LEKKI GARDENS: OPEN LETTER TO GOV. BABAJIDE SANWO-OLU, BY OSFRA

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ENUGU MAGISTRACY SAGA: ‘MY STORY,’ BY ‘REMANDED’ LAWYER

MR. FIDELIS OKEKE is the lawyer in the eye of the storm. He was reportedly remanded by His Worship, Ezeobi Ngozi Anidi (Mrs.), a Chief Magistrate sitting at Agbogugu Magistrates Court in Enugu State, in lieu of his client. In this no-holds-barred interview with CITY LAWYER, he chronicles the eventful proceedings that have caught the attention of the nation’s legal community

Please briefly introduce yourself
I’m Okeke Chinweze Fidelis Esq., also known as F. C. Okeke Esq. I am a legal practitioner of No. 33 Ogui Road, Enugu. I wish to state my ugly experience at the Magistrate Court, Agbogugu on 16th March, 2021 where I was detained by the magistrate for inexplicable reasons.

We understand you were remanded by a magistrate due to the absence of your client. How true is this?
On 15th March, 2021, the Registrar of the Court by name Austin called me and informed me that the Magistrate told him to fix Charge No. CMA/12C/2017 for 16th March, 2021.

Immediately, I called my client who informed me that he was in Lagos. My client pleaded that I should represent him. On 16th March, 2021, the matter was called and both the Prosecutor and myself announced our appearances. I told the Learned Magistrate that the Registrar just informed me about the matter the previous day, that I called my client immediately but he was not around.

The Prosecutor did not object. As we were about to take date, the Learned Magistrate said, ‘Oh, I remember this case! This is the case I made an order and the accused is disobeying.’ The Magistrate started writing, after which she read what she wrote.
In her Ruling, she read that “the Court should be acknowledged and now justice and not a play house. In the regard the Counsel for the accused will remain in Police custody upon the production of his client.”

However, lawyers like Onwe Vincent Esq. (0803772xxxx), Gladys Ani and C. C. Agu (0803435xxxx) were in court, including the Prosecutor, Innocent Egbuaba (ASP).

The trending order has been cited as fake. How true is this?
Those who regard the order in circulation as fake are enemies of justice. On 16th March the order was made. I applied for the Record of Proceedings. If I go to MTN, I can get (call record) evidence that from that 16th March, 2021 the Registrar continued delaying to issue me the record and the ruling until 25th March, 2021.

I paid for the record of proceedings and a receipt was issued to me in regards to that. I have the receipt as evidence that I processed the Proceedings and the Ruling. Whatever that makes any person(s) to classify a genuine Order of Court as fake is strange to me. The person(s) can produce another one to contradict the one I have.
Again, those who regard the Order as fake ought to have verified if the signature in the Proceedings is that of a staff of Magistrate Court Agbogugu designated to sign such processes. I deem the allegation that the Order is “FAKE ” as laughable.

Tell us briefly about the facts of the case
The fact is that the Complainant is the step-sister of the accused (my client). The Complainant reported at Agbogugu Police that the accused person demolished her (complainant’s) father’s house and built a Duplex. The complainant claimed that her property inside was valued about N7 million. The accused was charged to court. Upon the accused’s arraignment, he was granted bail and the condition fulfilled by the accused person’s surety (not myself). Subsequently, trial commenced. PW1 testified and was cross examined.

On the day the matter was adjourned for PW2 to testify, the Prosecutor made an application for the accused person to give the Complainant one room in his (accused) house. The application was granted. Dissatisfied with the Order, the accused filed an action for judicial review, challenging the Order for Possession made by the Magistrate in a criminal matter.

The High Court, Awgu delivered Judgment against the accused person. Dissatisfied again, the accused filed a Notice of Appeal and Stay of Execution. The Stay of Execution is still pending at the High Court, Awgu in Suit No. HAW/2019.

On 8th December, 2020 the Magistrate – without any application before her – remanded the accused for contempt of court. Dissatisfied, the accused approached High Court, Awgu and was granted bail.

At Awgu High Court, the accused applied for the Order to be quashed based on INEC and Ejike Oguebego where the Supreme Court (coram Nweze JSC) held that where a defendant in a cause challenges the validity of an Order directed against him, either by way of an appeal or other application, he cannot be proceeded against for contempt of that order unless and until the issue of its legality is settled. Nweze JSC further held that for contempt exfacia curiae, a charge and plea are necessary and the accused is entitled to fair hearing.

Sadly, as if the Learned Magistrate had the intention to remand the defendant’s Counsel, at the bottom of the Order I secured, surprisingly the Magistrate wrote: “defendant council (sic) is to be put in Oji custody until he complies.”

In fact, one of the Judges at High Court, Awgu saw the order and started laughing and jokingly asked, ‘Counsel, why are you here instead of Oji Prison.’ Other lawyers started laughing.
The application the accused made was first ex parte and for stay of all actions; this was granted. After service of the processes, including hearing notice, the respondents didn’t oppose; in short, the lawyer to the Complainant at the lower court said that he was not opposed to the application. The High Court Awgu presided over by His Lordship N. Orji delivered judgment in favour of the accused on 25/3/21.

In the judgment, the remand of the accused without any contempt proceedings was quashed and the charge was transferred to Awgu Magistrates’ Court. The High Court Registrar said that the CTC of the Judgment will be ready this week.

Is it true that the remand order was discharged by the magistrate?
The lawyers I mentioned earlier pleaded for the Magistrate to discharge the Order but she refused initially. However, when the Magistrate finished all her matters, the lawyers continued begging until she read again that the Order was discharged. One of the lawyers had pleaded that instead of detaining a lawyer, a Bench Warrant be issued against the accused. The Magistrate then issued a Bench Warrant against the accused.

Surprisingly, when I got the Order from the Registrar, there was no discharge or Warrant of Arrest Order contained therein. Immediately, I asked the Registrar of the Court if that was the only thing on record and he said yes. I tried to find if he omitted some pages but he was firm that there was nothing more on the record of the Court for that day.

We understand the accused had a contempt order hanging on his head which had not been discharged. Could that be a reason the court was aggravated by his absence?
It is very interesting to point out that there is no contempt proceeding/charge against the accused person. The accused was always in court except that day that I was given a short notice. I immediately called the accused but he told me that he was not in town.

Could your attitude to the court have compelled the remand order on you?
I had never exhibited any unusual conduct in the Court, including the day the incident occurred. Ask lawyers that are always in the court. I had never behaved in any way that could have led to such incident. I never behaved in any reprehensible manner. My conducts have been that of a diligent lawyer.

We understand the order was promptly discharged by the magistrate, and that you suffered no hardship ultimately. Is this correct?
I maintain that I am still surprised that the Learned Magistrate purportedly feigned to have discharged the Order when she was about to rise because when she made the Order, lawyers in the court pleaded for her to discharge the Order but she refused. I had no option than to sit in the court hall because I was aware that an Order was made against me. When she finished all matters in the cause list, lawyers continued begging the Learned Magistrate; then she purportedly read that the Order was discharged and I was able to leave the court.

What is in circulation was the document the Registrar issued to me and nothing less or more. The document is genuine and I paid for it. In fact, the Order made by the Learned Magistrate is worse than the one in issue. I am also ready to produce all the documents I mentioned in connection with this case.

We understand that the matter has been transferred to another court. How does that make you feel?
From all indications, even the High Court Awgu saw reasons to transfer the matter; but all in all, I suffered because after the Order, I would have gone because I was supposed to go for check-up at the 82 Division Hospital due to my illness but I stayed until the court rose and read that I was discharged.

Given that the remand order was discharged by the court and that the matter is no longer before the magistrate, some may accuse you of seeking cheap publicity or sensationalizing the issue. What is your reaction to that?
Despite that the discharge order is not contained in paper circulating, I was purportedly discharged in the presence of the lawyers that pleaded. If I wasn’t discharged, will it be said that I disobeyed the Court or why did the police in Court not arrest me? Even the Complainant whom the Prosecutor said was in Lagos later appeared and was jubilating. I feel that some information can on interrogation come from the Complainant.

Before the paper even started circulating, I told many lawyers about my ugly experience in the court and how I was remanded. Also on the 25th of March, 2021, I informed my Lord N. Orji about how I was detained by the Learned Magistrate. On the same day, I applied for CTC of the proceedings, yet till date the Registrar has been telling me to come today, come tomorrow; though that can’t be a much barrier to me. I posted this issue in my ESUT LAW CLASS 05 WhatsApp group on 24/3/21 while we were discussing about the remand of an Abuja lawyer by the group.

