Abstract:
The notion of the neutral application of law is the very foundation of
liberal societies, in spite of the fact that this notion has been debunked as
a myth by a large body of scholarship. This notion continues to pervade
liberal societies, operates discriminately against the poor and less
privileged members of society and impedes poverty reduction efforts. The
article demonstrates the exclusionary and discriminatory operation and
impact of the myth of the neutral application of law on the right of the
poor to adequate housing through a progressive assessment of the Lagos
State of Nigeria’s Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law,
2010, a supposedly neutral planning statute. It concludes that, for the
fight against poverty to make any headway in Africa, poverty reduction
must continually be mainstreamed. There must constantly be a pro-poor
approach to laws and policies.
