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Saturday, December 29, 2018

December 29, 2018

LEARNING THE LAW - the travails of a young Lawyer



By Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa

Gani Fawehinmi Chambers had become a haven for budding lawyers, revolutionaries, activists and nationalists, seeking knowledge and experience. Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, had become more of a colossus, traversing virtually every facet of the Nigerian legal system, either as legal practitioner or litigant.
He had intervened to help preserve my ambition, by challenging my expulsion from the university in court and also prevented the law school from frustrating my legal career. So it was natural to gravitate towards him, upon completion of my law school programme.
When I raised it with my friend Bamidele Aturu, (God bless his soul), he declined tutelage in Gani's chambers. His reasoning was that he had become too close to Chief Fawehinmi, who is reputed to be a very strict person. Aturu thought working directly with Gani may affect their personal relationship, as Gani may be unwilling to enforce some of his acclaimed disciplinary measures, against Aturu, on account of their closeness and friendship. Aturu stated that both of them are known to take extreme positions on issues, and this could lead to some clash. So he called Chief Gani and told him of our decision and opted to have his tutelage with Itse Sagay & Co, whilst I proceeded to Gani Fawehinmi Chambers. The interview for the job is another story in itself!
It was a great experience for me, to be listed as counsel in that reputable law firm. For the first three or four months, I was assigned to be proof reading judgments of various courts, meant for the law reports. And what learning opportunity it proved to be, just reading the reasonings of judges alone, days on end. I became familiar with virtually all principles of law, in all areas. Thereafter I was assigned to be filing processes at various court registries in Lagos. Finally, I started appearing in court and became very familiar with court proceedings.
At that time, TELL magazine was one of the leading weekly publications making wave in Nigeria, especially because of its indepth investigation of its stories. It's popularity also attracted several law suits, across the land, against the magazine, which had retained Gani Fawehinmi chambers, as its lawyers.
And so it was that I was assigned to handle a case bordering on libel, filed by Chief Abiola Ogundokun, a notable politician and himself a publisher, against TELL,  in Abuja.
I boarded a Chisco Transport luxury bus, for a night trip to Abuja, to be able to appear in court the following day. It was a very long and tortuous journey and the bus kept stopping to fix certain faults, so it took longer than normal. It was also a long trip, so most passengers had slept, including me.
Suddenly at about 4:30am, I heard a loud noise, and before I could say Jack, the bus had veered off the road and headed into the bush, with speed. Things happened so fast I just couldn't recall it all, in its details. But I knew that the bus hit a tree, and then started somersaulting, in the bush. I just didn't know what to do, as passengers were wailing, praying and some even cursing, all at once. My best prayers so far then was to always recite Psalm 91, but even then, I didn't have a recollection of that passage, that fateful morning.
The bus finally stopped, with blood flowing everywhere. I was thrown out of the bus, and landed near a tree. All I knew was that I was bleeding seriously, from inside my nose. I heard of some fatalities but I couldn't confirm. I just sat down there, in the dark, not knowing what to do. I didn't know our location, I had no phone (no GSM at the time) and nobody to call for help.
I then removed my shirt, to be draining the blood flowing from my nose. At about 6:30am, Chisco staff came with another bus, and started searching for passengers. They located me, but I begged them to help me fetch my bag in the bus, since the case file and the Chamber's books, were all inside. They were perplexed, insisting that I needed urgent attention because of my bleeding nose, but I protested and they took me to the mangled bus, to locate my bag; a locally made lawyer's blue bag, where I loaded all my belongings. Though I didn't disclose it to them, my major concern then was the case file of the famous Ogoni 19, which I was scheduled to argue their application for bail, in Port Harcourt, after my case in Abuja.
They took me and other injured passengers to the General Hospital, in Abuja, where my nose was treated and sutured. The news had traveled round Abuja, of the accident and the Chisco management had managed to call the Chambers, which in turn also called the court, or so I learnt later.
Later on in the day, Chief Ogundokun came to meet me in the hospital, took care of some of my hospital bills and offered to take me to a private hospital and even lodge me in his mansion in Abuja, so I could get better. I politely declined, wondering what would be my fate if Chief Fawehinmi even got to know that the plaintiff in my case even visited me in the hospital, how much less to quarter me in his house.

