‘ENDSARS PANEL REPORT DISGRACEFUL, SELF-SERVING,’ SAYS OWONIKOKO

In this article posted on his Facebook page by leading litigator, MR. ABIODUN JELILI OWONIKOKO SAN, he argues that the ENDSARS Panel Report submitted to the Lagos State Government is fraught with irregularities, adding that none of the eleven persons listed as dead was proved to have died from the Lekki Shooting incident.

Re my Interview on Arise TV. This morning of 18th November 2021 on EndSARs Panel leaked report 

This our country must change by learning to confront inconvenient truth . Not for my sake – but for the younger generation; and my children.

Please see and read the report before you comment oo. My client Lagos State government was not indicted in it . But it was my client that set it up. It is the body by law that can accept , reject or modify it for implementation. I am under no doubt absolutely that the report did incalculable injustice to innocent people and falsely pronounced people to be dead as a result of Lekki shooting on 20th October . At least at the last count since the report was leaked on social media ahead of submission to their appointor – about 4 days ago – 7 of the listed deceased persons have been shown to be alive or to have died at different places on days other than on 20th of October – not from Lekki incident . I can affirm that none of the eleven persons listed as dead ( and 4 presumed missing by the panel ) was proved to have died at Lekki toll gate or at all . Not even medical report , cause of death , or certificate of death was tendered by the petitioners in respect of these persons . In the province of proof of essential matters on which peoples’ life and faith are dependent, speculation or fact-rigging should never be granted entry visa . I know it sounds ridiculous to expect that to be the case ; but sadly that is the case with this report . I will be more than happy to have these assertions disproved by a panel member or a counsel abreast of the proceedings – just by displaying documents tendered which answered to all this vital missing evidential material . You should curse me and pray for the wrath of God to strike me and all that I hold dear if I was ever found commending such a disgraceful and self-serving and irresponsible supposed judicial panel of inquiry report . I am using these strong words with full conviction – I only pay attention and commit to worthwhile causes that can hold out against any genuine universal challenge. This should demonstrate to you the kind of human being I am . I don’t live by public acclaim or approbation – my entire life is on the mercy and grace of almighty Allah and fear of the last days in the grave before the day of reckoning . May He give us our deserving rewards for our actions , deeds and words . I should have been asking for forgiveness on this issue , but instead I am praying Allah to reward me for my public views on it – that is the much risk of my place in the hereafter I am staking on this very traumatic episode exemplified by the report . Pls anybody who cannot repeat this prayer to be his own fate for the consequence of either attacking or supporting me on the vexed report of Endsars Judicial Panel in Lagos State should kindly hold back and watch as events unfold on the matter . Thanks ?

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YOUNG LAWYERS: AJIBADE, OWONIKOKO, ETIABA, OTHERS SPEAK ON e-MENTORING SATURDAY

Prominent senior lawyers will on Saturday x-ray the emerging issue of online mentoring as it relates to Nigeria’s young lawyers. The webinar is scheduled for 1 pm and hosted by the Nigerian Law School Class of 1989.

Among the speakers at the webinar are leading Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) presidential aspirant, Dr. Babatunde Ajibade SAN. Ajibade is the Managing Partner of S. P. A. Ajibade & Co and the first member of the class to take silk.

Other discussants are leading litigators, Mr. Jelili Owonikoko SAN and Mr. Emeka Etiaba SAN, as well as Mrs. Morenike Obi-Farinde, Founder of Online Dispute Resolution Africa Network.

The moderator of the webinar is leading justice sector consultant and Chairman of the Nigerian Law School Class of 1989, Mr. Emeka Albert who is also the Chief Editor of LEGALPEDIA.

To register for this webinar, click on
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYodu6ppz8oHNYJjCzFHXIPqi6Met06zPBg. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

It is recalled that the Nigerian Law School Class of 1989 donated an e-platform to its alma mater as part of its 30th anniversary celebrations. The facility is aimed to support quality training and retraining of Law School students and especially young lawyers. The e-platform is reputed as a first in Africa aimed at transforming legal education and legal practice. The webinar will among others x-ray the e-mentoring module of the platform especially as it relates to young lawyers.

 

According to a statement by Albert, “This is the second in a series of webinars aimed at opening up vital conversations among lawyers on mentoring, CLE and support to the Nigerian Law School. Dr. Ajibade, being a strong supporter of the cause of our Class, is expected to provide uncommon insights on the subject consistent with his experience and track record.”

Ajibade has gained renown as a cerebral lawyer and leading facilitator of continuing legal education in the legal industry. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in December 1989 and elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in December 2007.

He obtained a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1988. He obtained a Master of Laws degree in Corporate and Commercial Law from King’s College, University of London in 1990 and a Doctorate Degree in Private International Law from the same university in 1996.

Ajibade is a Fellow of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies in London, an International Practice Fellow of the International Bar Association (IBA) and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, United Kingdom. He combines the roles of advocate, a corporate/commercial solicitor, an administrator and a reformer and is reputed to have excelled in each of these areas.

On his part, Albert is a renowned justice sector reform consultant and Lead at LEGALPEDIA, a foremost software company. He has presented several papers on technology and disruption in the legal industry. Speaking on the impact of technology in law practice, he said: “both Law and Technology are dynamic. But often we, as lawyers, are slow to changing our process. We tend to treat our process as our changeless precedents. That is where we have the conflict with transformative technologies. But technological disruptions are inevitable and unstoppable.”

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