Topic: Rights Are Rights, Online Or Offline

Date: Thursday, 19th November, 2015 | Time: 2pm WAT

There is a common perception that fundamental human rights are limited to physical abuse. In most African legal jurisdictions, the concept of virtual rights is alien. Internet rights are often regarded as remote to actualization of human rights especially in Africa when actual fact they co-exist. What must be duly noted however is that there is a growing need to identify what internet rights are before discussions and actions regarding its abuse can be started.

One of the most common of all internet rights is the right to expression. This right is globally recognized in international statutes and individual countries have been encouraged to adopt same in their local legislations. Nigeria is one of the countries that have adopted this right into its corpus juris. It is important to note that aside from the indefeasible nature of the Nigerian Constitution, it is also the most organic law of the entire Nigerian state. Therefore, in its provisions, no law while in force can be inconsistent with the Constitution and where such law exists, it will be to the extent of its inconsistency be void, Section 1 reads: This Constitution is supreme and its provisions shall have binding force on the authorities and persons throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Sub-section (3) further reads: If any other law is inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution, this Constitution shall prevail, and that other law shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void. This gives us a panoramic overview of the crucial intendments of the Constitution in its provisions among which the Fundamental Human Rights is entrenched.

‘Bolanle Oduntan is a commercial legal practitioner with experience in corporate commercial law, dispute management, mitigation and resolution. He is an intellectual property law consultant and advise major telecoms and IT services providers on intellectual property and technology related matters. ‘Bolanle is a technology enthusiast.

‘Bolanle has incorporated a number of innovative tech-startup, e-commerce companies and continues to advise within the growing tech community. He works with service providers in the capital market space and value added services provider with interests in data development, collection, ownership and in other cases data use and assignment.

’Bolanle is an Associate in the Law Firm of Abraham & Co., a Lagos based firm with a reputation for advising on complicated intellectual property, technology, entertainment and tax law related issues. He is social commentator and advocate of internet freedom with an understanding of the law and an evolving online culture. He holds a law degree from Olabisi Onabanjo University.He is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, Young International Arbitration Group of the London Court of International Arbitration and other notable professional bodies. ”