By afternoon, I told the doctor that I needed to leave, a request which he flatly turned down, insisting that I should allow my body to heal before I could travel. I requested for drugs and then discharged myself, and headed to Chisco park again. I bought ticket for another night journey to Port Harcourt, from Abuja. I had not showered or cleaned up myself at all.
Though I arrived Port Harcourt safely the following morning, I was weak and tired. I bought pure water at the park, washed my face, brushed my teeth and changed into my lawyer's dress and headed for the court straight. I noticed that many people were glancing at me strangely, at times with long faces.
As soon as I stepped into the court room, the registrar of court shouted, wondering what had happened to me. I just smiled and told her it was a minor accident. Not long thereafter, the Rivers State Director of Public Prosecutions, the famous Dr Opunminji, came in and also shouted. Obviously everyone was seeing what I had not seen, since I didn't have the benefit of a mirror at the bus garage. Dr Opunmiji insisted that our matter will not go on and that I should quickly go and check into a hospital for comprehensive treatment, after I narrated to him what happened. But I insisted that the case must go on, since it had to do with the liberty of the Ogoni 19, which had become a celebrated and an international case. So he obliged me.

But as soon as the Judge (Hon Justice Dan Kalio, now in the court of appeal) stepped into the court, he asked me to stand up and explained what has happened to me, which I did. My Lord was outraged, especially as I was telling him of my readiness to proceed with my application for bail. Dr Opinmiji also intervened, along with other lawyers in court, insisting that the case has to be adjourned for me to go and take care of myself, saying that it is only counsel  that is alive that can prosecute a case.
At the time, Gani's Chambers was collaborating with Ledun Mitte Chambers in Port Harcourt, for all the Ogoni cases. So Dr Opunmiji arranged for a taxi to take me straight to Ledum Mitte's Chambers. It was when I got to that chambers that I saw myself in the mirror for the first time. My head, my eyes, nose and upper part of my head had become terribly swollen and now I was in serious pains, from the injury, the stitches and the long trip from Abuja to Port Harcourt.
Mr Kemasoude Wodu, then senior counsel in Mitte's chambers, quickly arranged with other lawyers to take me to a hospital for treatment. I was later discharged the flowing day and they arranged a flight for me to Lagos.
Chief Fawehinmi was overwhelmed and was full of praises to God for safety and the goodwill shown to me by all. He gave me time off from work to go and treat myself and get well. It was a sweet experience for me.
And why do I narrate this? As a young lawyer in training, my uncle (God bless his soul), wanted me to focus solely on learning the law. I was earning about N4,000 as monthly salary. So my uncle called all my family together, and told them to steer clear of me. That though law is a lucrative and prestigious profession, he sent me to Gani Chambers to learn and so, nobody should put any financial pressure on me. In other words, tutelage is a time of learning, not much of earning. A hard working and God fearing lawyer will always prosper, ultimately. That's certain as day and night. So, my young learned friend, keep pushing it, eventually you will get there, with God on your side.

In Isaiah 43:2, I read as follows:
"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee:
when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee."

God bless you all.

Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa

Friday, December 28, 2018

December 28, 2018

Lawyer slaps judge over his decision


Published December 28, 2018

An Indian lawyer, Dinesh Parate, is facing a criminal contempt of court charge after he assaulted a Bombay High court judge, who had given a judgement, he didn’t like.

According to Afternoon Voice, Parate had accosted and slapped senior civil judge K R Deshpande outside a lift on the seventh floor of the Nagpur District and Sessions court around noon on Wednesday.

He then tried to run away but he was arrested by security operatives.

According to the police, the lawyer was not happy over the judge’s decision in a case.

Parate, an assistant public prosecutor, has been issued a notice seeking a response from him within six weeks as to why action for criminal contempt of court should not be taken against him.

The court also condemned the action of the lawyer, calling it an affront on the judiciary.

Justice Deshpande of the high court noted in his order that it was a serious matter where personal security of a judge was under threat.

“It is a threat to the independence of the judiciary. The rule of law is being undermined. Such outrageous conduct needs no tolerance,” the high court said.

“It causes or tends to cause obstruction or interference in the administration of justice, as it is the result of adjudication by the judge which has gone against Dinesh Parate,” Justice Deshpande said.