The trending ruling does not show you were really discharged. Do you plan to take steps to remedy this?
As it stands now, it is obvious that the Order has not been discharged. My liberty is at stake because once it is an Order of a court, it is subsisting until discharged.

 

 

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NBA, JUDICIARY WADE INTO ENUGU MAGISTRACY REMAND SAGA

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and Enugu State Judiciary have waded into the controversy trailing the alleged remand order on an Enugu-based lawyer by His Worship, Ezeobi Ngozi Anidi (Mrs.), a Chief Magistrate sitting at an Agbogugu Magistrates Court in Enugu State.

The social media was agog at the weekend following reports that a lawyer, Mr. Fidelis Okeke was ordered to be remanded in police custody following the absence of his client in court in Charge No. CMC/12c/2017, Commissioner of Police vs John Chidozie Igwe. Speculations were rife that the trending ruling was fake, prompting a frenzied debate among lawyers and jurists.

CITY LAWYER can authoritatively report that both the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and Enugu State Judiciary have waded into the controversy with a view to unraveling the facts.

The first hint of NBA’s intervention was dropped by the National Welfare Secretary and Publicity Secretary Emeritus, Mr. Kunle Edun via an online post thus: “The NBA 1st Vice President is following up on the matter with the local branch. We are impatiently waiting for the report of the local branch intervention.”

When CITY LAWYER sought more clarification on the post, Edun, a human rights activist, said: “We want to get first-hand report from the branch first, which we are still awaiting.”

Confirming the interventions, Okeke told CITY LAWYER that both NBA Enugu Branch Chairman, Mr. Jude Ezegwui and the Chief Registrar of Enugu State Judiciary, Magistrate Kingsley Eze have got in touch with him.

While he had narrated his experience to the Chief Registrar, there are strong indications that the branch may have asked him to submit a written report on the debacle for onward transmission to the national body. “I plan to do so immediately I’m done with the two matters I have in court today,” he told CITY LAWYER.

Though Okeke claimed that the chief magistrate ordered his remand in police custody, some lawyers argued that the trending ruling was fake, as it was not signed by the magistrate. There were indications that the remand order was vacated by the court.

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ENUGU RULING: DIALECTICS OF CTC, REMAND AND LAWYER’S FREEDOM, BY PROF. RACE ACHARA

In this article, leading jurist and former Dean of Law, PROF. R. A. C. E. ACHARA tackles the claim that the certified copy of a trending ruling of an Agbogugu Magistrates Court presided over by His Worship, Ezeobi Ngozi Anidi (Mrs) which allegedly ordered a remand of one F. C. Okeke Esq, is fake and proffers a synthesis 

The beauty of law often consists in its long established rules for testing between opposed versions of a story.

Currently, there is a CTC of the court’s proceedings. A CTC is by our Evidence Act the equivalent of the manuscript record of the presiding magistrate. If it has been forged by the court’s registrar, we should all be alarmed and the felon should be prosecuted and dismissed from service. What was published is not an enrolled order where perhaps the registrar might, in the inevitable attempt at summarization, have lost the meaning intended by the adjudicator. But even here, the hoary legal principles provide an important safeguard. If it is an enrolled order drafted by the court’s clerk or registrar, the adjudicator himself must sign it. This affords such a magistrate the opportunity and duty to cross-check the draft. A CTC involves no summary. It is a direct capture ipsissima verba of the record made by the adjudicator on the record book. This is why there’s no legal necessity for the judge to sign it, having already signed the original record book from which it has been extracted by her own staff.

So, which of the two conflicting stories would lawyers accept under our age-old laws and practice procedures? The record book (extracted by the court’s registrar, at a fee, and under the judicial seal of Enugu State by the usual Evidence Act procedure of a CTC)? Or, a social media publication by a random lawyer (with no legal practitioner’s stamp and seal, no claim of representation for the Hon. Chief Magistrate, or any apparent nexus or employment with the Enugu State judiciary)?

Nota bene:

The two narratives conflict only on the matter of whether or not the learned magistrate made the order suggesting, as shown in the CTC of her own records, that learned counsel should be remanded in police custody until such a time as his contemptuous client is found to replace him in gaol.

The grammatical ambiguity might be good reason for the police not to detain the lawyer, but that is a different conversation altogether.

Other than in this respect, the body of the new narrative does not conflict with the gist of the CTC. It talks of the conduct of the client, which if proven, could warrant his committal to prison for contempt. Apparently, the learned Chief Magistrate had already indeed committed him (ostensibly in absentia) to prison. It did not address the CTC evidence that as a result of the client’s assumed peccadilloes, the Hon. Chief Magistrate turned her ire on the client’s counsel. Indeed, the narrative tends to buttress this.

This is no instance to throw the safety of fellow counsel to the dogs merely for representation of their clients in court. Unless taken to its legal limits, the precedent would be dangerous and only encourage any out of control adjudicator to gamble on an abusive, infra dignitatem imprisonment of a legal practitioner, in the malicious understanding that before its reversal, the humiliated fellow lawyer would have unjustly, even if for a few hours, been incarcerated in shame.

Chief Theodore Ezeobi, SAN, God rest his soul, would never tolerate this sort of humiliation. His name need not be dragged into this fiasco.

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ALLEGED REMAND ORDER: IN DEFENCE OF ENUGU MAGISTRATE, BY LAWYER

Following a trending ruling of an Agbogugu Magistrates Court presided over by His Worship, Ezeobi Ngozi Anidi (Mrs) which allegedly ordered a remand of one F. C. Okeke Esq, counsel for the accused person, MARY BASSEY GODWIN, ESQ. x-rays the proceedings and concludes that the entire saga is designed to smear the hard working jurist, adding that no lawyer was remanded in custody or mistreated

THE TRUE FACTS OF THE FABRICATED ORDER TO ARREST A LAWYER PURPORTEDLY ISSUED BY AN ENUGU MAGISTRATE CIRCULATING (IN) THE SOCIAL MEDIA

The complainant who claimed to be an only child of her parents, told the court on giving evidence that her father made her promise not to forfiet (sic) her father’s name in order to secure the family name.

Upon the death of her father, her mother married a woman into the family to bear children. The accused is said to be the produce of the said marriage.

Upon hearing, the complainant told the court she received a call from Lagos that her step-brother had demolished the house she built and has demolished her father’s house. She rushed down to the east and saw it was true. She went to the police station and made a formal complaint and the matter was brought to court.

Upon the commencement of proceedings, the complainant prayed the court that she was stranded and had no place to sleep each time she came to the village praying the court to allow her have a room in her father’s house pending the determination of the suit that her brother would not allow her into her father’s house any more.

The court gave a ruling ordering the brother to open a room for the sister pending the determination of the suit.
The court’s ruling was based on the Supreme Court case of Ukeje v Ukeje, the judgement of Honourable Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour (which now grants women from the Eastern part of Nigeria a right to inheritance).

The accused’s counsel appealed the ruling to the High Court Agwu, Enugu State. The High court upheld the judgement of the lower court and sent the case back to the magistrate court.

The magistrate then gave an order for the accused to make a room available to the complainant. In December 2020, the matter came up again before the magistrate. The court was informed that the accused had not carried out the order of court.

The magistrate again instructed the accused to carry out the order of the court or face a contempt charge. Yet again, the Accused did not carry out the order of the court. The accused told the court he would not give up a room for his sister. The court then ordered for the arrest of the accused who was in contempt of court for disobeying the order of court.

The accused was remanded in prison custody. At the next adjourned date, the complainant informed the court that the accused was not in prison custody and had been going about town bragging that his money is speaking and remains untouchable.

The court issued a warrant of arrest repeatedly and was told by both counsel and the prosecutor that they were unable to locate the accused. The complainant at the following hearing informed the court that the Accused was in the village.

On the 16th of March the matter came up .The court yet again asked if the accused has been seen, the counsel for the accused said no. The court yet again asked the counsel for the accused if he was aware that the accused is at large. Counsel for the accused, after a short silence told the court that the accused was sick.

After this revelation, the court addressed the other lawyers in court who immediately rebuked the counsel for the accuses (sic) and asked him to apologise to the court. Counsel for the accused pleaded with the court and undertook that by the next adjourned date, he will work with the police to produce the accused. The magistrate then issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the accused.

After that hearing, the spurious and fabricated document emerged on social media in an attempt to intimidate the court.

Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Muhammad Aliyu and the officiating DPO, Mr. John Igele, have both confirmed that the order to arrest a lawyer circulating on social media is a fabrication. It never existed nor was any lawyer arrested.

Mary Bassey Godwin, Esq.

