Emmanuel OchayiNigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, and renowned music promoter Kenny Ogungbe find themselves entangled in a legal battle as the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) formally submits a petition in court.
The petition alleges violations of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Act, prompting the NBA to call for Musawa’s removal from her ministerial post.
The legal action, registered as FCH/ABJ/05/90/2024, names John Aikpokpo-Martins and Funmi Adeogun, Chairman and Secretary of NBA-SPIDEL respectively, as principal litigants.
The lawsuit targets Musawa, Ogungbe, NYSC, and the Federal Government of Nigeria. Central to the plaintiffs’ argument is the claim that the mobilization of Musawa and Ogungbe for the mandatory one-year national youth service, after surpassing the age of 30, violates patriotic principles and is legally questionable.
The legal proceedings assert that under Sections 2(1), 12(1), and 13(1) of the NYSC Act, the defendants are ineligible for employment engagement with any employer, including the Federal Government, without presenting their NYSC certificates.
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The crux of the matter is whether the NYSC certificates issued to Musawa and Ogungbe should be nullified due to alleged breaches of age eligibility during their service.
The court petition argues that Musawa’s eligibility for her ministerial position is compromised, contending that she infringed the provisions of the NYSC Act.
This development is not the first controversy for Musawa, as the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria previously accused her in August 2023, sparking heated debates on social media platforms.
Similarly, Kenny Ogungbe stirred controversy in October 2023 by sharing an image of her in NYSC regalia, announcing the completion of the NYSC program at the age of 53.
The juxtaposition of the ages of Musawa (50) and Ogungbe (53) at the time of their purported NYSC service adds a layer of complexity to the legal battle, amplifying public discontent with the government’s handling of the matter.
As the legal storm intensifies, the future of these prominent figures hangs in the balance, with potential ramifications for Nigeria’s political and cultural landscape.
