By Emeka Nwokocha
A renowned value rebirth cum human rights defender in Nigeria and Executive Director of Value Rebirth and Empowerment Initiative (VREI), Pastor (Comrade) Edewor Egedegbe, has stressed the urgent need to safeguard justice in protection of vulnerable citizens amidst growing concerns over mercenary activism and monetization of humanitarian and advocacy services.
Pastor Egedegbe expressed this sentiment during his presentation entitled: “Ethical Implications of Monetization of Human Rights Support: Safeguarding Justice for the Vulnerable People,” at a public forum, tagged: “A Roundtable Brunch Discourse With Civil Society/Human Rights Organisations in Warri, Effurun, Udu And Their Environs,” organised by the human rights committee of the Nigerian Bar Association, Warri Branch, held at Effurun Bar Center, High Court Premises, Effurun, on Thursday, 22 May, 2026.
The theme of the public forum is “Human Rights Advocacy By Non-Legal Practitioners: Navigating Boundaries of Representation and The Ethics of Monetisation Services.”
Pastor Egedegbe described the theme of the public forum as an intellectual construct targeted at sanitising the human rights advocacy space in line with the extant laws and global best practice.
He advocated that human rights advocacy must remain humanity-centered, ethical, transparent, and service-driven rather than profit-oriented.
He warned against the growing trend of mercenary activism and its attendant harm to society, stating that some corrupt individuals operating under the guise of activism do embed financial conditions into interventions to exploit vulnerable victims’ stories to gain publicity and prioritize pecuniary gain over urgent humanitarian concerns.
According to Pastor Egedegbe, such practices risk creating a two-tier justice system where access to justice depends on financial capacity.
Continuing, Pastor Egedegbe stated that victims of abuse and rights violations, oftentimes under fear and trauma, approach advocates thus making exploitation an ethically troubling trend.
He strongly maintained that advocacy should promote dignity rather than sacrificing it on the altar of pseudo-activism.
Addressing the issue of waning public trust for activists, Pastor Egedegbe noted that when advocacy becomes politicized or excessively monetized, citizens lose confidence in civil society institutions thus genuine human rights defenders suffer reputational damage.
Weighing in on recent national controversies surrounding the detention of Chidiebere Justice Mark, popularly known as “Justice Crack,” and reactions from public figures including Martins Vincent Otse, Marshall Abubakar, and Omoyele Sowore, pastor Egedegbe stated that the situation raised concerns over conflicts of interest, politicization of justice, influence-driven activism, and ethical legal representation.
Advancing his presentation, Pastor Egedegbe celebrated the indelible impact of human rights legends like Gani Fawehinmi and Beko Ransome-Kuti, highlighting their selfless sacrifices, uncompromising integrity, and relentless fight for the marginalized, regardless of their socioeconomic standing.
Pastor Egedegbe called on critical stakeholders including the Body of Benchers, the Nigerian Bar Association, security agencies, and civil society practitioners to uphold ethical standards, promote pro bono services, protect constitutional rights, and maintain public trust in the justice system.
He concluded his presentation by urging the audience to champion advocacy that is ethical, independent, transparent, and dedicated to protecting vulnerable populations.
