Vol 8 No.8 12th November 2007

SQUIB ONLINE

The Editor,
Haba Sina! Longtime no see. You did not even bother to ask after me? Well, I did ask after you from the girls at the business centre, particularly ………… and ………… as well. In fact, ………did mention you advised her with regards to her father's entitlement when her dad passed on recently.
I am very happy you've kept the flag flying and GOD will continue to support you as well. Please keep on sending the mails and I am willing to contribute articles or help in anyway I can help the SQUIB.
As you might have been told, I now reside here in the U.K but very much in touch with what is happening back home. I had the opportunity of meeting with some judges from the Lagos high court here in London when they came in for a conference, and we all had a nice time. In fact, one of them kept on praying that I do not yap the other one who upon becoming a judge after his stint in private practice became a “disappointment.”
Ah, if the assault and battery on the judicial assistant had happened here, that judicial assistant will receive ample compensation vide both a civil suit and criminal charge. The judge will be arrested, cautioned and charged to court. In fact, the judge ought to have been suspended by now and that could be termed as asking her to proceed on leave until issues are settled.
We never get anywhere in Nigeria by dealing with such issues administratively, unfortunately, many things are swept under the carpet in our country in the guise of treating things as a family affair. I know a colleague of Lagos descent who when he was a lawyer actually wrestled a gateman at the Lagos High court, real fisticuffs. He was dressed as a lawyer and the incident happened at the back gate (Igbosere gate). I was the one who separated the two, the colleague became a judge within a year after the incident. Even those who know the judge say he is very temperamental.
So dear colleague, keep on doing your bit and hopefully things will take shape in our country, you remember when we both met at the Federal High Court, during a matter before a female judge, re: Residents of 1004, and the said judge was making with due respect, very reckless statements. You remember we were both giggling to ourselves. Meanwhile, the said judge is now one of the most senior female judges in the federal high court hierarchy. You begin to wonder how these ones became judges in the first place.
GONE ARE THE DAYS OF VERY NOTABLE JUDGES whom you will be proud to attend their courts, not just for your cases but to watch and observe other cases because you will learn a lot.
Please extend my warm regards to all members of the Ikeja branch particularly, Mr. Adesina, the new silk and my uncle, Jare Kembi. Do not tell him anyway that I am his senior at the Bar although “he be my egbon.”
Regards.
Jerry Sodipe.

THE READERS PAVILION - WHAT OUR READERS SAID

FIGHTING JUDGE SCANDAL
The Editor,
That judicial assistant who was beaten up by Justice Ojikutu-Oshode is a fool by being contented with the pleading of the Chief Judge on behalf of the offending judge. What a gullible lady!
Editor’s Note: - Thou sayest.

FIGHTING JUDGE SCANDAL
The Editor,
If I were the lady slapped by Justice Ojikutu-Oshode, I will do to her twenty-fold. Then I dare her (the judge) to complain.
The Editor’s Note:- You’ll beat up a judge?

FIGHTING JUDGE SCANDAL
The Editor,
I am not too surprised that that lady who was beaten up by the judge (Justice Ojikutu-Oshode) seemed to be soft-pedaling on the issue. May be she has been given money by the authorities to keep her mouth shut and lick her wounds quietly.
The Editor’s Note:- Haba!

FIGHTING JUDGE SCANDAL
The Editor,
One is not very surprised that Justice Ojikutu-Oshode believed the way she did (beating up her staff). Before she was appointed to the bench, she was selling clothes. She used to frequent Dubai on business trips.
Editor’s Note- Assuming your claim is true, is fighting a needed virtue in trading?

FIGHTING JUDGE SCANDAL
The Editor,
If the Chief Judge shields Justice Ojikutu-Oshode from sanction for beating up her staff (gross misconduct), it is only another proof that milord is favourably disposed to the fairer sex.
Editor’s Note- And, pray what’s wrong with that?

FIGHTING JUDGE SCANDAL
The Editor,
I don’t think we should blame the lady who was slapped by the judge for wanting to lush things up. She’s afraid for her job.
Editor’s Note- If so, why cry out at all then?

FIGHTING JUDGE SCANDAL
The Editor,
Seriously speaking, could it not be that the judge who beat up her staff was on drugs?
Editor’s Note- Can’t say.

FIGHTING JUDGE SCANDAL
The Editor,
I want to tell you that the lady judicial assistant who was beaten by her judge will eventually get the boot but nothing will happen to the judge.
Editor’s Note- Let’s wait and see.

SILK
The Editor,
Why have you not occupied any executive post in the NBA? You may be doing a good work with the Squib but you see in Nigeria, people use platform like the NBA to step up in life.
Look at some one like Mr. Dele Adesina who has just being made a silk? Was he not a former chairman of NBA Ikeja branch and later the General Secretary of the national body? Now he is a S.A.N.
Look, status matters in Nigeria. Even in the courtroom, it is only SANs that are properly respected by judges and other lawyers. Once they say you are a S.A.N, people respect you even if you are not very capable. Even junior lawyers will dare to be rude to you.
For someone like you now, it is only people like us who have known you from school as your junior that know how good you are but any other lawyer junior to you can belittle you. But if you are a SAN, nobody can say “Who is that?”
Editor’s Note- Thanks for your concern but I’ll rather be remembered for contributing positively to the legal profession than being a senior advocate.
Lord Denning is not an immortal just because he was the Master of the Rolls. Think about that.