rights and duties of citizens by eguriase s. m. okaka
RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF CITIZENS
BY EGURIASE S. M. OKAKA
Human beings have been on this earth for over 2000 years. They had always lived in communities, nations or countries. Some of the people in such communities or nations are weak and poor, while others are, rich, and powerful. In order to prevent oppression and make people live together in peace, happily and harmony, the concept of human rights evolved.
Meaning of Human Rights
Human rights are fundamental freedoms which people or citizens of a nation enjoy and are entitled to as human beings regardless of their sex, race, religion, and culture, nationality in the society or nation they live in.
Rights of a citizen are also fundamental rights and privileges guaranteed by law as spelt out in the constitution of the country.
Human rights are universal as they are defined in international law; United Nations (U.N) in its declaration of human rights mandated all member-nations to document human rights laws in their constitutions and ensures their observance or compliance.
Nigeria as a member of United Nations Organization (UNO), has since embraced the human rights declaration and domesticated same in her constitution.
Types of Human Rights
The rights of human beings in any given nation can be categorized into the following:
• Fundamental rights
• Civic rights
• Political rights
• Economic rights
• Environmental rights
• Legal rights
Fundamental Rights: These are basic human rights enjoyed by individuals or endowed on every individual in a country by reason of being human. These rights are further guaranteed by law as spelt out in the constitution of a country.
Every citizen of a country has the right to the following:
Right to life: As a human being you are entitled to live whether rich or poor, black or white. Every citizen has the right to live and contribute to the development of his community. No one has the right to terminate your life on earth because God is the only giver of live. Life can only be taken legally when the person is convicted in a competent court of law either for murder, armed robbery, treason or their likes.
Right to freedom of movement: Every citizen has the right to move any where he likes or pleases him. For example, Mr. Johnbull that lives in Benin city can travel to Kano or Anambra State without being questioned. Freedom of movement can only be restricted when a citizen commits a crime and he is being sentenced to prison or placed on house arrest and sometimes international passport of the person may be seized not to allow him travel outside the country.
Right to peaceful assembly and association: Every citizen of this country has the right to associate with other persons or groups for their good, provided the assembly or association does not have any negative effect on the public.
Right to freedom of expression: Nigeria is operating a democratic government. Democracy allows freedom of speech. In Nigeria every citizen is free to express his feelings, opinions on issues or matters concerning government and organization on social media, electronic, or print media. The press (media) are free to air out or give out news of any activities happening in the country on radio, newspapers, television, etc. for example, ITV television has the freedom to broadcast the incident of fighting in the State House of Assembly.
Right to fair hearing: Every citizen has right to fair hearing in the law court. An accused person is not guilty of an offence unless tried in a competent court and proved guilty as charged.
Right to personal liberty: Every citizen residing in a country has the right to exercise his or her freedoms as enshrined in the constitution. Such as right to move freely, associate, speech, etc., can only be restricted where he or she is arrested or detained on ground of reasonable suspicion of having committed an offence, especially one which attracts capital punishment.
Right to education: Every child has a right to be educated by being sent to school to learn at a cost either wholly borne by his parents/guardians or alternatively by the governments. Here in Nigeria, the government offers free basic universal education to children from primary school level up to the junior secondary school level.
Right to own properties: Every Nigerian citizen has the right to acquire any property in any part of the country provided it is legally acquired.
Right to freedom of worship (religion): Every citizen is free to belong and practice any religion of his choice without intimidation of any kind. There are three main religions in Nigeria; they are Christianity, Islam, and traditional religion. Any individual is free to join and practice any of the religion of his or her choice. Every citizen has the right to preach his religious beliefs to others provided it does not infringe on the rights of others.
Right to security and privacy: Every citizen in a country is entitled to being protected and secured by the government. Hence, it is often said that the basic responsibility of government is to secure lives and properties of its citizens. In addition, citizen have right to their own private lives which suffices to say that exclusive affairs of an individual cannot be encroached upon by another person or government excepting where the individual commits an offence which warrant arrest or detention.
Civic Rights: These are rights the citizen enjoys from government in the area of protection of life and properties, provision of basic amenities such as portable water, good roads, schools, electricity, and others.
