20.09.2016
TRIBUTE/5
25 Years After - Chief Samuel Olasupo Morohundiya Lives On Richard Oma Ahonaruogho
O
n Tuesday 13th September, 2016 (while remembering the tenth anniversary of the demise of my younger brother, Michael Ekpeme Ahonaruogho 8th October, 1962 – 13th September, 2006), I decided once again to write a tribute in memory of my dearly beloved late Principal, Chief Samuel Olasupo Morohundiya (4th October, 1924 – 17th September, 1991), whose twenty fifth year remembrance is only four days away. In my quest on what to write on, I decided to do a search on the web and I came across an article from the website of ‘The Nation’ newspaper authored by Sola Adeyemo, captioned “Eso deplores Obasanjo/Atiku rift” which was published on 22nd October, 2006, almost ten years ago; – it reads Former Supreme Court Justice, Kayode Eso, has deplored the face-off between President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar, saying, "I never knew that Nigeria was so wealthy until the two of them started to sing." Eso, however, commended Obasanjo for the establishment of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which he described as "the greatest things to have happened to us in the last 46 years." "Whatever anybody says about Obasanjo and his government, none can take away from him the credit of the establishment of the two anti-corruption agencies. They are necessary in our society because the greatest monster we have in our society is corruption." Eso spoke in Ibadan, Oyo State, during the Olasupo Morohundiya Memorial Symposium 2006 held at the Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan. The annual symposium organised by the law faculty of the institution and tagged: "Law and the promotion of societal values," was held under the chairmanship of Justice Emmanuel Olayinka Ayoola, the Chairman of ICPC. Eso while commending ICPC and EFCC for revolutionising and re-orienting Nigerians against corrupt practices, lamented the face-off between Obasanjo and Atiku, saying. "This was how the late Chief Samuel Akintola and Chief Obafemi Awolowo started during
their time." He urged Nigerians to allow the duo to continue exposing each other "because through it, we shall know what to do soon." Expressing displeasure that vices have become a way of life with most Nigerians, Eso said that, "It is only in this country that a governor who stole N11 billion would be asked to be taken to court when in actual fact it is known he has immunity from criminal prosecution. It is in Nigeria that the Head of the Police stole N18 billion and was jailed for only six months only for him to come back to the society”. Corroborating the need for Nigerians to turn their country around, Ayoola emphasised the need for integrity and transparency in public affairs, noting that corruption is a dangerous path which everybody must shun. He urged people to enlist in the Anti-Corruption Volunteer Corps aimed at chasing away corrupt people wherever they may be, "be it in the village, in the city, in the church, mosque, government circles. We are going to make life difficult for them. We should be ready to celebrate selflessness, love of others, honesty, integrity, and this is why we are celebrating the late Morohundiya for the legacy he left behind. There is an urgent need for value shift. "Widespread lack of integrity in our nation today can easily be attributed to decay in societal values whereby there is enthronement of wealth above honour and power above virtue." Among dignitaries at the event were relations of the late Morohundiya, Mr. Richard Ahonaruogho, the International Bar Association (IBA) representative in Nigeria, Professor Femi Bamiro, Vice-Chancellor, UI, Professor Yinka Omoregbe, Dean, Law Faculty, Justice Afolabi Adeniran, Oyo State Acting Chief Judge and Mr. Olurotimi Akeredolu (SAN). Records available shows that Chief Bola Ige, SAN and later his amiable wife, the Honourable Justice Atinuke Ige, (nee Oloko) Justice of the Court of Appeal worked with Chief Morohundiya at Ibadan in the Law Offices of Durosaro and Morohundiya. Some other Lawyers who passed through Chief Morohundiya’s Chambers in Lagos include Honourable Justice Olulade Oladapo Obadina, Justice of the Court of Appeal; Honourable Justice Oye Iyande, a Judge of the Osun State Judiciary; Honourable Justice Niyi Adebajo (rtd.), a Judge of the Lagos State Judiciary; Mr. J. O. Omole (former Chief Registrar of the High Court of Justice of Lagos State), Chief Adewale Gbeleyi, Chief Olu Akintunde, Chief Abimbola Awosika, Mr. Sola