Saturday, December 22, 2018

December 22, 2018

Lawyers Must Lead in Legal Education of Ordinary People


Joseph Ogunmodede is part of the tide wanting to turn Nigeria’s legal system into a strong, fair and corruption-free institution. The newly graduated lawyer, who came top of his class at the University of Ibadan and the Nigerian Law School, spoke to Africa Legal’s Kingsley Ugochukwu Ani.


What is your impression of Nigeria’s legal system?
The Nigerian legal system is comatose! It's unfortunate that while some people are striving relentlessly to revive it, and some are indifferent to its development, many others are bent on destroying it – sacrificing justice on the altar of selfishness and self-aggrandizement. We see court officials insisting on tips under the guise of ‘mobilization’ before they do their job. Lawyers now conspire with the police to defraud defendants. You find some judges deciding cases in favour of the highest bidder.
What would you do to make it better?
I'm prepared to contribute to the reform by showing a high degree of professional repute in my dealings. This I would do by showing empathy - putting myself in the clients’ shoes. Also, I've discovered, one of the challenges is the lack of enlightenment of the common man - many are ignorant of their rights and duties - hence, my commitment to legal literacy. I've established THE LEGAL DIARY hosted on www.thelegaldiary.com - an online platform dedicated to educating people about their rights and duties in a creative and simple manner. Now that I've been called to the Bar, I've also decided to render pro-bono services to litigants.
Lawyers have a major role to play in developing sound government across Africa. In which country do you see this happening effectively?
There is no perfect society, however, the commitment of lawyers to good governance makes the difference. Botswana should be credited in this respect because the contribution of her lawyers to the rule of law, human rights, economic sustainability and human development cannot be overemphasized. All these are responsible for the country's rapid development over the years. Lawyers are the pillars of every organization and should maintain a high level of professional conduct.
What is your area of interest in law?
I’m still identifying my interest but I want to gain proper insight into Corporate and Commercial Law practice. I’m becoming enthusiastic about Energy Law too, especially as it concerns renewable energy. I love Real Estate Law as well.
Was there a defining moment or person which inspired you to go into law?
My interest was piqued in secondary school with the conviction that I could make an impact in any aspect of human endeavour as a lawyer. However the fact that my father is a legal practitioner played a prominent role in my interest in law. I remember my admiration for his gown – like that of Superman - and reading the facts in his law reports like a storybook.
Could you speak us through a remarkable experience you have had?
One was during my internship at B.O. Ogunmodede & Co, Abeokuta. Even as a law graduate, I was assigned a case (recovery of possession of land) to handle - save that I neither appended my signature nor made appearances in court because I'd not been called to the Bar yet. I prepared all the court processes and even wrote applications to apply for certified true copies of the documents I needed as exhibits. Judgment was given in favour of our client. I had other remarkable experiences at Aluko & Oyebode, Strachan Partners as well as Ikeyi & Arifayan where I learnt more about corporate law practice.
You have achieved excellent internships with top law firms. What advice would you give to young lawyers wanting the same?
They should start internships early at university as this will prepare them for the legal world and provide the exposure they need to establish themselves in the profession. Apart from knowledge being acquired during internships, (they are more practical than lessons taken in the classroom) they also aid in better understanding of lectures. Also, young lawyers should not limit themselves, they should apply to law firms and corporate organizations of their choice and take opportunities to establish relationships with industry stakeholders.
Where were you born and where did you grow up?
I was born and grew up in Abeokuta, Ogun State into the family of Chief Benjamin Ogunmodede and Chief (Mrs) Caroline Ogunmodede. I'm the second child in a home of four. I attended the Abeokuta, Grammar School, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta.
Which university did you attend?
The University of Ibadan.
How did you graduate top of your class at university and come out with a top result from the Nigerian Law School?
I owe my success both at university and the Nigerian Law School to God! However, consistency with my studies, mentorship from seniors, group discussions with like-minded individuals, comprehensive study of past questions, good tutoring from my lecturers, among other factors, contributed to my success. One thing I've also discovered is that you help yourself to succeed when you help others to succeed

Monday, December 17, 2018

December 17, 2018

Disqualify Dapo Abiodun over certificate scandal, lawyer tells court


A legal  practitioner, Abdulrrafiu Baruwa has filed a suit seeking the disqualification of governorship candidate of  All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ogun State, Mr. Dapo Abiodun from the 2019 general elections, TheCable can report.
Abiodun keeps mum
When Vanguard called Mr. Abiodun, he refused to pick his calls and sms sent were not replied.
In a suit filed at a Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court in Abuja, Baruwa, an APC member, asked the court to disqualify Abiodun from the race over giving “false information” in the academic qualification he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

This came as supporters of both Abiodun and Governor Ibikunle Amosun continued to trade words over the allegation against the state APC governorship candidate.