Copyright 2020 CITY LAWYER. Please send emails to citylawyermag@gmail.com. Join us on Facebook at https://web.facebook.com/City-Lawyer-Magazine-434937936684320 and on TWITTER at https://twitter.com/CityLawyerMag. To ADVERTISE in CITY LAWYER, please email citylawyermag@gmail.com or call 08138380083. All materials available on this Website are protected by copyright, trade mark and other proprietary and intellectual property laws. You may not use any of our intellectual property rights without our express written consent or attribution to www.citylawyermag.com. However, you are permitted to print or save to your individual PC, tablet or storage extracts from this Website for your own personal non-commercial use.

GADZAMA LLP TO HOST OPUTA MENTORING PROGRAM APRIL 24

  • CHIEF KANU AGABI SAN IS KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Leading law firm, J-K Gadzama LLP will on Saturday, April 24, 2021 hold the 6th Edition of its Hon. Justice Chukwudifu Oputa JSC (Rtd) Professional Training and Mentoring Programme for Young Lawyers. Time is 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

The theme of this year’s mentoring programme is “Navigating the rough path in the legal profession – The mix of the old and new generation.” The Keynote Speaker is former Attorney-General & Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi SAN while the Acting Chief Judge of the High Court of FCT , Justice Salisu Garba is the Chairman of the occasion.

Discussants include Mr. Oyetola Atoyebi SAN, Managing Partner, OMAPLEX Law Firm; Mrs. Diane Okoko FCIArb, Partner, Marcus Okoko & Co.; Ms. Toyin Bashir, Partner, Banwo & Ighodalo, and Mr. Darlington Onyekwere ACIArb, Partner, J-K Gadzama LLP.

The event will be moderated by Sarah Jeta Atumga and Lamar Joe-Kyari Gadzama, both Associates at J-K Gadzama LLP.

According to the statement made available to CITY LAWYER, “Young lawyers below 10 years at the bar should kindly click on the link below to register https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUrc-mhqTspHdy79VrT2rMaIjMMsIEFINdM

“From the pool of registrations, a selected number will be invited to attend physically – keeping in line with the COVID-19 guidelines – while other participants will join virtually.”

Copyright 2020 CITY LAWYER. Please send emails to citylawyermag@gmail.com. Join us on Facebook at https://web.facebook.com/City-Lawyer-Magazine-434937936684320 and on TWITTER at https://twitter.com/CityLawyerMag. To ADVERTISE in CITY LAWYER, please email citylawyermag@gmail.com or call 08138380083. All materials available on this Website are protected by copyright, trade mark and other proprietary and intellectual property laws. You may not use any of our intellectual property rights without our express written consent or attribution to www.citylawyermag.com. However, you are permitted to print or save to your individual PC, tablet or storage extracts from this Website for your own personal non-commercial use.

BAR LEADER, DURU NAMED BADMINTON ASSOCIATION CHAIR BY SANWO-OLU

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has named Bar Leader and former 1st Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lagos Branch as the new Chairman of the board of Lagos State Badminton Association.

In a letter dated 8th March, 2021 and made available to CITY LAWYER, it was noted that Duru’s appointment was “as a result of your keen interest and contributions to sports development as well as selfless service to humanity and sterling achievements in your chosen field. We believe and expect these qualities will be fully brought to bear in your role as a Board Member.

The letter which was signed by the Executive Chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission, Sola Aiyepeku added that “By this appointment, members of the board are expected to work assiduously for the transformation of the Association in line with the Lagos State Sports Commission’s Vision of building ‘The foundation for a sustainable vibrant industry’ and Mission ‘To make Lagos the leading sports destination in Africa.’

Also appointed as board members are Mr. Abiodun Akinyemi (Vice Chairman), Mr. Lekan Abdul, Mr. Bayo Haastrup, Alhaja Rekia Zubair and Mrs. Bukky George. The board members were sworn in on Thursday, March 11, 2021 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, Lagos and have since assumed duties.

An avid badminton enthusiast and player, Duru was the Chairman of the Badminton Section of Ikoyi Club 1938.

Copyright 2020 CITY LAWYER. Please send emails to citylawyermag@gmail.com. Join us on Facebook at https://web.facebook.com/City-Lawyer-Magazine-434937936684320 and on TWITTER at https://twitter.com/CityLawyerMag. To ADVERTISE in CITY LAWYER, please email citylawyermag@gmail.com or call 08138380083. All materials available on this Website are protected by copyright, trade mark and other proprietary and intellectual property laws. You may not use any of our intellectual property rights without our express written consent or attribution to www.citylawyermag.com. However, you are permitted to print or save to your individual PC, tablet or storage extracts from this Website for your own personal non-commercial use.

NIN REGISTRATION: UBANI FLOORS FG, DEADLINE NOW APRIL 6

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the extension of the deadline for enrolment for the National Identity Number by two months with effect from Tuesday, March 23, 2021.

Justice Maureen Onyetenu granted the extension while delivering a ruling in a suit (MONDAY ONYEKACHI UBANI V. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA & ORS) filed by leading human rights lawyer, Mr. Monday Ubani against the Federal Government, Attorney General of the Federation, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy.

Ubani instituted the fundamental rights enforcement suit seeking enforcement of his fundamental rights as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He contended that the initial two weeks ultimatum (now extended to 6th day of April, 2021) given to telecommunication operators to block SIM Cards of Nigerians who have not registered their SIM Card with NIN if allowed, will infringe on his constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of expression, right to own moveable property and right to life. He therefore prayed the Court for an Order extending the deadline.

In her ruling, Justice Onyetenu granted all the reliefs sought by Ubani and made the following declarations and orders:

1. A DECLARATION that the ultimatum given to telecommunications operators by the 1st, 3rd and 4th Respondents to block all Subscriber Identification Modules (SIM) cards that are not registered with National Identity Number (NIN), is grossly inadequate and will not only work severe hardship, but will likely infringe on the fundamental rights of the Applicant (and millions of other Nigerians) to freedom of expression as guaranteed by section 39(1)(2) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as violate section 44(1) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) which prohibits the compulsory acquisition of right or interest over moveable property.

2. A DECLARATION that in view of the covid-19 pandemic and the rising cases in Nigeria presently, the deadline given by the 1st, 3rd and 4th Respondents to the Applicant and over 200 million Nigerians to register their SIM Cards with NIN, will lead to a rush, thereby resulting to clustering of the Applicant and other Nigerian citizens in a NIN registration centre, subjecting him to the possibility of easily contracting the covid-19 virus, and such will amount to a violation of his fundamental right to life as protected by section 33(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

3. AN ORDER halting the said ultimatum given by the 1st, 3rd and 4th Respondents to telecommunication operators to block all SIM Cards that are not registered with the National Identity Numbers (NIN).

4. AN ORDER directing the 1st, 3rd and 4th Respondents to extend the deadline for the registration of SIM Cards with NIN for a further two months with effect from the 23rd day of March, 2021.

Copyright 2020 CITY LAWYER. Please send emails to citylawyermag@gmail.com. Join us on Facebook at https://web.facebook.com/City-Lawyer-Magazine-434937936684320 and on TWITTER at https://twitter.com/CityLawyerMag. To ADVERTISE in CITY LAWYER, please email citylawyermag@gmail.com or call 08138380083. All materials available on this Website are protected by copyright, trade mark and other proprietary and intellectual property laws. You may not use any of our intellectual property rights without our express written consent or attribution to www.citylawyermag.com. However, you are permitted to print or save to your individual PC, tablet or storage extracts from this Website for your own personal non-commercial use.

ENCOMIUMS, AS ODUBELA IS BURIED WEDNESDAY

• BOSAN, AMOSUN, DINO MELAYE, OTHERS MOURN HIM
• VALEDICTORY COURT SESSION HOLDS TODAY

Leading lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. John Olusegun Odubela who died last Monday will be buried on Wednesday at his Ikenne, Ogun State country home. He was aged 55 years.

Meanwhile, a Valedictory Court Session organised by the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) will be held today at the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja by 2 pm in honour of the deceased. The hybrid event will be beamed to a global audience via ZOOM. The Meeting ID is 821 1756 0781 while Passcode is 337059.

While the Service of Songs holds tomorrow in Lagos at 5 pm (Meeting ID: 889 3896 7924; Passcode: 459997; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeL_EiiPuJg), the burial service holds on Wednesday at 11 am at the Methodist Church, Ikenne, Ogun State (Meeting ID: 847 7681 6053; Passcode: 138208; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbEG-1AGY7U).

Several jurists and politicians have also been extolling the virtues of the senior lawyer since his passing. Odubela was until his death the longstanding Head of Chambers at the leading law firm of Rickey Tarfa & Co. A former Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology in Ogun State, Odubela took silk in 2017.

