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22.05.2018
Lagos Chief Judge Inducted as the State’s Scouts President Akinwale Akintunde Lagos State Chief Judge, Justice Opeyemi Oke, was last Wednesday, inducted as the President of the Lagos State Scout Council. The hour-long investiture ceremony, held at the Conference Room of the Ikeja High Court, was attended by Scouts, Judges, Lawyers, and other stakeholders in the administration of criminal justice sector. Speaking at the investiture ceremony, Lagos State Scout Commissioner, Chief Jonathan Tawose, thanked the Chief Judge for consenting to be the President of the Lagos State Scout Council, and expressed hope that she will continue to support the Organisation. Tawose also sought Justice Oke's assistance, in making the investiture of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode as Patron of the Scout Council, possible. "We need your support, to assist in speeding up the investiture/decoration process for His Excellency as the Patron of the Lagos State Scout Council, as stipulated in the approved Constitution of The Scout Association of Nigeria. "We are obliged by international laws, to train and mould youths throughout their formative stages, to become useful and purposeful leaders. "In order to achieve these objectives, the Council needs financial assistance. "Normally, we are supposed to draw
our finances from Government subventions and donations from philanthropists. "We have not really been blessed with these sources in abundance, yet our trainings should not suffer", Tawose said. The Scout Commissioner said that, the Lagos State Scout Council had not received funding from the Government, for the past fifteen years. "We will appreciate if you can speak with the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, to please reinstate and review upwards the subventions of the Lagos State Scout Council of The Scout Association of Nigeria, so as to function effectively”, he said. Alhaji M. D Sanni, the Chief Commissioner of the Lagos State Scout Council, in his brief speech, also solicited for funding for the Scout Council. "We appreciate if financing and the necessary tools, are provided for the Scout Council like a new bus, gadgets and equipment”, he said. Justice Oke after her induction, thanked the Lagos State Scout Council for giving her the opportunity to serve as President. "I appreciate the honour bestowed upon me today, it is a call for service. "I am really grateful that you have found me worthy to be the President of the State Scout Council, to be able to direct the affairs of the State scouts. I am not going to take this for granted”, she said. The Chief Judge said she was well
L-R: Chief Commissioner of the Lagos State Scout Council, Alhaji M. D Sanni, Lagos State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Opeyemi Oke and Admin Judge, Ikeja, Hon. Justice Doris Okuwobi
suited for the job, because she had had previous experience in scouting roles. "I was a member of the Man O' War group in my University days over forty years ago, and I was a Squadron Commander. "Once you are a member of the Man O' War Club, the discipline, the teaching, the learning remains with you for life, and I am carrying that now as the President of the Lagos State Scout Council. "I am also not new to the Girls Scout Club, internationally, I happen to be a
member. "I have been told my responsibilities, and I have promised to abide by the promises that I have made here”, she said. Justice Oke also promised to help the Scout Council, make the investiture ceremony of Governor Ambode, a reality. "Our Governor is an amiable person and very approachable, I am making the promise on his behalf, that you will soon come to honour him as you have honoured me”, she said.
Legal Personality of the Week Richard Abdulahi
‘A Successful Lawyer Cannot be Indolent, Impatient or Crooked’ My name is Richard Abdulahi. I graduated from Ambrose Alli University in 2004, as the overall best graduating student in Commercial Law. I thereafter, proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, Lagos Campus, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2005 with a second class upper division, in the Bar final exams. Over the years, I have worked in the law firms of J.O. Ojobu & Co. and Eyimofe Atake & Co. I am currently a Senior Associate with Olatunde Adejuyigbe & Co., where I continue to hone cutting edge skills in legal practice, with special interest in Oil and Gas, Aviation, Real Estate and Insolvency Law. I am an active member of the firm’s security audit team, involved in the audit of prime security interests of clients in secured transactions, and advising on any vitiating components of the security interests. During my stint with the post graduate school of the University of Lagos, my choice of courses was driven by my interest in Taxation, Real Estate, Energy and Insolvency Law. Have you had any challenges in your career as a Lawyer, and if so, what were the main challenges? Challenges are the necessary building blocks, of any worthwhile venture. I like to see challenges from that perspective. Legal practice, especially litigation, is undoubtedly very challenging. It takes diligence, dexterity and determination to succeed. However, my main challenge in practice so far, has been the frustrating incidence of Judges, who, with due respect, display an inability to appreciate fine points of law, thereby, arriving at decisions that are clearly on a collision course with well-established precedents. What was your worst day as a Lawyer? Lawyers are not immune to bad days, just as Pilots and Sailors are not immune to turbulence. From difficult Clients to maladroit Judges and mischievous opponents, Nonetheless, one must stay positive and see
SAN, who is a stabilising and assuring force whenever your sails are deflated by bad days, came to the rescue.