Among Baruwa’s prayers are: “Abiodun’s refusal to disclose all his educational qualifications as demanded by INEC in FORM CF 001 amounts to false information.
“APC is not at liberty to apply double standards in clearing or disqualifying persons aspiring for elective offices
“A proper construction of the Forms CF 001 filled by Abiodun and submitted to INEC for the 2015 senatorial election and 2019 governorship election.
“Disqualifying Abiodun as candidate of the APC having regard to the false information contained in his Form CF 001 submitted to INEC.
“Declaring Jimi Lawal, the aspirant with the second highest votes in the APC primary as the candidate of the APC in the governorship poll.”
TheCable had reported  how Abiodun declared only his West African School Certificate (1978) in the Form CF001 submitted to INEC on October 23, 2018.
However, when he ran as APC senatorial candidate for Ogun East in 2015, he claimed to have attended the University of Ife,  (graduating in 1986) and Kennesaw State University, Atlanta, Georgia, US (1989) in his INEC form CF001, backed by an affidavit he swore to at the high court, Abeokuta, Ogun state.
Abiodun’s decision not to include the two degrees in the form CF001 submitted for the 2019 election fuelled suspicion that he did not undergo the compulsory national youth service – which is punishable under the law – even though he finished his first degree in 1986.
While some are in doubt that Abiodun attended those higher institutions, Baruwa said he knows that the APC candidate graduated from University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) before 30 but neither participated in the mandatory National Youth Service nor obtained any exemption certificate.
Abiodun was born on May 29, 1960 and was 26 in 1986 when he claimed to have finished his first degree. The age limit for national service is 30.

The lawyer said Abiodun, who had earlier swore an oath on his university qualification, cannot be permitted in law to willfully conceal his qualifications for the sole purpose of evading the consequences of such educational qualifications.
Abiodun should clear himself of allegation — Ogun APC
Reacting, a senior party official in Ogun State, who pleaded anonymity, urged the candidate to clear air on  the allegation.
He said: “We have no power to disqualify any candidate, only INEC has the power to disqualify.
“It is not the party that would talk. It is Dapo Abiodun who is accused that must clear himself of the allegations.”
Matter still in court— INEC
When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi said the Commission cannot comment on a matter still in court.
Oyekanmi said: “When a case is in court, we don’t comment and remember, a lawyer has gone to court but the court is yet to decide on the matter. As far as INEC is concerned, the case is still the way it is until the court decides otherwise. If the court rules in favour of the lawyer and we are served, we will obey. Initiating a court action against an individual is not the same as getting judgement; we cannot be reacting to what is yet to take place.
The matter is in court and we cannot react to a matter that has not been decided.”
 
December 17, 2018

The Boycott of Courts by Lawyers in Akwa Ibom State Continues -NBA Chairman


As Activities at the Courts Grounded
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Eno-Obong Akpan Esq

The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Uyo branch, Eno-Obong Akpan Esq, has commended members of the NBA in the four branches of the Bar in Akwa Ibom State for their total boycott of Courts in all the Judicial Divisions in the state in compliance to the boycott ordered by the NBA. Speaking with our Correspondent in a telephone conversation, the chairman said that the boycott would continue indefinitely, until something is done about the way the TSA policy is implemented as it concerns filing fees and other court processes.
The Chairman noted that compliance remains mandatory for all the members of the Bar in Uyo, Ikot Ekpene, Eket and Oron branches of the NBA, until the concerned authorities take appropriate decision on the contentious issue.
“Our members have so far shown great understanding of the situation. I commend them for remaining steadfast and committed to our stand to end this avoidable hardship on lawyers, litigants and legal practice in Akwa Ibom State. Any lawyer practicing in the state will agree that something must be done to change the status quo in the method of payment of filing fees. We have a unique way of doing things in the courts, sometimes it can be so frustrating to have a matter struck off due to no fault of the lawyer or the litigant. I urge our members to continue to show faith in the leadership of the NBA in the state to resolve this matter once and for all”, Eno-Obong Akpan told this paper.
Meanwhile, our Correspondent who visited the courts last week reports that there was total compliance by lawyers to the Boycott order. The NBA in Ikot Ekpene, our Correspondent gathered, raised a task force to ensure compliance. The courts in other locations such as Ibiono Ibom, Itu, Okobo, Abak, Oron, were deserted as lawyers stayed away.
In Uyo, there were pockets of court sittings, especially at the Magistrate court premises at FULGA street on the first day of the boycott, but from the second day, there was full compliance.
The four branches of the NBA in Akwa Ibom State had declared a court boycott to press home their demand for a review in the way the TSA policy of government is implemented in the payment of filing fees and other court processes, which they said has constituted a serious snag in legal practice and access to justice in the state.
December 17, 2018