According to THE PUNCH, “Odubela was lawyer to several VIPs, such as former Kogi-West lawmaker, Senator Dino Melaye; Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio; and the All Progressives Congress candidate in the last Edo State governorship election, Osagie Ize-Iyamu.” He was pivotal to the electoral petition victory of former Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole among several others. He was the Director-General of Prince Dapo Abiodun Governorship Campaign Committee.

Odubela graduated from Ogun State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Law and was admitted to the Nigerian Bar in 1990. He also received a Master of Laws degree from the University of Lagos in 1995. A Notary Public of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the seasoned jurist was an active member of the International Bar Association (IBA) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). Odubela was survived by a wife and three daughters.

Tributes have been pouring in celebration of the late senior lawyer who many describe as a humane and excellent lawyer and gentleman. Below are some of the tributes.

BODY OF SENIOR ADVOCATES OF NIGERIA (BOSAN)
‘Kindly be informed that the Valedictory Session in honour of Late Mr. John Olusegun Odubela SAN is scheduled for Monday, March 22, 2021 at 2 pm prompt at the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja.

The esteemed presence of the distinguished members of the Inner Bar will be highly appreciated’, the statement reads in part.

The Late Mr. Olusegun Odubela, SAN, served as the head of chambers/Managing Partner in the law firm of Messrs Ricky Tarfa & Co. He was also a Notary Public of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Mr. Odubela graduated from Ogun State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Law. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1990, He obtained a Masters of Law degree from the University of Lagos, in 1995.

He was a member of the International Bar Association and Nigerian Bar Association.

EDO STATE GOVERNOR, MR. GODWIN OBASEKI
“I am deeply saddened by the passing of my friend and brother, John Olusegun Odubela, SAN, a great compatriot, who toiled till his last days in defence of justice and truth.

“Odubela was a fine gentleman, intelligent and committed to the fine ethos of democracy, working earnestly to defend the people against the excesses of their oppressors.”

“He was a brilliant lawyer, who was always on the path of justice and honour. Since 2007, Odubela has been active in the fight to protect the people’s right to choose their leaders. When circumstances caused a reenactment of the same battle, he threw his legal prowess into the ring to ensure that this legacy is upheld. He remains a shinning light in efforts at consolidating democracy in our dear state.

“On behalf of the Government and people of Edo State, I send heart-felt condolences to his immediate family; the people of Ogun State, who he served as Commissioner; his friends and associates and pray that God will grant us all the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”

SENATOR IBIKUNLE AMOSUN
Former Ogun State Governor

“As a Commissioner for Education in Ogun State, Barrister Odubela gave a good account of himself as a brilliant, hardworking, dependable and highly resourceful person. He exuded an unparalleled passion for the progress of Ogun State and Nigeria, and most particularly at the bar where he had an accomplished career and attained the prestigious rank of SAN,” Amosun stressed.

“Odubela, my dear Odubela. How can I be writing about my Commissioner One, our Commissioner One, the Commissioner One of the Ogun State Executive Council Class of 2011-2015 in the past tense?

“Excellency, I will go to court, let me challenge that in court” – this was your usual phrase. Who will now be going to court on our behalf? How could the cold hands of death snatch Odubela away so suddenly and in such a cruel way.

“Alas, at around 10.32pm on Monday night, 15th March 2021, I was informed that the worst had happened, Segun Odubela had gone to his creator.

“It saddens my heart that his life, dreams and blossoming legal career had to end abruptly at this time. J.O. Odubela, as he was fondly called, was a dutiful, loyal, ever joyful and smiling, and above all, an embodiment of what we called “Ogun Standard”. He will be sorely missed by all of us in Ogun State and beyond.

“As painful as his death could be, I enjoin the Odubela family, the Ogun State Executive Council Class of 2011-2015, members of the inner bar, the people of Ikenne and indeed Ogun State to take solace in the fact that Barrister Olusegun Odubela lived a fulfilled life and left behind enduring legacies. I pray that Almighty God will grant him eternal rest and give all of us the fortitude to bear the pain of his loss.

“Adieu Segun Odubela, my dear Commissioner One!”

SENATOR DINO MELAYE
In his tribute, Melaye wrote: “I am saddened and pained to hear the demise of my beloved friend and lawyer, John Olusegun Odubela, SAN. Someone I can call a brother and friend any time, any day. Though I know that death is inevitable as the Holy Bible tells me, but, why must it be you, my friend? I am yet to come to terms that you are no more. Oh death! What have you done?

John Olusegun Odubela, SAN was one of those who championed my cause and was there for me in almost all my legal battles. A man who truly believed that where there is a wrong, there is a remedy. A man who would not be bought or sold, who in his innermost soul is true and honest and will stand for what is right though the heaven falls. A fine and brilliant senior advocate per excellent. His death is indeed a great and devastating loss to me, the legal profession, Ogun State and our dear nation.

My friend, I will sorely miss you for your exemplary life of service and strong commitment to the course of justice, good conscience and equity. It is very dishearten that your dreams, aspirations and good life had to end unexpectedly without any formal notice. Nevertheless, with a great sense of gratitude to God for the good life you lived and the lives of so many you touched and imparted. There is no doubt that the rich memories of official and humanitarian services to the legal profession, Ogun State and our nation would keep endearing you for a remarkable reckoning.

I’m also sending my condolences to Ricky Tarfa, SAN who mentored John Olusegun Odubela, SAN and was before his death, the Managing Partner and Head of Chambers of Ricky Tarfa & Co.

I pray God Almighty to grant those you left behind the fortitude to bear this loss, fill the gaping hole your demise had left in our hearts and grant you eternal rest. Amen.

Adieu my Friend.

ODUBELA_1

ODUBELA_2

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A/COURT SCREENING: ‘I PLAYED KEY ROLE IN NJC DUMPING NOMINEES,’ SAYS CAROL AJIE

RIGHT OF REPLY

Fiery Bar Activist and former Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lagos Branch, Dame Carol Ajie has said that she contributed to the dropping of two candidates who allegedly performed poorly during the National Judicial Council (NJC) screening of the nominees for elevation to the Court of Appeal.

In a rejoinder to CITY LAWYER‘s report on the matter, Dame Ajie narrated her high-profile interventions on the controversial screening exercise, adding that CITY LAWYER did not credit her efforts as contributing to the reversal of fortunes suffered by the affected jurists.

Below is the full text of the rejoinder which was sent to CITY LAWYER.

NBA vs NJC Appellate Court Nominees: Mr Emeka Nwadioke – Unfair Reporting

As you privately twice acknowledged yesterday Saturday 20th Match I wrote self inspiringly interventionist views on the above subject many including Gambo Saleh NJC Secretary received it I I also sent it to Ms Hadiza Supreme Court Chief Registrar on my contact list via WhatsApp and email to a former CJN Mariam Muktar GCON. I believe a number of people were surprised that I backed Akpata on anything cos they had perceived I won’t and couldn’t back him.

Perhaps I don’t know the part of the real reason for NJC U Turn arose from the shocking endorsement I have Akpata though you are too dishonest to admit it in your poor article which I have trashed.

A former NBA GS who shall not be named wrote me a long whatsapp text yesterday to dump support for Akpata on this I didn’t buckle. I said Akpata is right.

I sought on my own initiative to back him that is why I wrote my interventionist text like that. If I didn’t want to back him I know how to write Read a draft of what would have appeared anti Akpata

An NBA President Akpata who never hid his aversion for the court room suddenly becomes an advocate of who a good appellate court Judge should be. Please Distinguished readers trash it. You know Akpata is conventionally greedy he has zero record on public interest chances are that as NBA President he probably had his preferential candidates who didn’t pass the mark set by CJN/NJC A transactional lawyer indeed should not be telling a CJN who is eligible for the bench when not his turf. Thank U
End

Chidi Odinkalu himself cannot file a motion he knows nothing about litigation he has no practice he was never in practice.

But why put down Akpata or Chidi they are my Brothers I said one from Midwest plus Akpata actually is UNIBEN Alum. As a Catholic Christian I said he has taken a right step let me publicly support him. That z it. As for Chidi he is my Brother I call him Brother CAO hus (sic) initials

If I wrote that anti Akpata and shared it within half an hour it would get to CJN through Ahmed Gambo.Saleh and Madam Chief Registrar SC or other sources. Trust me they will say Iroko Tree Ajie is against Akpata and she is for us CJN CR SC NJC Secretary and the fight goes on . Note there is no NBA nominee into FJSC I didn’t support Usoro and they read me and as you know CJN has not yet resolved it

My friends may not be happy with me that I backed Akpata openly I mean my friend Madam CR SC and then I am now reading a dishonest report in City lawyer magazine that failed to give credence to efforts in a struggle I courageously took part in my name on it

If you don’t know how to address me I am a Georgetown scholar I read for it on my degree certificate are the appellation Professor Scholar Juris I didn’t inherit it and as a renowned Constitutional Law lawyer I changed a few provisions in the Nigerian Constitution through documented struggles google search Carol.Ajie and Constitutional Law I have an Intl human rights certificate from Georgetown which cannot be bought with all the money in the World I worked to get my credentials Dues fully paid.

