What could have turned out to be an air mishap Tuesday was averted by the experience of the Arik pilot of Flight W 3788 conveying over 100 passengers, including Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, from Lagos to Asaba.
Right from the outset, there were ominous signs that the Asaba-bound flight was going to be an eventful one. The flight, which was supposed to take off at 8:30 am was delayed in Lagos because of bad weather. Though travellers had boarded the plane, after about two hours inside the plane, they were asked to disembark and return to the departure lounge as the plane could not take off because of what the pilot called "terribly bad weather at Asaba."
After about three hours delay, the passengers boarded the plane again because weather reports showed improvement within the internationally accepted landing standards. However, when the boarding call came the second time, many people who sensed the situation as a providential warning had already cancelled their trips.
On getting to Asaba, the weather was bad again. Attempts at landing was difficult. Not wanting to take chances, the pilot promptly returned to Lagos. But on reaching Lagos, the weather had already gone bad by aviation standard, forcing the plane to circle around for hours amidst dwindling aviation fuel.
It finally landed at 4:45 pm amidst sighs of relief from the traumatised passengers who clapped in jubilation. The pilot, Captain Sandy Miller, merely told the passengers to thank God for His mercies when they got home.
Speaking to aviation correspondents on the incident, Obi, who had travelled to South Africa on Sunday and came back yesterday to Lagos, said he was determined to make the flight to Asaba en route to Awka, the Anambra State capital, because he did not like staying outside the town more days than necessary.
Moreover, he said he had already planned so many things he would have done at home Tues day.
When he was persistently asked those things, he reluctantly said that he had projects to inspect such as the progress work at Upper-Iweka, the drainage challenge at Ogidi as well as the site for the construction of Agulu Lake Hotel Resort, which, according to him, would take off in a few days.
Obi said following discussion with some investors in South Africa that requested land to build their facility in Anambra and some existing ones that want to expand, that he planned to visit some identified sites for consideration.
"I have planned to treat many files in the night," Obi said. On whether he was frightened, the governor laughed, saying nothing again should be frightening to a person that governs a state like Anambra.
Moreover, he said he was always at peace with his God and fellow human beings to worry over the vicissitudes of life. Speaking on the experience, one of the passengers, Mr. Donald Emeh, said as a frequent flyer, he was used to such situations. He nevertheless gave glory to God for safe landing at last.
He jokingly described how those on board turned into emergency prayer warriors, casting and binding the spirit of a plane crash.
Majority Leader of Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Chief Igbuyo, who along other government officials were on board the flight, said the incident was instructive on why one should be prepared at all times for death.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
As President Goodluck Jonathan gives his mid-term report today, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), yesterday urged him to institute and enforce a policy restricting travels abroad for foreign trips for medical reason, by political and public office holders.
NMA’s national president, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, said this was especially necessary for medical conditions that could be readily treated in Nigeria. In a statement to assess the state of health in the country since the return of democracy in the Fourth Republic, Enabulele also suggested the establishment of a hospital development intervention fund to enable Nigerian healthcare professionals set up modern healthcare facilities.
He called for the institution of a constitutional framework/policy for a universal salary structure for health professionals irrespective of their location (rural or urban, local, state or federal) or operational level of care in the health sector. Although he noted that giant strides had been taken in the sector, he complained that a lot more still needed to be done.
“In the case of medical and dental practitioners, the full implementation of the 2009 approved Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) by all state governments in Nigeria would help to improve the fortunes of Nigeria’s health care sector, especially in the rural communities,” he said.
The NMA boss also suggested the consolidation of the Public-Private Partnership policy in the health sector. According to him, there was need for a policy of sustained financial releases to the health sector and improved budgetary provision for health of at least 15 per cent of Nigeria’s national budget rather than the six per cent allocation to the health sector in the 2012 budget.
Another improvement the association wants is the rapid expansion of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and commitment to universal health coverage by governments at all levels to substantially reduce “catastrophic health expenditures” by Nigerians.
Enabulele canvassed the strengthening of the primary and secondary levels of care along with the strengthening of the referral system; with the employment of an adequate and appropriate mix of health manpower, with at least one medical officer per local government council.
In addition, he suggested a policy aimed at enthroning professionalism and international best practices in the health sector.