O. Olatunbosun, Chief Akinlabi Kuponiyi (former Speaker of the House of Assembly of Osun State), Chief Michael Olunwa, Mr. S. A. Afolabi, Mrs. Joke Opeyokun (nee Adekoya), Mr. Andrew Bamidele Chukwuemeka (ABC) Ogbogbo, Mrs. Bisi Awonuga, Ms. Eniola Olatunji Makanjuola (also known as Mrs. Tunji Oluwa), Mr. Akin Olatunji, Mrs. Christine Awoloto (nee Aina), Yemisi Wilton-Waddel, Mrs. Ayodele Ayobolu (nee Oduyemi), Mr. Olakunle Morohundiya, Mr. Akin Edward Falade, Chief Richard Oma Ahonaruogho and Mr. Victor Aigbogun. To live in the hearts of those who love you, is to live forever. Even though some of the Lawyers who passed through the law stable of Chief Samuel Olasupo Morohundiya have since passed-on, those of us living continue to cherish their fond memories. For example writing in the Saturday Magazine of ‘The Guardian’ of 9th May, 2015, in an article titled, “Adieu, Eniola Makanjuola”, Anthony Akinola and Kayode Oladipupo in the first four paragraphs had this to say – “THE death of Ms. Eniola (Olatunji) Makanjuola (also known as Mrs. Tunji Oluwa), a Barrister at Law has been announced. The sad event occurred on Sunday April 26, 2015. She was born to the late Engr. A. Ayodele Makanjuola and Mrs. Christiana Adetoun Makanjuola on May 17, 1962. Ms. Makanjuola is a product of St. Theresa’s College, Oke Ado, Ibadan. She graduated from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile Ife, with a Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB) in 1981. She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1982 having been certified as a Barrister at Law (BL). As a youth corps member, she served in Lagos State and lectured at the Nigerian Police College, Ikeja. Makanjuola worked in various capacities over the years. She cut her teeth in private practice, served in chambers both in Lagos and Ibadan. She also held her own briefs. She served at Chief S. O. Moroundiya’s Chambers, Ikeja and worked alongside Justice Niyi Adebajo”. One can therefore imagine the several persons whose biographies would be incomplete without the name of Chief Samuel Olasupo Morohundiya. Recently, while on holidays in the United Kingdom, Victor Aigbogun paid me a visit and narrated how upon getting married in Nigeria, his wife wanted him to move over to the United Kingdom. Having a successful law practice in Nigeria he was reluctant to take the plunge. He was not willing to subject himself to doing menial jobs in the
The Late Chief Samuel Olasupo Morohundiya
United Kingdom. He sat and passed the qualifying examination which enabled him practice in the United Kingdom and then it was time to go job hunting. He applied to a law firm and submitted his curriculum vitae wherein he made reference to having worked with Chief Samuel Olasupo Morohundiya whilst in Nigeria. He was invited by Mr. Roderick Palling Bouldi who happened to have known Chief Morohundiya several years ago in London. That was all Victor Aigbogun needed to be employed in the United Kingdom – the name of Chief Samuel Olasupo Morohundiya. So as we remember Chief Samuel Olasupo Morohundiya of Gray’s Inn on the twenty fifth anniversary of his transition, let us be assured that good people do not die. They rest from the earthly labours in the Lord. I join your wife and pillar of support, Chief (Deaconess) Mrs. Christiana Ayodele Morohundiya; your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren; the Morohundiya dynasty at home and in diaspora; the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA); the First Baptist Church Ikeja; the First Baptist Church, Idikan, Ibadan; the Nigerian Baptist Convention; The Boys Scout Movement of Nigeria, the Nigerian Red Cross; the Morohundiya Foundation for Legal Development of the Faculty of Law of the University of Ibadan in remembering a good man – Chief Samuel Olasupo Morohundiya. Sleep on my beloved boss and mentor, Chief Samuel Olasupo Morohundiya - Member Distinguished Body of Benchers, Maiyegun of Ikeja, Bamofin of Ibadanland, Bada Olubadan of Ibadanland, First Chairman and Patron of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja Branch and many others too numerous to mention.
