Legal icon and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), has advised the National Assembly to suspend the ongoing amendment of the 1999 Constitution, saying the country instead needs a total constitutional overhaul to ensure genuine national progress.
Olanipekun made the call on Monday while delivering the 13th convocation lecture of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), titled “Nigeria – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: Imperative of a Sober and Definitive Recalibration.”
The former Chairman of the Body of Benchers and Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, University of Lagos, argued that amending the 1999 Constitution a product of military rule would not deliver the transformative change Nigeria requires.
“Rather than a mere amendment, which might not achieve the desired results, the constitution needs complete rebranding and substitution,” Olanipekun said. “Call it an autochthonous constitution or any other name, it must be a renegotiated document that will pave the way for a new social order. We cannot continue to live by the 1999 Constitution, which haunts us as a military albatross.”
He proposed a transition period between now and 2031 to allow Nigerians to reflect deeply on the shortcomings of past constitutions and chart a fresh course for governance.
“By suggesting that the National Assembly should stay action on any constitutional amendment for now, I am not advocating anarchy,” he clarified. “Rather, I am proposing a period of sober reflection that will give us time to design a workable and inclusive constitution.”
Olanipekun highlighted the long-standing structural imbalances in the federation, particularly in the distribution of local governments, and said a national referendum was overdue.
“A referendum is the solemn act by which a people collectively speak in unison to decide matters of grave national importance,” he said. “It has been used globally to determine issues such as independence, constitutional reordering, and political recalibration. It represents the true voice of the people unfiltered and undiluted.”
On security, he urged immediate establishment of state, community, provincial, and zonal police formations, saying decentralised policing was essential to addressing Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.
Olanipekun also praised ABUAD founder, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), whom he described as a national treasure dedicated to law, education, and development. He called on other privileged Nigerians to emulate Babalola’s patriotism and philanthropy.
In his response, Babalola commended Olanipekun for his brilliance and foresight, describing him as “a leading light in the legal profession whose insights remain invaluable to nation-building.”
