continue its public enlightenment efforts and encouraged other stakeholders to join in countering the negative perceptions being promoted about the agreement. Mr. Maikyau stressed the importance of verifying information from newspapers and social media, citing the cautionary words of German historian August Ludwig von Schlözer: “Foolish is the man who never reads a newspaper; even more foolish is the man who believes what he reads just because it is in the newspaper.” He suggested that in today’s context, this advice applies equally to social media platforms.
Reaffirming the NBA’s commitment, Mr. Maikyau stated that the NBA remains dedicated to ensuring that government actions are people-focused and do not compromise Nigeria’s sovereignty. He assured that the NBA would continue to engage with the government, provide direction, advance the nation’s cause, and hold the government accountable on behalf of the Nigerian people.
Read the full statement below
