Freedom In Chains: The Danger Of Kwara’s Executive-Approved FOI LAW
By Lawal Akanbi Sharafadeen
In a democracy, access to information is not a privilege; it is a right. The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, both in spirit and in letter, is designed to empower citizens with the tools to hold their leaders accountable, ask critical questions, and participate meaningfully in governance. That is why the recent move by the Kwara State House of Assembly to propose an FOI Bill that requires pre-approval from the Executive Governor before any information can be accessed is deeply troubling, if not outright dangerous.
Such a clause, embedded into a bill meant to promote openness, fundamentally undermines the very essence of transparency. It gives the Executive unchecked control over what the public is permitted to know, creating a filter through which truth is delayed, distorted, or denied. In practical terms, this means that any whistleblowing, investigative journalism, civic engagement, or even basic inquiries into public expenditure could be strangled at the whims of the Governor’s desk.
The Kwara State House of Assembly, which ought to be the custodian of public interest and democratic values, is fast gaining the reputation of legislative docility. This latest legislative misstep only strengthens the perception that the Assembly functions more as an extension of the Executive arm than as an independent, co-equal institution. It raises uncomfortable but necessary questions: For whom does the Assembly legislate? Whose interests are protected when the right to information is tied to executive approval?
A vibrant legislature should not only pass laws; it must safeguard freedoms. When the people elected to serve begin to dilute the rights of those who voted for them, the social contract is eroded. The FOI Bill, in its current form, does not reflect the progressive spirit Kwara State deserves. Instead, it paints a portrait of legislative cowardice disguised as orderliness.
Constructive governance demands transparency, and transparency begins with unfiltered access to information. No government should fear scrutiny unless it has something to hide. The Kwara State House of Assembly must be reminded that accountability is not antagonism, and openness is not rebellion—it is democracy at work.
As civil society organizations, media professionals, students, and well-meaning citizens begin to raise their voices, the Assembly still has time to rewrite the narrative. Let it be known that the people of Kwara are not afraid of truth. What they fear is a legislature that keeps truth locked behind the Governor’s gate.
In the end, the question is simple: will the Kwara Assembly be remembered as a legislative body that expanded freedom, or as one that curtailed it for political convenience? The answer lies in what they do next. And the people are watching.
Lawal Akanbi Sharafadeen writes from Kwara State Capital