Best regards
CA

Copy Mr Akpata etc

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SHOCKER: A/COURT NOMINEES CAN’T EXPLAIN ‘LIS PENDENS,’ NJC DUMPS THEM

There are strong indications that under-fire National Judicial Council (NJC) may have dropped two jurists who performed woefully during its screening exercise for appointment as Court of Appeal justices.

This may not be unconnected with their inability to answer basic legal questions as well as the backlash the NJC has been receiving following the unprecedented revelation by Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Mr. Olumide Akpata that the entire screening exercise was near shambolic.

CITY LAWYER was told by a reliable source that the dropped candidates (names withheld) are from Kebbi and Katsina States.

Respected human rights activist and former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu hinted on the NJC’s decision when he tweeted thus: “The President of @NigBarAssoc, @OlumideAkpata, deserves considerable credit for his advocacy on standards of judicial appointments. He managed to pare back this recent list of #CourtOfAppeal nominees from 20 to 18. The 2 candidates reportedly didn’t know what #LisPendens means! https://t.co/Y9B9bVwoBF.”

CITY LAWYER had gathered from an impeccable source that at least one of the candidates was unable to explain the term, ‘lis pendens.’ Our source said the aspirant argued that the subject ‘had not come before his court!’ Akpata had alluded to this when he sensationally revealed that “Important legal issues that were occasionally put to the nominees could not be answered,” though he refused to give details. Black’s Law Dictionary defines ‘lis pendens’ as “a Latin phrase for a pending suit or a person who has been suspended.”

Narrating his disappointment with the entire screening exercise, Akpata told members of the NBA National Executive Committee (NBA-NEC) at their quarterly meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, that the screening exercise was akin to “an old school boys meeting.”

His words: “What I saw and experienced at the NJC meeting on the appointment of judges to the Court of Appeal left me aghast. At a point, I, as a “Johnny Just Come’ (new attendee), had to ask, ‘Are these people really going to the Court of Appeal?’

“Important legal issues that were occasionally put to the nominees could not be answered. The whole proceedings appeared more of an old school boys meeting. When I wondered at this, I heard things like, ‘They will learn on the job.’ We were to interview 20 nominees at a point but only 2 hours was allocated for this important exercise. That meant six minutes only for each nominee. What is this? Let me assure you that the NBA will never be a rubber stamp participant at such bodies. You can quote me.”

CITY LAWYER had exclusively reported that Akpata had also written a petition to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and NJC Chairman, Justice Tanko Muhammad on the issue.

The NJC is yet to respond to the indictment by the NBA President at press time.

Copyright 2020 CITY LAWYER. Please send emails to citylawyermag@gmail.com. Join us on Facebook at https://web.facebook.com/City-Lawyer-Magazine-434937936684320 and on TWITTER at https://twitter.com/CityLawyerMag. To ADVERTISE in CITY LAWYER, please email citylawyermag@gmail.com or call 08138380083. All materials available on this Website are protected by copyright, trade mark and other proprietary and intellectual property laws. You may not use any of our intellectual property rights without our express written consent or attribution to www.citylawyermag.com. However, you are permitted to print or save to your individual PC, tablet or storage extracts from this Website for your own personal non-commercial use.

 

APPEAL COURT SCREENING: SCANDAL ROCKS NJC, AS AKPATA WRITES CJN

• PRESSURE MOUNTS ON NBA PRESIDENT TO RECANT

The last may not have been heard on the scandal rocking the screening of candidates for appointment to Nigeria’s Court of Appeal, as it has emerged that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Mr. Olumide Akpata wrote to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad on his reservations.

This is coming on the heels of a press statement by the under-fire National Judicial Council (NJC) recommending the appointment of 18 Justices of Court of Appeal and 8 heads of court following its 94th Meeting held on 17 to 18 March, 2021. The Council also constituted a committee to investigate a judge and issued warning letters to some judges.

A source who is familiar with the controversy told CITY LAWYER that Akpata had written to Justice Muhammad, who also doubles as the NJC Chairman, intimating him of his strong reservations on the screening process, adding that the NBA President was scandalized by the shoddy manner the screening was conducted.

In a searing and unprecedented indictment of the apex policy making body in the legal profession, Akpata had lampooned the screening of the jurists, reportedly saying: “What I saw and experienced at the NJC meeting on the appointment of judges to the Court of Appeal left me aghast. At a point, I, as a “Johnny Just Come’ (new attendee), had to ask, ‘Are these people really going to the Court of Appeal?’ Important legal issues that were occasionally put to the nominees could not be answered. The whole proceedings appeared more of an old school boys meeting. When I wondered at this, I heard things like, ‘They will learn on the job.’ We were to interview 20 nominees at a point but only 2 hours was allocated for this important exercise. That meant six minutes only for each nominee. What is this? Let me assure you that the NBA will never be a rubber stamp participant at such bodies. You can quote me.”

There are strong indications that Akpata’s comments may have drawn the ire of many jurists especially the conservative bloc in the legal profession. CITY LAWYER gathered from an impeccable source that pressures are being mounted on the NBA President to recant or engage in some damage control, given the backlash generated by the comments.

The NJC has not responded to the damning indictment at press time.

Copyright 2020 CITY LAWYER. Please send emails to citylawyermag@gmail.com. Join us on Facebook at https://web.facebook.com/City-Lawyer-Magazine-434937936684320 and on TWITTER at https://twitter.com/CityLawyerMag. To ADVERTISE in CITY LAWYER, please email citylawyermag@gmail.com or call 08138380083. All materials available on this Website are protected by copyright, trade mark and other proprietary and intellectual property laws. You may not use any of our intellectual property rights without our express written consent or attribution to www.citylawyermag.com. However, you are permitted to print or save to your individual PC, tablet or storage extracts from this Website for your own personal non-commercial use.

 

 

 

IBIDAPO-OBE DELIVERS UNILAG INAUGURAL LECTURE MARCH 24

Renowned Professor of Public Law and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), Professor Akinola Ibidapo-Obe will on March 24, 2021 deliver his inaugural lecture at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

The lecture which is scheduled for 4 pm at the popular J. F. Ade Ajayi Auditorium of the university is titled “Battle of three ancestors and the jurisprudence of Black Africa.”

An invitation by the UNILAG Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe noted that “Guests are requested to be seated by 3.45 p. m.,” moreso as strict COVID-19 protocols will be observed.

The hybrid event will also be beamed live to a global audience via the ZOOM platform. A message by Prof. Ogundipe reads:

The Vice Chancellor is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Inaugural Lecture of Professor Akin Ibidapo-Obe
Time: Mar 24, 2021 04:00 PM West Central Africa

Join Zoom Meeting
https://wacren.zoom.us/j/66790548799?pwd=S2p1Vm1ic0djME9OVXZ3VHpqa2tKUT09

Meeting ID: 667 9054 8799
Passcode: 782826

Professor Ibidapo-Obe obtained his LL.B Degree from the University of Lagos in 1977 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in July 1978. He was awarded LL. M. with Distinction from the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University OAU, in 1980. He joined the Faculty of Law of OAU as Lecturer II in 1989. He was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1996 and Associate Professor with effect from 1st October 1998. He has been Examinations Officer, Sub-Dean and Ag. Head of Department of Public Law. He was visiting Professor of Law at Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.A. in 1993. He has also been an Exchange Scholar to the University of Nottingham, England. He has delivered papers at learned conferences in several countries. As an Afrocentric legal scholar with special interest in African Customary Law, his contributions were rewarded with the traditional honour of Bamofin-Ibile Ipetumodu (exponent of indigenous law). He was a Director of Constitutional Rights Project (CRP); Member, Director, and Founder of several other notable human rights organisation. As Dean of Law at the Univeristy of Lagos, Professor Ibidapo-Obe pioneered Introduction of Law and Religion Studies as an approved course for the 2016–2017 session. He credits his involvement with the law and religion movement to his attendance at the 21st International Symposium on Law and Religion Studies in Provo in October 2014. Professor Ibidapo-Obe and colleagues throughout Nigeria have formed the Nigeria Association for Law and Religion Studies and the West African Regional Centre for Law and Religion Studies to promote teaching and research on law and religion in Nigeria and the West Africa subregion.