Richard Abdulahi
both bad and good days as multi-coloured threads woven into the fabric of time and chance. My worst day as a Lawyer, would be the day, very early in practice, when I worked overnight on a file and drafted all necessary processes in a suit in which we had just been briefed to defend the Client. My Lead Partner, was out of the Country at the time. We filed our defence and counter- claim out of time, with an application to regularise, having not been briefed on time. On the date the matter was slated for hearing, the Plaintiff, knowing that it was not strategically prudent to continue with the action, having seen our defence and motion for injunction, filed a Notice of Discontinuance and simply urged the Court to strike out the suit. All my arguments to the effect that, we had a counter-claim which is unaffected by the discontinuance, and that on the authority of MV St. Rolands V. Osinloye, the Plaintiff cannot discontinue having derived an advantage, were to no avail. The Court struck out the suit. I was devastated, but my lead Partner, Mr. Olatunde Adejuyigbe,
What was your most memorable experience as a Lawyer? I have had many memorable experiences, like the first time I appeared before the Supreme Court alone. But my most memorable experience, would be when my Principal sent me to Court to take a date in a matter adjourned for mention, to enable him argue a particularly delicate application filed by the other party challenging the Court’s jurisdiction. I took along two decisions that established that once a suit is for mention, hearing cannot proceed, except with the consent of both parties. Since we had filed an application challenging the legal representation of one of the parties, I also took two decisions buttressing the point that an application challenging legal representation, takes precedence over an application challenging jurisdiction. Surprisingly, a Senior Advocate who also happened to be the NBA President at the time, appeared and argued that the objection on jurisdiction be heard. Although, the Judge agreed with us that hearing ought not to proceed in a suit adjourned for mention, he however, held that he was more “disposed” to hearing the application challenging jurisdiction. I argued the preliminary objection with my best shot, and the Court later found in our favour. Who has been most influential in your life? First, my parents Mr. and Mrs. John Abdulahi. I am eternally grateful to them, for their strength of character, and for challenging me to strive higher and become the greatest and best I can ever be. Second, I have been inspired by the quiet and intelligent fierceness of Dr. Eyimofe Atake, SAN. Mr. Olatunde Adejuyigbe, SAN, has been my greatest influence as a Lawyer. His dexterity, humility, integrity, devotion to God and diligence, are uncommon in
the profession. Why did you become a Lawyer? I would say that, I became a Lawyer by providence. My first interest in Law was in Secondary School, when I read about the late Gani Fawehinmi in Tell Magazine. He was then detained at Gashua Prison, during the inglorious years of military dictatorship. I was inspired by his courage, integrity and empathy. But then, I did not make up my mind to be a Lawyer. Being uninitiated, I misunderstood Lawyers as liars, and knowing that all liars will have their place in hell, I did not want to be a Lawyer, but providence and my passion for human rights activism, prevailed. What would be your advice to anyone wanting a career in Law? The law is very vast, and practice areas are continuously emerging. The advent of artificial intelligence, explorations into deep space, transformation in our traditional notions of energy, and the gross expansion of the internet of things have broken traditional stereotypes of the ambits of the profession. There is need for young Lawyers, to determine early their areas of interest, and pursue expertise in those practice areas. Above all, diligence, persistence and integrity, cannot be over-emphasised. Success in the profession, is not for the indolent, impatient and crooked. Those kinds of Lawyers may initially appear to be thriving, but they soon fizzle out. If you had not become a Lawyer, what career would you have chosen? Perhaps, Clergy. Where do you see yourself in ten years? I expect that in ten years, I would have distinguished myself, and become a top tier Lawyer in my practice areas. I also hope to be a Partner, and by God’s grace, push the boundaries of what I call Disruptive Consumer Activism.