INTRODUCTION :
Naturally, human beings have the attitude to oppress one another if they are in a position to do so. In the early ages, kings and people in authority assumed autocratic and absolute powers and oppressed and repressed their subjects/people and reduced them to peasants, slaves and commoners. For instance, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Pharaoh of Egypt, Adolph Hitler of Germany, just to mention but a few. Hitler, for instance, killed about four million Jews thereby cutting short their existence. His satanic act is not only a violation of the right to life of the people, but an atrocity against humanity and human dignity.

Since the oppressed cannot remain oppressed forever, over the years, courageous men and women throughout the ages stood up to be counted as activists, reformers, revolutionists, etc. to liberate humanity from the oppression of the oppressor. In other words, these great activists, like William Wilberforce (who fought to end slavery), Martin Luther King (fought against racism and racial discrimination), Nelson Mandela of South Africa (who fought against Apartheid), decided to take a courageous and noble stand contrary to the thinking of the oppressors and dictators.

These activists have over the ages engaged in struggles because man’s history has been full of struggles for personal survival, struggles for economic and political emancipation, struggles for equality and struggles for social justice. It is noteworthy that oppression will continue if the oppressed or activist on their behalf keep mute, quiet or silent over injustice. It means therefore that the oppressed must demand for freedom in order to end oppression.

Today, Nigeria is in dire need of courageous men and women to liberate the people from outrageous increment in price of petroleum products, visionless leaders, poverty, corruption, government by few old recycled men, culpable misgovernance, democratic dictators, etc. Africa also is looking for courageous men and women who will liberate them from under-development, rebel without cause, civil wars, poverty, disease, HIV AIDS, bad leadership, illiteracy, ignorance, etc.
It is noteworthy that some great Nationalists who fought for Nigerian Independence like Zik, Awo, Ahmadu Bello, Aminu Kano, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, etc. made enormous sacrifices to liberate Nigeria from the shackles of colonialism. But the problem is that the struggle for Independence did not last long, as such, the people of Nigeria failed to appreciate the value of their independence (since it was given on a platter of gold). Regrettably, successive military and civilian dictators and cabals in Nigeria bastardized the efforts of the founding fathers of Nigeria who fought with one mind and in the spirits of brotherhood.

The main point from the above shows that oppressors, dictators and cabals have the natural attitude to violate and abuse the rights of the people, while the activists/reformers condemn such abuses and press for change from oppression to a state where people will enjoy human freedom, human rights and human dignity, so that human potentials would be maximized and human existence fulfilled.

WHY HUMAN RIGHTS :
Human beings possess intrinsic worth, inherent value, dignity and honour bestowed upon them by God Almighty, the Creator. More so human beings have the gift of reason and conscience. It is in order to protect these, dignity, worth, value and honour that Human Rights became very necessary. Article I.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one other in the spirit of brotherhood.

2. Again, human beings are known to perform very well in a free environment where there is no hunger, starvation, slavery, harassment, war, dictatorship, oppression but a happy and free people whose rights are respected are more likely to be productive. For example, people who are not doing well in Nigeria are today doing well in the United States of America.

3. Human Rights promotion and protection brings about peace because, according to the former Secretary General of the United Nations  the achievement of human freedom generates the will as well as the capacity for economic and social progress; the attainment of economic and social progress provides the basis for true peace.

Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of former U.S. President, submitted that Basically, we could not have peace or an atmosphere which peace could grow, unless we recognize the individual human beings  their dignity  and agreed that was the basic thing that had to be accepted throughout the world.

It is safe to conclude that the essence of Human Rights is to protect God-given human dignity, value, honour and freedom in order to maximize human potentials and enjoy peace.