Why Section 21 of the Nigerian Constitution Is Considered Sacred — SDP Leader Explains 2027 Edition

A member of the pan‑Yoruba socio‑political group Afenifere and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Olusegun Babalola, has clarified why a radical reinterpretation of Section 21 of the Nigerian Constitution is essential ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking on Friday, Babalola called the reinterpretation the “keystone” for achieving the goals set out in Chapter II of the 1999 Constitution.

He argued that Nigeria’s failure to incorporate traditional governance systems into modern state structures has eroded the country’s political legitimacy and stunted economic growth.

Babalola noted that the renewed focus on Chapter II by SDP presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo has re‑introduced the constitutional debate into national conversation, following Adebayo’s acceptance speech at the party’s presidential convention in Bauchi on May 9, 2026.

According to Babalola, Section 21—which requires the state to “protect, preserve, and promote Nigerian cultures”—has historically been misread as merely safeguarding dances, arts, and festivals, rather than embedding indigenous constitutional principles into governance.

“The ‘Rise of the Rest’ is, ultimately, the rise of those who understood their culture not as a memory to be displayed, but as a living constitution to be lived,” he said.