FOI: Prof Ojukwu Files Action Against NBA, Others


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Prof. Ernest Ojukwu SAN
Prof. Ernest Ojukwu, SAN has filed an action against the Incorporated Trustees of NBA, President of NBA Mr. Paul Usoro, SAN and the General Secretary, Jonathan Gunu Taidi over their alleged failure to accede to Ojukwu’s request for certain information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI)
In the suit with No. CN/490/18 filed at the FCT High Court, Prof. Ojukwu is asking the Court to compel the Respondents to furnish him with the information attached as schedule to his court processes thus:
  1. Report of the Nigerian Bar Association 2018 Ad-hoc Transition Committee.
  2. The budget approved by the NBA National Executive Committee for the 57th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association 2017.
  3. The breakdown of the account for the 57th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association 2017.
  4. Detail of cost of Nigeria Bar Association sponsorship of international conferences for all lawyers, including Nigerian Bar Association National Officers from 2016 to 2018.
  5. Details of all lawyers handling NBA matters in courts and details of payments made to them from 2016-2018.
  6. Details of the Nigerian Bar Association income and expenditure account from 2016 to 2017.
  7. Details of the Nigerian Bar Association income and expenditure account from 2017 to 2018.
  8. Account of all expenditures made from the MacArthur Foundation Criminal Justice Reform funds and bank statement of the account from 2017-2018.
  9. The budget approved by NBA National Executive Committee for the NBA Criminal Justice Reforms Conference organized by the NBA Criminal Justice Reforms Committee held at Asaba, Delta State from April 24 to 28, 2018.
  10. The breakdown of account for the NBA Criminal Justice Reforms Conference organized by the NBA Criminal Justice Reforms Committee held at Asaba, Delta State from April 24 to 28, 2018.
  11. The breakdown of all the payments made to members of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee from 2012 till date.
  12. The breakdown of all the payments made to NBA Prosecutors at the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee from 2012 till date.
  13. The contract signed to engage the services of PriceWaterhouseCooper (PWC) for the purpose of auditing and reviewing the NBA Account.
  14. The budget approved by Nigerian Bar Association’s National Executive Committee for the 58th NBA Annual General Conference 2018
December 17, 2018

Abuja judge slumps, dies


A 32-year-old judge at the Grade 1 Area Court, Kubwa, Abuja, Abdulwahab Mohammed, who slumped on Saturday has died.
According to the Court’s Executive Officer Litigation, Umar Kontagora, the late judge who has been on admission at National Hospital Abuja, died on Saturday.
Kontagora said the late judge who had his tooth pulled out at the Kubwa General Hospital, had some complications and has been in and out of the hospital before his death.
Mohammed aged 32, hails from Edo and is survived by his pregnant wife.
NAN reports that in a recent judgment on Sept. 11, Mohammed, sentenced a 25-year-old store keeper, Abubakar Hussaini, to 12 months in prison, after Hussaini pleaded guilty to burning his boss’s credentials for his failure to increase his salary‎.
Hussaini said the complainant, Jack Jiang, a Chinese, promised to increase his salary, but failed to do so.‎
Hussaini had pleaded guilty to charges of criminal trespass, mischief by fire and theft, begged the court for leniency.
Mohammed, however, gave Hussaini an option to pay a fine of N20,000.
He also warned Hussaini to be of good behaviour and to also desist from committing crime.
The prosecutor, John Okpa, had told the court that Jiang reported the matter at the Area Command, Life Camp, Abuja on August 26.
He said that Hussaini criminally trespassed into the complainant’s house and stole a traveling bag containing five wrist watches, two bangles, four T -shirts and credentials.
Okpa said that all the said items were valued at N1.5 million.
The prosecutor said that four wrist watches, two bangles, two T-shirts and the traveling bag were recovered from Hussaini during police investigations.
He further said that Hussaini burnt the complainant’s credentials, adding that the offences contravened Sections 348, 336 and 288 of the Penal Code.
December 17, 2018

LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION ACCUSES FG FOR BEING 'CRIMINALLY SILENT' IN THE ON GOING ASUU STRIKE


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The Law Students Association of Nigeria (LAWSAN) are miffed by what they call the criminal silence of the Federal Government in the face of the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The Law Student body made this known in a press statement over the weekend.  According to the press statement;
“LAWSAN, the umbrella body for all undergraduate law students in the country, are incensed and outraged at the prolonged altercations between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) which has resulted in a disruption of academic activities in our universities. Lending a voice of Nigerian students to the national problem, we condemn the acts with utmost chagrin and firmly posit that the strike is needless, and must come to a necessary end.”
Expressing total disappointment at the Nigerian Government’s attitude towards the education system in Nigeria, the law student body stated;
“for the umpteenth time, we excoriate the unmerited state of Nigeria’s educational institutions and insist that government must demonstrate its commitment to holding education to a premium by doing all the things within its power to further its educational objectives as defined by the constitution. Nigerian students are the most priceless assets and the greatest hope this nation has. Countless times, we have demonstrated this by breaking grounds nationally and internationally, despite our study in the most horrible, unpleasant and encouraging of academic circumstances. Even at that, we are not allowed the simple fortune of smooth, uninterrupted academic activities, and thus, we are constantly struggling between the forces of decadence, instability and inconsistency, to mention but a few. The Nigerian government’s inability to invest in education and its refusal to honour its previous agreements with the ASUU projects total failure from its part as a government on one hand, and  dishonesty and hypocrisy as an employer of labour on the other.”
Liking the fate that has befallen the Nigerian Student is like that of the grass where two elephants are fighting, LAWSAN stated: “while we condemn the government for not taking plausible steps in commitment to education and academic staff, we further advise that the ceaseless, endless strikes are not necessarily in the best interest of Nigerian students. As the adage goes: when two elephants fight, the grass suffers the most. On this note, we call on the ASUU to understand that callous, aggressive and hard-hitting industrial actions are not the only ways of pressing industrial ends. In reality, assertive negotiations, thoughtful, well-coordinated industrial actions and vigorous collective bargaining would prove more potent and civil, and less injurious, especially in the light of current realities. Looking at the chequered history of Nigeria’s tertiary education, strikes had proven potent only in the 80’s and 90’s when nothing else would have brought the then military autocrats to the negotiating table. Since 1999, ASUU went on strike fourteen (14) times severally, for a cumulative period of three (3) years, which had not helped matters. Although we students believe and understand that it is in ultimate good faith that the ASUU does what it does, we still assert that the tool proves overly ineffective, highly detrimental, old-fashioned and abounds an often neglected collateral damage – the helpless students.”
“Flowing from the above, as an association with over fifty thousand (50,000) members pursuing law degrees in Nigerian Universities, we are concerned that our members in public universities are in imminent danger of losing a significant part of their careers and dreams to the incessant strike actions. Unarguably, all Nigerian students are facing this doom, but most importantly, law students are at risk the most because our undergraduate degrees are preparatory to the Nigerian Law School, with a very thin transitional period in between. Hence, the strike threatens the chances of law students to graduate as at when due, to enable them make it to the Nigerian Law School in due course and under a stable psychological fitness. At best, they risk being rushed through a hazy, chaotic and topsy-turvy academic session to beat the Law School’s admission deadline or their expected graduation time, should the strike persist. Therefore, the Federal Government and the ASUU must find a common ground to ensure that students are back to school and resume full academic activities or we do so for ourselves.”
Taking a swipe at ASUU, the student body wondered why the only method adopted by them are strikes even in the face of no visible results;
“Even when the challenges of our university system today call for a different toolkit than periodic strikes, ASUU keeps doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results, which underscore the ineptitude of the strikes that worked in yester decades but are fundamentally ineffective, inefficient and counterproductive today.”
“We (the students) are willing and resolute to fighting vigorously for the government to pay the required respect to education, educational reform and pleasant conditions of service for our dear tireless lecturers, but the ASUU needs to revisit the terms and operational mechanisms of this struggle, as we do not expect our dedicated lecturers to relent, because the government on the other end is not within the four walls of the universities, and as the strikes have proven, stands to suffer no direct consequence of closure of classrooms. As it is, parents and students, who are the primary constituents of the academic setting after teachers, have turned decisively against the strike and are influencing public opinion and clamouring for its end by all means necessary.”
“Therefore, in the interest of Nigerian students, while the ASUU pursues its industrial objectives, it should not flex its muscles by shutting down Nigerian universities in which its supposed tormentor (the government) is prima facie not directly involved. Every lecturer desires academic fulfillment in teaching, mentoring, flexibility and other epistemological benefits which are unattainable when students are the direct victims of ASUU’s actions. Disruption of academic programs is the greatest non-motivational factor to learning today, and which has retarded our capacity to develop and grow.”
“It provokes worry and concern that the entire public atmosphere has been over flooded over the years with debates couched strictly in terms of the hackneyed narrative of what goes in to education in terms of poor funding, infrastructural deficit, earned allowances, and so on. While these are pressing problems craving for solution, attention must also be paid to other fundamental problems bedeviling our universities, to wit: poor instruction, poor supervision and mentorship, porous research, ethical violations, sexual harassment and exploitation of students, political intimidation, lack of dedication to duty, all of which have worsened and academic standards have drastically deteriorated, even with more money poured into universities.”
“As the ASUU clamours for commitment to infrastructure and compensation from the other end, we appeal to it, as a self-reflective and self-critical professional body whose historic reputation of unparalleled integrity and responsibility is nonpareil, to bring to the fore the attitude, mindset and approach of its members to their jobs in return for the benefits that are being keenly pursued, and in fulfillment of the inherent responsibility of every employee of labour.”
“Finally, we state, unequivocally and with no sense of reservations, that our members and our fellow colleagues in the studentry are indignant and perturbed at the Nigerian Government and all public officials who hold a stake in this matter for gross failure in terms of education and for treating our lecturers with disdain. The criminal silence of government and elites as the strike lingers in its second month is equally condemnable. Apparently, as the political season is here, they are all engrossed in their campaign jamborees. This is a clear advertisement of the Nigerian state’s total failure to live up to its Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy under section 18 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Should this decay persist, we, as responsible stakeholders, shall rise up and emancipate ourselves from this peril.
December 17, 2018