He further listed the group’s demands: “The enthronement of a National Health Act (9), sustained and committed implementation of the National Strategic Health Development Plan by all levels of government.
“Institution of an effective and responsive policy and plan on Health Human Resource (HHR) Development in the health sector; institution of an effective ban on indiscriminate and uncensored advertisement of unsubstantiated claims of herbal and medicinal cures and products on the electronic and print media.
“Institution of stiffer penalties, including life imprisonment for quacks in the public and private healthcare sectors; institution of an effective and proactive strategic plan on utilisation of Health Management Information System and Information Communication Technology (e-Health and m-Health) for appropriate research, decision making and improved access to health care.”
Furthermore, the NMA urged a resolution of conflicting professional regulatory laws/Acts in the health sector; and the development of regulated drug markets by the government, to stop the chaotic drug distribution market in Nigeria.
These are in addition to the transparent implementation of poverty reduction schemes, sustained and committed development of health-related social development sectors such as power, transportation/roads, water, agriculture, security and housing.
The association also wants the current tax policy as it affects healthcare professionals/ healthcare workers reviewed.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Rivers State Governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, Tuesday rallied opposition parties in the state and the people to join hands with his administration to save the state from people bent on destroying it.
The governor, who again condemned his suspension from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, insisted that he was suspended for no just cause.
Amaechi spoke yesterday at an inter-party summit in Port Harcourt with the theme:“Cohesive inter-party relations as a panacea for peace and sustainable development in Rivers State”.
The plot to deal with the governor also entered a new chapter yesterday, as investigations have revealed that his opponents have launched a funds drive for his impeachment.
As the crisis in the state festers with a threat by labour unions to embark on strike over the continued occupation of the secretariat of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area by the police despite a court order that they should vacate the premises, the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Joseph Mbu, has warned the unions not to force workers to join in the strike.
Reviewing the political crisis in the state, Amaechi said that the era of impunity by any political party had gone and called on the electorate to ensure that votes count in the 2015 elections.
He said: “Indeed, it is only the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that has the guts to suspend a governor without a reason. I leave them to God and to you (the people).
“We must come together to defend Rivers State. It’s not about me; I have served eight years as speaker, nearly six years as governor. Even if I am removed tomorrow, I am satisfied that this state, this country and history will recognise and remember me. “If there is no history that I have made, the one God has helped me to make is the one that I stood out and fought for my rights and became a governor.
“You voted on my behalf and the Supreme Court confirmed that when you people were voting, you were voting for me. But you also need to make your own history and that history is that let Abuja know that you can stand for your rights, whether you belong to PDP or APC or any other party.
“If you listened to me yesterday (Monday) when I was addressing Rivers youths, I told them ‘all those from 18 and above should please get up’ and they got up. “I asked them to sit down, they did and I asked again, ‘all those that have voters’ cards should please get up’ and a lot of them did and I said we should punish irresponsible politicians with our cards.
“So what I expect from all of you whether you belong to APC, CPC, where ever you belong to, start now to mobilise the state for one man, one vote. “We will not allow them intimidate us with police or anything. Instead, we shall intimidate them with our votes.”
Amaechi explained that any government that cannot attribute its victory to the people’s votes would not be responsible to them. According to him, government at all levels become transparent and accountable only when they fear they can be voted out for poor performance.
“Any government formed without the people’s votes cannot be responsible to the people. The only way government or governors or presidents or whoever can stop corruption, can stop mal-administration is when that government is put in place by you (the people) and they know that if they don’t govern well, you (the people) will vote them out.
“So your first demand should be that all governments must be responsible enough to allow for a free and fair election,” he added. The keynote speaker at the summit and Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Downstream, Senator Magnus Abe, urged politicians not to destroy Rivers State.
He lamented the lack of participatory democracy among political parties and the sole desire by parties to acquire and retain political power for selfish interests.
Abe said: “In Nigeria, the evolution of our party politics has been less than satisfactory. I say this because our country today is deeply divided along ethnic, religious and cultural lines.
“The main challenge facing our country has been the development of national political parties that will promote issues and idea-based contests for power.
