The Supreme Court of Nigeria has stated that it has effected a name change and listed Mr. Douglas Ogbankwa on the roll of lawyers kept at the apex court.

It is recalled that CITY LAWYER had in an exclusive report cited a Supreme Court letter which stated that “We have checked our records and the name DOUGLAS OGBANKWA cannot be found on the Rolls of Legal Practitioners kept in the Supreme Court of Nigeria.”

Though Ogbankwa had blamed political detractors for his travails, he also stated that his earlier efforts to effect a name change at the Supreme Court was frustrated.

Laying the matter to rest, the Supreme Court stated that Ogbankwa has now effected a name change on the apex court’s lawyers’ roll from AGUGUOM, DOUGLAS ONYEBUCHI to OGBANKWA, DOUGLAS ONYEBUCHI.

According to the letter obtained yesterday from the Supreme Court and made available to CITY LAWYER by Ogbankwa, the apex court urged the public “to HENCEFORTH deal with him as such and as appropriate.”

Dated 4th May, 2023 and titled “TO WHOMSOEVER THAT THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME – RE: CONFIRMATION OF NAME CHANGE,” the letter reads: “This is to confirm that AGUGUOM, DOUGLAS ONYEBUCHI who was called to the Nigerian Bar on the 8th day of May, 2007 and placed on the Roll of Legal Practitioners in the Supreme Count of Nigeria on the 11th day of May, 2007 and whose name appears in Volume 190 and at Page 39 of the Roll of Legal Practitioners kept in this Honourable Court, with Enrolment Number SCN055406 has formally, by a DEED which he presented before this Honourable Court on the 4” May, 2023, CHANGED his name from AGUGUOM, DOUGLAS ONYEBUCHI to OGBANKWA, DOUGLAS ONYEBUCHI.

“Now, know ye therefore that BY THESE PRESENTS, the Court has accepted and officially recorded this NAME CHANGE and enjoins all stakeholders including the General Public with whom the foresaid OGBANKWA, DOUGLAS ONYEBUCHI may have dealings in the course of the performance of his professional functions and, or duties to HENCEFORTH deal with him as such and as appropriate.”

The letter, with reference number SCN.LIT./CN/0000210, was signed by one Henrietta Aduwak Akyang, a lawyer, on behalf of the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Hajo Sarki Bello.

• An elated Ogbankwa displaying his Supreme Court name change letter … yesterday