Social Justice and Special Persons: A Philosophical Enquiry

In the Nigerian socio-legal environment, this study examines social justice for unique persons philosophically. It explores how constitutional provisions, statutory frameworks, judicial interpretations, and societal structures promote or hinder inclusion in relation to normative goals of justice and the lived reality of people with disabilities. The study is based on the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999), which guarantees dignity, equality, and freedom from discrimination, and the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, which protects disabled people. Nigeria's commitment to inclusion includes UNCRPD commitments. Legal and constitutional frameworks are weakly implemented due to structural disparities, limited enforcement, and cultural shame, according to the research. Accessibility impediments, insufficient compliance mechanisms, and underdeveloped disability jurisprudence impede judicial interventions, which are constitutionally entitled to enforce rights and issue binding injunctions. Special people are marginalised in education, healthcare, employment, infrastructure, and communication due to systemic hurdles. The study ethically contrasts societal dignity with the exclusion of unique people from meaningful participation. It finds that social justice in Nigeria involves structural restructuring, cultural reorientation, and active participation in governance and decision-making, not just legal acknowledgement. The study concludes that justice must evolve from formal declaration to substantive realisation to secure equal participation and human dignity.