“In other words, the contest for power will be a contest of ideas. The parties in Nigeria have evolved into vehicles strictly for the acquisition and retention of political power.
“In this evolution, our political parties have lost one of the key attributes of participatory democracy, that leadership should be a contest not of persons but of ideas.”
On his part, the chairman of the occasion and retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Karibi Whyte, urged political parties to believe and mean well for the country. He tasked politicians to uphold the truth and accept fairness.
“We are talking about governor, the office of the governor. We admire the governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, because of his performance. “We follow him because of his performance, we’ll do everything to ensure that he succeeds and the institution still carries on,” he said.
He criticised those plotting against Amaechi, calling them conspirators with a destructive motive. “The group, which as all of us know, they are all conspirators. The conspiracy runs foul when it is directed towards a wrong motive.
“When it is a conspiracy which is destructive, which is oppressive and which makes it difficult for the common man to admire what is going on, then there is a foreboding of anarchy,” he said.
It was also gathered yesterday that the anti-Amaechi proponents have come up with a plan to raise funds that will be used to induce lawmakers to impeach the governor. The money, among others, will be used to woo at least 17 members of the state House of Assembly who have been loyal to the governor, to team up with the five anti-Amaechi lawmakers to impeach him.
There are 33 lawmakers in the state assembly and to effect an impeachment of the governor, the constitution stipulates two-thirds of the members of the house, which is 22. The Felix Obuah-led PDP executive in the state had earlier suspended 27 lawmakers perceived to be loyal to Amaechi.
The plot to precipitate the impeachment of the governor, it was gathered, was the resolution reached at a meeting held in Abuja on Monday night, in what was described as the “ultimate decimation” of the Amaechi factor.
A governor from the South-south zone was said to be part of the meeting and was charged with the responsibility of mobilising the required funds. In a related development, the state police boss has warned labour unions in the state not to forcibly shut down operations at public institutions in their bid to comply with the strike order.
Mbu, who was reacting to the two-day warning strike by organised labour over the continued occupation of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area secretariat by the police, said the unions’ action was an offence, which the police would not tolerate. The unions embarked on the strike because the closure of the secretariat was preventing workers in the council from going back to work.
The police commissioner, while addressing journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, also accused some top government functionaries in the state of lobbying the unions to embark on strike over police presence at the council secretariat.
He explained that his men were at the local government secretariat to protect government property from being attacked by hoodlums.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Tuesday told a Federal High Court in Abuja that the former Governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, might escape trial if allowed to travel out of the country.
Sylva, who is standing trial before the court for alleged money laundering related offences, is asking the court for permission to accompany his wife on a foreign trip. When the matter came up yesterday, counsel to Sylva, Mr. O.I Olorundare (SAN), told the court that the ex-governor's wife was scheduled for surgery in a United Kingdom hospital on May 31 and needed his company.
He, therefore, urged the court to release his international passport to enable him embark on the trip. Sylva, however, promised to return for trial and to also return the passport to the custody of the court.
The former governor said the grounds for his application was that it was part of the conditions attached to the bail granted him June last year, to always seek the court's leave before engaging in foreign trip.
However, EFCC in objecting to the application filed a counter-affidavit to that effect. Counsel to the anti-graft agency, John Arieto, urged the court to refuse Sylva's application on the grounds that he could refuse to return for trial.
He noted that since Sylva was arraigned in June last year and granted bail the agency had unearthed fresh evidence that the accused person allegedly engaged in fraudulent acquisition of property through other private persons.
Arieto added that the commission was also ready to file charges against Sylva's wife. The commission further stated that in view of the new discovery, it got a court order last December, freezing the new assets. EFCC said investigation was still ongoing and it could be jeopadised should Sylva be allowed to travel.
The commission stated that Sylva had, on several occasions refused to honour its invitations, a development that prompted his last arrest by its operatives.
After listening to argument of both parties, the trial judge, Justice Adamu Bello, adjourned till tomorrow for ruling.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA) has said that only 126 Nigerians have fled the conflict areas as a result of the military operations against the Boko Haram insurgence.
Against the background of media report which puts the figure of those fleeing the troubled areas at about 6,000, the agency said available information showed that about 2,367 persons had crossed the border from Kashagar, Baga and Kuros communities in Borno State into Niger Republic.