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COURT AUTOMATION: EASTERN BAR FORUM COMMENDS RIVERS JUDICIARY

The Eastern Bar Forum (EBF) has commended the Rivers State Judiciary on the one year anniversary of its e-Filing and Court Automation platform which commenced on Tuesday, March 9 and will continue till the end of March.

In a congratulatory letter to the Chairman of the Rivers State Judiciary ICT Committee, Hon. Justice Elsie Thompson dated 12th March, 2021 and titled “Rivers State e-filing platform: Letter of commendation,” the forum noted that “What many saw as impossible has been made possible because of your sincerity of purpose, doggedness and sense of responsibility.”

Signed by Mr. S. Long Williams and Sir Ray Akanwa, Chairman and Secretary of the forum respectively, the influential regional Bar forum said: “We, on behalf of the entire forty five (45) NBA Branches in the Eastern Bar Forum felicitate with you and the entire Rivers State Judiciary on the one year anniversary of the launch of the e-filing platform in the Rivers State Judiciary.”

While commending Justice Thompson “for a work well done,” the Eastern Bar Forum said: “We urge you to continue with your good works as you join the Hon. Chief Judge of Rivers State to make the Rivers State Judiciary the cynosure of all the Judiciary in Nigeria.”

Commenting on the milestone at a press conference held to celebrate the anniversary, the State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra said: “Good justice systems are independent, transparent, accountable and efficient. Citizens depend on the judicial arm of government for key decisions that affect their daily lives and the society they live in. A good justice system is an inalienable right of the citizen.

“In order to initiate lasting reforms in the justice sector and to replace the archaic procedures and outmoded administrative and management systems, information and communications technology (ICT) solutions have been deployed holistically at the Rivers State Judiciary to provide end-to-end automation of the caseflow system.

“I believe that Information and communications technology have brought a turning point in the history of human civilization. It has brought about numerous changes and innovations in all fields of human activity. It has resulted in enhanced efficiency, productivity and quality of output in every walk of life. And the Justice sector should not be an exception.

“The last 365 days in the Rivers State Judiciary has been a journey of automating processes for improved speed in the administration of justice. The journey has been experiential with a lot of positive feedbacks and improvements on an ongoing basis.

“Most of the Rules that operate in our courts today date back to decades of manual and analogue practice that always require human intrusion to achieve the desired goal of effective justice administration.

“More than ever before, the pandemic revealed most of the inadequacies of the manual system and informed how the use of technology can greatly improve the access to justice and speed up the delivery of same. The all-round support from the State Government gave the needed impetus for us to embark on the audacious journey of automating the Rivers State Judiciary.”

The project is receiving technical support from Mr. Emeka Albert, a Justice Sector Reform Consultant and Chief Editor of LEGALPEDIA, who told CITY LAWYER that “more special modules and features of the platform have been scheduled for roll out soon.”

Copyright 2020 CITY LAWYER. Please send emails to citylawyermag@gmail.com. Join us on Facebook at https://web.facebook.com/City-Lawyer-Magazine-434937936684320 and on TWITTER at https://twitter.com/CityLawyerMag. To ADVERTISE in CITY LAWYER, please email citylawyermag@gmail.com or call 08138380083. All materials available on this Website are protected by copyright, trade mark and other proprietary and intellectual property laws. You may not use any of our intellectual property rights without our express written consent or attribution to www.citylawyermag.com. However, you are permitted to print or save to your individual PC, tablet or storage extracts from this Website for your own personal non-commercial use.

 

 

ALLEN AVENUE LAW FIRM SEEKS LITIGATION LAWYER

VACANCY FOR A QUALIFIED LAWYER:

A REPUTABLE LAW FIRM IN ALLEN AVENUE, IKEJA, LAGOS, REQUIRES URGENTLY THE SERVICES OF A MALE LITIGATION LAWYER.

INTERESTED CANDIDATES MUST POSSESS THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:

  • FLUENT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE
  • COMPUTER AND ICT LITERATE
  • GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILL/ DRESS SENSE
  • GREAT KNOWLEDGE OF LEGAL DRAFTING
  • LIVES WITHIN IKEJA AND ITS ENVIRONS
  • AGE: NOT MORE THAN 35 YEARS

Interested persons should submit application / resume to:
INTERVENERS & JOE NWOKEDI SOLICITORS,
SUIT 59, SHAHADATU HOUSE,

70D ALLEN AVENUE, IKEJA, LAGOS STATE or through our E-mail address: kedjoe yahoo.com

APPLICATION CLOSES ON THE 19TH OF MARCH 2021.

INTERVIEW HOLDS ON TUESDAY THE 23rd DAY OF MARCH 2021 BY 2PM AT THE CHAMBERS.

Copyright 2020 CITY LAWYER. Please send emails to citylawyermag@gmail.com. Join us on Facebook at https://web.facebook.com/City-Lawyer-Magazine-434937936684320 and on TWITTER at https://twitter.com/CityLawyerMag. To ADVERTISE in CITY LAWYER, please email citylawyermag@gmail.com or call 08138380083. All materials available on this Website are protected by copyright, trade mark and other proprietary and intellectual property laws. You may not use any of our intellectual property rights without our express written consent or attribution to www.citylawyermag.com. However, you are permitted to print or save to your individual PC, tablet or storage extracts from this Website for your own personal non-commercial use.

 

REVALIDATION: NBA REJECTS MOVE, BLASTS CAC OVER POOR SERVICES

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has carpeted the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) over moves to charge each lawyer N10,000 to enable them revalidate their status as CAC accredited agents.

In a statement made available to CITY LAWYER, the lawyers’ body described the revalidation exercise as “insensitive,” adding that it “smacks of utter bad faith on the part of the CAC to proceed with this policy without due consultation with the NBA whose members make up over 80% of the customer base of the CAC.” The NBA also lampooned the nation’s corporate registry over persistent poor services.

CITY LAWYER reliably gathered from a source at NBA HOUSE that the NBA President, Mr. Olumide Akpata had vigorously engaged the CAC leadership immediately news of the revalidation exercise was made public, leading to “slight relaxation” announced by the national registry.

Below is the full text of the NBA statement.

CAC DIRECTIVE ON RE-VALIDATION OF ACCREDITED AGENTS: THE POSITION OF THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION

The attention of the Nigerian Bar Association (“NBA”) has been drawn to a directive credited to the
Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (“CAC”) to the effect that accredited agents of
the CAC, including lawyers, are to revalidate their status as agents with the CAC and pay the sum of
Ten Thousand Naira (₦10,000), failing which the defaulting agents may be unable to access the CAC’s
Portal.

Since the news broke out, the NBA has been engaging with the CAC on this subject. The ostensible
reason given by the CAC for this directive is to checkmate the spate of proxy interactions with the
Portal and to weed out from the CAC’s Database, accredited agents who are either now deceased or
have emigrated out of the country and/or changed their location.

Whilst this objective may be well intended, the position of the NBA on the issue is as follows:
1. The NBA takes the view that it is both insensitive and smacks of utter bad faith on the part of the
CAC to proceed with this policy without due consultation with the NBA whose members make up
over 80% of the customer base of the CAC. This is in spite of the fact that the NBA-CAC Task Force
has been in constant touch with the CAC regarding improving efficiency and processes at the CAC.

2. While we appreciate that following engagements with the CAC, the Commission has extended the
deadline from 31st March 2021 to 10th June 2021 and has also clarified that the payment will be
one-off fee, the NBA remains of the view that it is possible to achieve a clean database of accredited
agents by requiring those who had been previously accredited by the CAC to simply update and
revalidate their records on the CAC portal (at no cost) or lose their accreditation by the new
deadline. The obligatory charge imposed by the CAC should not apply to existing users but only
to those customers who have never been accredited by the CAC and who now seek to be part of
the system.

3. The NBA is deeply concerned about the timing of this policy, which is coming at a time when many
lawyers have endured epileptic services from the CAC and have either lost the faith of their clients
or have been de-briefed by clients who believe that the lawyers treat their instructions with levity.
This state of affairs is what has led to the establishment of the NBA-CAC Taskforce to facilitate
regular interface with the CAC in resolving issues associated with the its services. Available
reports from the Taskforce indicate that in spite of its engagement with the CAC, the service levels
are still quite abysmal.

4. The NBA strongly urges the CAC to reconsider its position with respect to the payment of the
revalidation fee by existing users, and more importantly to continue to work assiduously towards
improving customer experience by resolving the several complaints by users of the system and
enhancing efficiency. Resolving these issues will not only be beneficial to the CAC and its
customers but will significantly advance the Federal Government’s Policy on Ease of Doing
Business in Nigeria.

Members of the NBA can be assured that we will continue to engage the CAC on these and other related
issues that affect their dealings with the Commission.