Legal Personality of the Week Chukwuemeka Eze
‘A Lawyer Driven By Passion Can Do Exploits’ My name is Chukwuemeka Eze. I am a native of Mgbom Okposi in Ohaozara L.G.A. of Ebonyi State. I was called to the Bar in March 1995. I obtained my LL.B. from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and my LL.M. from the University of Lagos. I have a PGD in Mass Communication as well as a professional certificate in taxation from the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN). I am a private legal practitioner with my law firm located in Ikeja, Lagos. I am into media practice too. I publish the Media Law Reports and I am the Editor of Joint Tax Board Newsletter. I am the Secretary of NBA Lawyers in the Media; the Chairman of Association of Ebonyi Lawyers in Lagos; the Legal Adviser of Association of African Tax Institutes (AATI), and that of the West African Union of Tax Institutes (WAUTI). Have you had any challenges in your career as a lawyer and if so what were the challenges? I have had many challenges as a legal practitioner but I will mention just two. One occurred during one of my appearances at the Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division about 14 years ago. I filed an application with TRINITY prayers for leave to appeal a judgment obtained by a bank against my client six years earlier. I sweated profusely to convince the learned justices on the reasons for delay for 6 years before deciding to appeal the judgment. I felt like a man pinned to the wall as I could not withstand the barrage of questions. When I noticed that my effort was not yielding the desired result, I withdrew the application. In a particular appeal at the Supreme Court, where I appeared as a junior to Dele Adesina, SAN, I had the challenge of making an input on whether to convince the Supreme Court to accept the Terms of Settlement of the parties as judgment
Chukwuemeka Eze
of the Supreme Court or otherwise, and the consequence of the eventual decision on the Memorandum of Understanding executed by the Appellant and the Respondent. What was your worst day as a lawyer? My worst day as a lawyer was when I could not withstand the barrage of questions of the learned justices of the Court of Appeal at Ibadan about 14 years ago and I withdrew my application without knowing, at that moment, how to communicate my failure to my client. What was your most memorable experience?
My most memorable experience occurred at the Jos Division of the Plateau State High Court about 16 years ago. My client, a Jos-based company, had been sued by a lawyer, who was also based in Jos, for the recovery of his professional fee for services he rendered to the company. My client claimed that the fee was exploitative and refused to pay. The lawyer made a demand for the fee as required under the Legal Practitioners Act. The new Managing Director of the company had just been recruited from Lagos and he was afraid that briefing another lawyer in Jos might be a mistake hence he invited me to come from Lagos to do the case. After studying the originating processes, I discovered with a shout of “eureka!” that the plaintiff instituted the action after 29 days (instead of the 30 days required under the Legal Practitioners Act) of service of the demand letter. I filed a notice of preliminary objection and that sounded the death-knell on the suit just after two court sittings. The plaintiff was dazed and the story went out among our learned colleagues that a “certain lawyer” came from Lagos to win the case. I felt elated like a boxer who gave his opponent a technical knock-out in the second round of a boxing bout/match. Who has been the most influential person in your career? Among the dead, the Late Gani Fawehinmi and Late Justice Oputa were the most influential persons in my career. As for the living, Wole Olanipekun SAN and Dele Adesina SAN have influenced me in their dexterity and consistency in full-time legal practice.
Why did you become a lawyer? I became a lawyer in order to acquire the knowledge, skill and boldness to speak for myself and for those who are weak to speak for themselves. What would your advice be to anyone wanting a career in law? My advice is that the person should ascertain whether he/she has passion for the profession. There are embarrassing moments in the profession, especially in a situation where many people assume that a lawyer knows everything. It is passion that will drive a lawyer to learn more and be in a vantage position to use the knowledge to do exploits in the society, whether he/she is in practice or not. If you had not become a lawyer, what would you have chosen? I would have been a full-time journalist or Mathematics lecturer. I obtained a National Certificate of Education (NCE) in Mathematics & Chemistry from the Federal College of Education, Abeokuta with a Distinction Grade in 1989. My lecturers then advised that I should proceed to the University of Ibadan for a 2-year degree program for a Bachelor in Education and progress to do M.Ed. and Ph.D. If I had heeded that piece of advice, I might have become a lecturing professor by today. Besides that, I have profound passion for journalism hence I could have found myself in either of these two professions if I had not become a lawyer. Where do you see yourself in ten years? I see myself becoming an eminent lawyer, a reputable author and publisher; and an intellectual resource person in law and taxation practice in Nigeria and Africa.