Political Rights: These are rights that enable citizens to participate in the exercise of political power in the country as entrenched in the constitution. These rights allows for political participation by the citizens such as the rights to vote during elections (exercise ones franchise), right to be voted for, right to serve in public offices and right to advice or criticize government.
Economic Rights: These are rights citizens have to practice and do lawful vocation or businesses to earn a living. Under these rights, citizens can enter into any valid contracts, buy and sell goods and commodities. Also, in exercising economic rights, a citizen is entitled to his salaries and wages commensurate with the work done. Economic rights also include:
• Freedom to own a private business.
• Freedom to practice any vocation of your interest.
• Fair remuneration (entitled to fair salaries or wages commensurate with the work done).
• Freedom to work and earn a living.
• Freedom to own properties.
Environmental Rights: This is the right that enables citizen to enjoy peaceful, calm, neat, and noiseless, and healthy environment.
Legal Rights: It is the right citizens enjoy by having free access to courts of law in the land. For example, when a citizen’s right is infringed upon, he seeks redress in the law court instead of taking the laws into his hands.
Step’s Necessary for the Protection of Human Rights
These are some of the steps required to take to protect human rights from been abused or violated in a country.
• Enactment and implementation of good laws: This involves the making of laws for good governance of a country and the proper execution of laws to promote the security and welfare of her citizens. In this case, the laws are made by the legislature as represented by the parliaments and handed over to the Executive headed by either a president or Prime Minister for implementation.
• Independence of the judiciary: For rights of the people not to be abused or violated, laws are made by the legislature and executed by the Executive, and should be interpreted and applied by an independent body. Hence, the setting up of the judiciary as symbolized by the courts which affairs should not be controlled, influenced or interfered with by officers of the other two bodies.
• Freedom of the press: The print, electronic and social media should enjoy the right to source for, obtain and disseminate news freely in the society. By so doing, incidences of abuse or violation of human right could easily be detected, publicized, elicit appropriate actions and eventually been corrected.
• Stable and good democratic government: A society with a stable government enjoys peace, orderliness and progress. This is enhanced most times by the embrace and practice of democracy as a system of government considering that the tenure of office is fixed and the process of change from one tenure to the other is peaceful. In this kind of atmosphere, the rule of law and due process are often followed and in the process helping to do away with abuse and violation of human right.
• Freedom of speech: This ensures that people in the society exercise the freedom to make observations and freely express themselves on happenings. In doing this, cases of abuse and violation of rights are often exposed and appropriately addressed.
• Respect and adherence to the country’s constitution: A constitution is a body of fundamental laws which is used to govern a country. So, the respect for this body of laws and strict adherence to its provisions helps to guard against abuse or violation of rights. Where they do occur, provisions of the constitution are there to apply for the purpose of redressing the anomalies.
• Stable economy: Stable economy ensures the thriving of businesses and setting up of new firm, factories and industries which altogether guarantees employment in the society. This therefore encourages the exercise by individuals in the society of their economic rights in various ways in addition to providing resource to enforce the right of the child to education.
Importance of Knowing and Having our Rights in a Country
• It brings peace, happiness and harmony among the people living in the country.
• It brings progress, orderliness and good governance.
• It guarantees freedom and ensure good welfare for the people.
• It aids in the growth and development of the country politically, economically, socially, etc.
Duties of a Citizen: Duties of citizens are responsibilities or work individuals perform in the community, state or country in return for the freedom, privileges and other benefits they enjoy.
Duties and Responsibilities of Citizens to a Country
• Paying of taxes, rates and bills as at when due.
• Protect public properties, e.g. road, pipe-borne water, electricity, school chair and tables, etc.
• Obey the laws of the land
• Obey and respect constituted authority
• Support and defend the country’s constitution
• Stand to defend the territorial integrity of the nation when the need arise.
• Participates in democratic process and respect the rights, beliefs and opinions of others.
Importance of Performing our Duties as Citizens
If our duties are properly performed, the country will definitely have the following benefits:
• Peace, happiness and unity among the people.
• Rapid progress and development of the country.
• Effective and efficient government
• It will enhance security of life and properties.
• It guarantees freedom from harassment and intimidation.
Difference between Rights and Duties of Citizens
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