OLUMIDE AKPATA
NBA PRESIDENT
12th March, 2021

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LAWYERS WITHOUT BORDERS LAUNCH POLICE SITUATION ROOM

As part of its efforts in promoting the enjoyment of Human Rights in Nigeria, Avocats Sans Frontières France (ASF France or Lawyers Without Borders), in collaboration with its partners, the Carmelite Prisoners Interest Organisation (CAPIO) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has set up “The Police and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) Situation Room” in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

A statement made available to CITY LAWYER shows that the Situation Room was established under the “Strengthening the National Actors Capacities and Advocation for Ending Severe Human Rights Violations in Nigeria project” (SAFE) funded by the European Union and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), and is targeted at addressing human rights violations such as torture, extra-judicial killings and arbitrary detention.

In attendance at the maiden convening of the situation room were representatives of ASF France, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Legal Aid Council of Nigeria (LACON), Federal Ministry of Justice (FMOJ), CAPIO, NBA, and key CSOs working on justice sector reform in Nigeria such as Amnesty International, CLEEN Foundation, Access to Justice. Others were representatives of CSOs from Lagos, Enugu and Kaduna States.

In line with ASF France’s objectives for establishing the situation room, insightful contributions were made by members of the situation room as follows:

  • Create a pool of possible reforms that are consistent with international best practices in respect of Police accountability and human rights;
  • Create a platform for CSO monitoring and collaboration with the Police on its operations towards human rights enforcements;
  • Develop strategies aimed at improving the respect of human rights by officers and men of the Nigerian Police Force; and 
  • Boost the image of the Nigerian Police Force before the citizens.

The situation room also considered recommendations generated from State-level stakeholders roundtable meetings organised on the SAFE Project on Human Rights. The Head of Office of Avocats Sans Frontières France, Angela Uwandu, in her opening remarks said: “The work for the advancement of Human Rights in the country should be a collaborative effort between CSOs and the Government hence the dire need for the situation room”. She also called on CSOs to replicate this effort so as to sustain the gains of the engagement.

In his contribution, the representative of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, restated the commitment of the Police to the advancement of human rights and the strengthening of the rule of law in the country.

The O/C of the Police Complaints Response Unit (P-CRU), ACP Martins Ishaku Basiran, during his presentation on the Police Internal Mechanism for Accountability for Human Rights Violations by Police Officers said “a total of 2,156 complaints were reported during the 2019 period, 1,617 (75%) complaints were resolved, 108 (5%) complaints were found to be false and 431 (20%) complaints are still under investigation. There is an urgent need to establish P-CRU Desk offices across various States of the country to ensure that complaints are reduced to the barest minimum”.

ASF France aims to build on a successful maiden convening of the situation room to ensure sustainability of this initiative. The situation room would continue to expand and operate remotely as it gears up for its next convening.

ASF France’s SAFE project is co-funded by the European Union (EU) and the French Agency for Development (AFD) and is implemented in partnership with the Nigerian Bar Association and the Carmelite Prisoners’ Interest Organization (CAPIO).

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JUDICIARY: A STATE OF EMERGENCY

In this article, leading human rights activist, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa SAN spotlights the crises rocking the nation’s judiciary and calls for urgent reforms.

When the President announced the first Coronavirus lockdown at the end of March, 2020, hardly did we ever think that it would continue in this form, with the economy in shambles, all critical sectors crawling and almost everything at a standstill. Following that painful but necessary lockdown, the judiciary began to wobble, while many cases suffered long delays and others were adjourned sine die. Then came the EndSARS protests, the looting of the courts, the burning down of the oldest court building in Nigeria, together with its archives and antiquities. It is doubtful if the court system will ever recover from that invasion, notwithstanding the gallant efforts of the leadership of the judiciary and indeed the Lagos State Government. We are gradually feeling the heat of these catastrophic occurrences, as no substantial progress has been made ever since. Some judges have no courtrooms to sit in to conduct judicial business, some others share a single courtroom with other judges while some others have no chambers or office to operate from, due to no fault of theirs. It is that serious indeed.

The Judiciary is established under section 6 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended. The Constitution proceeds to state the function of the judiciary as to “extend to all matters between persons, or between government or authority and to any person in Nigeria, and to all actions and proceedings relating thereto, for the determination of any questions as to the civil rights and obligations of that person.” In reality therefore, the judicial powers as conferred upon the courts relate to adjudication and determination of disputes. This power is traceable to the period of creation, when the first man (Adam) was put to trial in the Garden of Eden. God drafted the charges, served them on him and took his defences thereto and thereafter judgment was passed. However, judicial power was properly codified when the father-in-law of Moses visited him and advised him to set up several courts for the resolution of all contentious issues, depending on their magnitude. Man has followed this pattern ever since, leading to the trial, condemnation and crucifixion of Jesus by the Jews.

The judiciary became more entrenched as part of the foundation of the creation of Nigeria, due to the Sir Henry Willink Commission of Inquiry report, detailing the means of addressing the fears expressed by the minority ethnic groups, post-independence. Assuredly, there will always be one dispute or the other, in any human endeavor or existence. With their over-bloated population and size, the majority ethnic groups could always boast of electoral victory to form the cabinet and also majority in the parliament, any day, through which they would continue to dominate the minority groups. It was then resolved to establish a strong judicial system, capable of intervening in any dispute between persons and persons, persons and governments or indeed any other authority. This partly accounts for the reason why the judiciary was established as an independent and autonomous arm of government, to be strong enough to look anyone in the eye, to be strong enough to damn oppressive policies and strike down all manners of injustice. This worked well for some time, until the military emerged with absolute powers and decrees, through which the powers of the courts were circumscribed and at times suspended, outrightly. But even under the military, the judiciary remained the only arm of government that could not be dissolved totally, unlike the parliament and the executive. No government has been so brutish and damning, as to outrightly sack the courts; we have never had it so bad and we pray not to ever have such malady, in our time.

What then is the problem with the judiciary? It insists on the rule of law, the rule of prescription, the rule of certainty, the rule of fairness and the rule of equity and equality. The judiciary abhors all forms of impunity, by which arbitrariness and unequal application of rules and regulations become the norm of human behavior. In this regard therefore, everyone in the judiciary is a potential threat to and target of the executive arm of government, represented by the President or Governor, Ministers or Commissioners, police officers, law enforcement agencies, public officers, civil servants, heads of government parastatals and other agencies. They mostly would love to bend the rules, when their vested interests are at stake, which invariably sets them in confrontation with the judiciary.

Membership of the Bench is however a special calling, not meant for the ordinary human being, given to the usual emotions and fancies. The judge is expected to be a special breed, above board, sober, conservative, moderate in all things and without any flair for extravagance or such worldly cravings. He is to keep away from society, some of whom may end up in his court one day. In return for these manifold deprivations, society accords him dignity, honour and reverence and call him “My Lord”, being the next person to God in terms of power and authority. In addition, the State undertakes to pick up his bills and guarantee him a secured tenure of office and a worthy life of retirement, after the Bench. But has this been the case? In times past, yes, but not so any longer. The State has failed in its duty of care for the welfare of the judge, some of whom have not experienced any wage increase for over ten years. The judge is overburdened with cases, has no judicial assistant as compared with his counterparts in the cabinet as Minister, or in the Senate, all who have countless aides and personal assistants. So, we failed the judges, no doubt.

But more worrisome is the fact that the judges themselves failed society, by departing from their established codes and ethics, by mingling and tangling with the society, by craving the very things that they were supposed to condemn and punish in their judgments. Some judges became very affluent, some parading estates upon estates, even abroad! Some of the judges were pushed to the lion by the neglect of the State, becoming willing tools in the hands of crooked lawyers and their corrupt clients. Or else, how can it be said that motions and processes are cooked and drafted in the homes of judges, that judges have special preference for certain lawyers that they work with and some even enjoy the patronage of litigants. It then got so bad that oftentimes when clients go to brief the lawyer, they want to know how to get access to judges, and when you don’t oblige them, they find their way there!

The judiciary is in dire need of reforms, the legal profession is crying for attention, such that the Bar and the Bench should this very moment declare a state of emergency. Why has the State abandoned the courts? Why can’t we have as many judges as we have Senators and Legislators? Why should the courts be so few and congested, to the extent that in the Supreme Court presently, civil appeals filed in 2008 are the ones being treated? Why should we have only fifteen justices for the entire Supreme Court of a nation of over 200 million people? Why should a State like Lagos, with over 24 million people, be served by less than 50 judges? Why should judges be so poorly treated, such that when a Justice of the Supreme Court was retiring, she lamented that she had no personal house of her own to stay? How on earth can we expect balanced judgment from the one who has not been catered for? When they go to the same market to buy food and their children attend the same schools? Should it be an offence to go to the Bench to serve one’s country?

