‘ISAAC OGBAH IS BOSS LIKE NO OTHER,’ SAYS AJELE

I have known Isaac Ogbah for many years. In fact I started my legal practice at his law firm 15 years ago when I relocated back to Nigeria from the UK and I am still with him today as Head of Chambers Ogbah Isaac & Co as well as Head of publication, Legal Jurisprudence Ltd, publishers of Erudite Judgment of the Supreme Court (EJSC).

He was instrumental to my taking the activities of the NBA seriously and I cannot talk about my appointment as Notary Public as well as becoming the Welfare Secretary of NBA Ota without a mention of him.

In my 15 years of Practice at Ogbah Isaac & Co. not once have I or any lawyer in the firm been responsible for the payment of our practicing fees both at the national and local levels. My boss, Isaac Ogbah makes payment for every lawyer in the firm before 31st of March annually.

Worthy of note is the fact that as lawyers in his firm you are sure of attending the NBA conference annually with all cost being borne by this man.

I cannot find the right words to describe him. Irrespective of the state of the nation attending NBA AGC is a must for all lawyers in his Law Firm, and with the attendant cost borne by him, and this comes with cash allowances for all lawyers in the firm after sorting out conference fees, transportation and accommodation. I am certain we have few bosses like the man, Isaac Omuta Ogbah in this legal profession today.

The young lawyers, both in the firm and even those not working with the firm, particularly those in the NBA Ota Branch, well referred to as the Utter Bar, have also enjoyed this benevolence from Isaac Ogbah.

My boss, Isaac Omuta Ogbah, You are the perfect candidate and person for the position of NBA 3rd Vice President.

Your dedicated and inspirational work over the years as Vice Chairman, NBA Ota 2016-2018; Chairman, NBA Ota 2018-2020 and Member NBA AGC 2019 planning committee has been with the aim to ensure inclusion and diversity. It is my prayer that come July 16th, 2022 you will emerge victorious at the polls, God helping us all.

Isaac Ogbah has energy, passion and drive. I know he will give this role his all.

You have many qualities that will enhance the role of 3rd Vice President of the NBA and assist the legal profession to keep the Nigerian Bar Association at the forefront of the legal world. Your energy, enthusiasm and leadership experience deserve to be recognized.

I wish you every success going forward and encourage my fellow learned friends to show their support and vote for Isaac Ogbah.

O. T. Ajele, Esq.

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‘LADI ROTIMI-WILLIAMS: A BOSS LIKE NO OTHER’

In this moving tribute, KEHINDE AKEREMALE, ESQ. goes down memory and asserts that Mr. Ladi Rotimi-Williams, the late scion of the legendary Chief FRA Williams QC, SAN was an endearing boss and mentor who had a premonition of his own death.

Our hearts are still heavy but we must thank God for a life of impact that you led for humanity.

I used to call you “the repository of Nigeria history”; and “a legal historian”, for I’m always in awe of your seeming inexhaustible storehouse of diverse knowledge and legal experience. I always admired the way you articulate your legal thinking with clarity and gravitas at the weekly Chambers meetings or be it at case strategy meetings. The “small points” sessions with you at Chambers meetings were always memorable. Chief would often remind us: “know your judge and their background” and at the relevant time, warning us to beware that “fair hearing is an opportunity to be heard; and not an absolute right” or “a magic wand to upset every unfavourable ruling”. We will miss your fatherly presence in particular and how you used to regale us with tales of your legal exploits during your active years. A consummate luminary, cosmopolitan and cultured with class and panache.

A boss of uncommon grace, kindness and compassion. Thank you for a rare privilege of being mentored under your tutelage and unique culture, conceived and nurtured in the best traditions of the Bar, some of which I resent for being too conservative for present day practice. For instance, you declined every move to mount a small name plate on your perimeter fence on Victoria Island as notice of your presence and law practice to the world. Chief’s rich and iconic background of being raised and legally trained by his own father, the legendary Chief FRA Williams, SAN, CFR clearly rubbed off on him. I couldn’t thank you enough for litigation exposure. You were a good boss by every standard, you never discriminated between us and your children in assigning case files or while constituting a legal team to handle a particular case (high profile or otherwise) but did so based on each lawyer’s core competence and unique skill sets. This makes for team cohesion, harmony and the friendly atmosphere in the chambers. I guess you must have had a premonition of your impending departure for barely two months ago, you called me and mooted the idea of your testamentary arrangements and disposition, which assignment I cleverly avoided for I saw it as being too big for me. You gave us the best platform and facilities any lawyer could wish for in practice. You taught us the importance of adequate and timely chambers preparation for court and to always have a back up copy for every court processes so as to outsmart the venality and sharp practices of the system.

Also, your liberality is equally demonstrated by your open library policy. Your library remains open to all chambers alumni, including law school externs; despite that some abuse your generosity by poaching your precious books. I was once there when you called the Chambers book vendor to supply a replacement for a missing book – Gaitley on Libel – since you needed it urgently then, at the cost of N150k only to find the missing copy abandoned inadvertently in one of the lawyers’ offices. My only regret is the wealth of knowledge you took to the grave and my inability to tap enough thereof.

We all knew that once Chief believed in a cause, he would pursue it tenaciously to a logical end without minding whose ox is gored and sometimes even staking his personal liberty in defence of victims of the oppressive system. A voice to the cheated and downtrodden; the oil-spill impacted community of Gbaraun Kingdom whom you tried to save, through a legal tussle with Agip for damages/compensation claims, till your last moment, have been left devastated since the shocking news of your passing broke out. You won the first round of the legal battle for them at the Federal High Court, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, but which case is now languishing on appeal no thanks to our sluggish civil justice system.

Your practice life was particularly distinguished and significant for a number of precedent-setting decisions and milestones, one of which had even inspired a legislative intervention with respect to admissibility of computer generated statement of account under the repealed Evidence Act. See FRN V. FANI KAYODE & 2010, 14 NWLR (Pt.1214). You have contributed your own bit in advancing the frontiers of our civil jurisprudence and development of the law. Now do have a well deserved rest in the Lord, Sir.

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