NBA President Reacts to Prof Ojukwu’s Freedom of Information Suit


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NBA President Paul Usoro SAN
President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Paul Usoro SAN has in a statement issued on Sunday December 16, reacted to the suit filed by Prof. Ernest Ojukwu SAN demanding for certain disclosures under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI).
The reaction which covers mainly the actions taken by the present administration in its bid to ensure that transparency and accountability is entrenched in the Association also revealed that the bulk of the information being sought by Prof. Ojukwu relates to the activities of the past administration.
According to Usoro SAN; “Professor Ojukwu indeed sent me by e-mail, last night, 15 December 2018, the advance filed copies of his processes in the said Suit and, true to his acknowledgement in his open and published letter to me dated 22 November 2018, “out of the 15 items” set out in his Suit, “only two are activities of the present leadership, that is to say,
  1. “Report of the NBA 2018 Ad-hoc Transition Committee; and
  2. “The contract signed by NBA to engage the services of PricewaterhouseCooper (PWC) for the purpose of auditing and reviewing the NBA account”
The President then wondered why the demand for the disclosures by the learned Prof. were not made to the previous administration before they left office.
“In regard to the Items in Professor Ojukwu’s Suit that predate our administration which, it would appear, is Professor Ojukwu’s circuitous process for the probing of the previous administration(s), we are wondering why Professor Ojukwu did not demand for these disclosures from those administration(s) that had responsibilities there for when they were in office.”
He also confirmed that NBA would respond to the processes filed by Ojukwu the moment same is served.