There is fire on the rooftop! Why should any judge, worth his name and dignity, be involved in arranging the movement and assignment of cases to his court? Why should any judge ever agree to meet with any litigant that has a case in his court? Why should anyone who has the fear of God, be twisting the facts of any case, just to reach a pre-arranged conclusion? Why should judgment be for sale? Why did I go to study law, why am I busy studying and preparing for any case, burning the midnight oil, if the outcome of all my labour is up for sale, to the highest bidder? Why should any client bother himself to hire me as his lawyer, if he could get access to the judge and buy the judgment off the court? Truth is, no bribe given ever remains a secret. How can a judge still be sitting in the open court, pretending to be listening to the lawyers and their witnesses, when he has already been paid by one of them to do his bidding? Is there no dignity in labour? The one in heaven who created the eyes, can He not see? The one who created the ears, can He not hear? Is there no divine judgment after death again?

It is clear without any iota of doubt that the system needs urgent cleansing, but it must start with the one in authority, which is the government. You cannot plant maize and expect to harvest beans. Let us first look into the welfare and conditions of service of all judicial officers. Should it be possible for a judicial officer to be kidnapped or attacked by persons whose cases he is presiding over? Should judges be under any form of trepidation, any sense of intimidation or harassment by the same government that appointed them into office? Should a judge first think of the likely reaction of the President or the Governor, before he writes his judgment? Should judges be worried about post-retirement benefits, of the likelihood of being mocked by the same society that they served diligently or being humiliated by the same persons from whom they have had cause to reject tempting offers to compromise their judgments? Should judicial officers have cause to worry about the future of their children? We need a very urgent and robust welfare package for all judicial officers. And having done these, should we tolerate or pamper corrupt judges? Should they not be well monitored and audited constantly to weed off the bad ones? What is the gain for society, for investing so much in judges? How can we assure ourselves of the neutrality of judges in all cases before them? Should we not expect judges to do justice according to law, without fear, favour, affection or ill will, and to decide cases according to their conscience in the fear of God? And for us to deal ruthlessly with them whenever they fall short? Questions and many more questions, abound.

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PRAWA, GENEVA CENTRE TO TRAIN JOURNALISTS, CSOs ON VOLUNTARY PRINCIPLES TODAY

The Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA) in partnership with the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) and other agencies will today at 9:30 am host a virtual training session for journalists and civil society organisations (CSOs) on the topic, “Promoting respect for human rights, drawing on the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights.”

Other partners for the training programme are the Nigeria Police Force, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and African Union Watch.

According to a statement by Dr. Uju Agomoh, Executive Director of PRAWA, the workshop objectives are to:
1. Create awareness on the nexus between Security, human rights, business/development amongst civil society organizations and the media.
2. Build the capacities of civil society organizations and the media towards promoting public awareness on the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights as well as supporting other related initiatives on security, human rights and business.
3. Sensitize civil society organizations and the media on the Voluntary Principles App and encourage its utilization.

The forum will feature a Welcome Address by Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi (mni), NSCDC Commandant General; Remarks by Anna Maria Burdzy, Project Coordinator, Business and Security Division, Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) and Joel Bisina, Executive Director of Lite Africa & Co-Chair, National Working Group on Voluntary Principles.

Goodwill messages will also be delivered by Mr. Tony Ojukwu, Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission and Dr. Feyi Ogunade, Executive Director, African Union Watch, while Dr. Agomoh will give her remarks about the project and an overview of the workshop.

The technical session will witness the following presentations:
“Understanding the nexus between security, Human rights and Development” by Mr. Honest Offor, Senior Programme Officer, PRAWA; “Introduction to Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights” by Linda Reuben, Asst. Program Officer, PRAWA, and “The International Code of conduct for private security services providers (ICOC) and the Montreux Document – Sharing of Experiences and Best Practices” by Chinwike Okereke Esq., Executive Director, Afrilaw Foundation.

Other papers are on “Gender Perspective in the provision of Security and human Rights – Impact on Extractive Industry” by Ogechi Ogu Esq., Deputy Director, PRAWA and “Promoting the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights – The Role of the Media & Civil Society Organizations” by Emeka Nwadioke Esq., Lead Partner, Emeka Nwadioke & Co. & President, City Lawyer Magazine.

The presentation on the Voluntary Principles App will be done by Mr. Tobia Adedokun, IT Consultant, PRAWA while Dr. Agomoh will draw the curtains on the workshop with a presentation on “Reflections, Recommendations & Next Steps.”

The programme will be anchored by Mr. Chris Okwui, Manager, Love FM, Umuahia and Mr. Dahiru Muhammed, Assistant Programme Officer, PRAWA (Kano).

The project is carried out under The Security and Human Rights Implementation Mechanism (SHRIM) “Enabling Multi-Stakeholder Action with the support of the United Kingdom.

To join the virtual workshop, please click on the link below:
https://zoom.us/j/98076090388?pwd=ZGFXeTJNR2pNd3FHc2UxQzd4citVZz09. Other login details are: Webinar ID: 980 7609 0388 and Password: 772235. For enquiries and technical support during the webinar, please contact dmuhammed@prawa.org or call/whatsapp +2348062722311.

Copyright 2020 CITY LAWYER. Please send emails to citylawyermag@gmail.com. Join us on Facebook at https://web.facebook.com/City-Lawyer-Magazine-434937936684320 and on TWITTER at https://twitter.com/CityLawyerMag. All materials available on this Website are protected by copyright, trade mark and other proprietary and intellectual property laws. You may not use any of our intellectual property rights without our express written consent or attribution to www.citylawyermag.com. However, you are permitted to print or save to your individual PC, tablet or storage extracts from this Website for your own personal non-commercial use.

WORKERS’ UNION: APPEAL COURT REVERSES APPOINTMENT OF EX NBA CHIEFTAIN AS PUBLIC TRUSTEE

FEATURED

  • AGREES WITH DR. LESLIE OLUTAYO NYLANDER, SAN

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has reversed the appointment of fiery activist and former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Vice President, Mr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani as the Public Trustee of the Nigeria Civil Service Union.

Ruling on a motion brought by Ubani’s counsel and former NBA presidential candidate, Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama SAN (with him, Darlington Onyekwere, Esq and Mark Chidi Agbo, Esq) for change of counsel in Appeal No. CA/A/1089/2019, The Nigeria Civil Service Union (Appellant) And Comrade Benson Ekasa & 3 Ors (Respondents), the Presiding Judge, Justice A. A. Adumien held that the President of the National Industrial Court (NICN) acted ultra vires his powers when he appointed a public trustee for the union on 29th December, 2020 after the Appellant (then represented by its Executives) had compiled, transmitted and exchanged briefs.

The court further held that the appeal had long been properly entered and the court below lacked jurisdiction to make any further pronouncement on the matter. The Court of Appeal also held that the public trustee should stop parading or acting as the public trustee of the Appellant, adding that any process filed in the court by the public trustee or through his lawyer would be discountenanced.

Chief Gadzama had filed a motion on behalf of the public trustee to withdraw the appeal settled by Mr. Leslie Nylander SAN (with him, Chika Eze Esq for Chief Lawrence Uchechukwu Amaechi, President, Nigeria Civil Service Union) on behalf of the executives of the Appellant union, arguing that with the appointment of the public trustee, Ubani became the alter ego of the troubled union and the mantle fell on him to take over all the affairs of the union, including the appeal.

In his counter argument, Nylander contended that the application was premature, as the current executives were challenging the order of the lower court to appoint a public trustee. He argued that legal representation had to be sorted out first.

He further submitted that allowing the public trustee to take over the appeal that was instituted by the Executives of the Appellant was tantamount to robbing them of their constitutional right of appeal, especially as the appeal was rightly and timeously entered and briefs exchanged by the parties as far back as November 2019 and February 2020 respectively, prior to the appointment of the public trustee on December 29, 2020.

Nylander submitted that part of the applications pending before the court is a motion to stop the appointed trustee from acting in that office, adding that any further act by the public trustee would render the whole appeal nugatory and foist a fait accompli on the court. He further argued that the President of the National Industrial Court failed to follow the laid down procedure as enshrined in Order 59 of National Industrial Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2017 in appointing the public trustee.

The 1st Respondent was represented by Chinyere Moneme, Esq while the 2nd Respondent was represented by Mohammed Ndarani Mohammed SAN (with him, Stephen Apeh, Esq).

When contacted on the ruling, Ubani told CITY LAWYER tersely: “We are studying the decision. I may appeal it.”

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