NEMA's Director General, Muhammed Sani-Sidi, who addressed journalists yesterday in Abuja, said out of the 2,367 persons who fled to Niger, only 126 were officially confirmed to be Nigerian citizens.
"We want to state categorically that from information available to us, about 2,367 persons have crossed the border from Kashagar, Baga and Kuros communities all in the state to Diffa in the Republic of Niger. Out of this figure, 126 are Nigerians while the remaining are citizens of the Republic of Niger who have returned home due to the ongoing crises in the North-east region," he said.
Sani-Sidi said NEMA in collaboration with the Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Nigerian Embassy in Niamey had already registered the 126 displaced Nigerians who have crossed into the Republic of Niger with a view to providing them with necessary humanitarian supports.
He said the report that 6,000 Nigerians had fled the country into the Republic of Niger was unfounded and not true.
"Our attention has been drawn to a publication of the Daily Trust Newspaper of May and series of enquiries from the media on the status of Nigerians who were said to have crossed the Nigerian border into the Republic of Niger in an attempt to flee from the operations of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the state. "We wish to therefore, call on the media and concerned Nigerians to direct all further inquiries on the matter to NEMA for clarification.
While speaking on the humanitarian situation in the affected three states where emergency rule is operational, the DG said staff of NEMA were working hand in hand with the JTF in order to provide humanitarian assistance to the people living in the crisis areas.
He said the needs of the civilians were being catered for by the agency, adding that the agency was very careful not to interfere with the security operations going on the affected areas.
"We are not security personnel, we are only providing humanitarian assistance and nothing more. We are in contact with the security agencies to give unfettered access to our staff in the crisis area.
"I wish to further reiterate that in the spirit of the mutual cooperation between NEMA and the media, the doors of the agency are always open for enquires on humanitarian issues affecting the country. In conclusion, let me add that the media and members of the public should avoid unnecessary speculations on matters of national interest," he added.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
A constitutional lawyer, Prof. Itse Sagay and a former presidential candidate, Prof. Pat Utomi, Tuesday deplored the federal government for failing to make meaningful impact in the public space, asking it to learn from the historic development taking place in Lagos State.
The duo expressed the view at the Freedom Park, Lagos Island, during the public presentation of a book, ‘Fashola: The Historic Reconstruction of Lagos’, which was authored by a legal practitioner, Mr. Emeka Odikpo.
The book presentation was witnessed by the state’s former governors, including Brigadier-General Mobolaji Johnson (rtd) and Alhaji Lateef Jakande, while Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), was represented by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Ben Akabueze.
Speaking at the presentation, Sagay lamented that it was unfortunate that people currently holding political power at the centre had only succeeded in bringing the country to shame before the comity of nation.
He explained that people at the centre, “limits everything to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). They have no philosophy of government. They are just a group of people whose only intention is just to accumulate power and accumulate resources and enjoy themselves rather than the entire country.
“So, it is the type of government that we have. It is the PDP type of mentality. When you have a breakaway type of PDP governor like Rotimi Amaechi, who is trying to make an impact in the life of the people and establish some legacies of good governance, it is not in the character of the PDP. So, they have to destroy him.”
The constitutional lawyer also urged Fashola to look beyond Lagos politics and contest for the presidential election in 2015, noting that the kind of transformation Lagos witnessed under his administration and under his predecessor, Senator Bola Ahmed, could be replicated at the centre. He said with the level of commitment and modest achievements recorded by his administration in Lagos so far what “is next for Fashola is to offer himself to serve the people at the national level.”
At the presentation, Utomi blamed the cancellation of Metro Line project during the administration of Jakande by the military for the traffic congestion witnessed in the state today.
He, therefore, remarked that Lagos transformation “is a mark of commitment and continuity. This is indeed a committed administration. For long, everyone has been talking about second Niger Bridge. The country will definitely learn from is happening in Lagos”.
He commended Fashola for sustaining the good work his illustrious predecessor left behind, saying for Fashola “to have continued to sustain the work left behind, he must have been driven with passion”.
On his part, Utomi decried the abolition of the metro line being constructed by former Governor of Lagos, Lateef Jakande, by the administration of former Governor Mudashiru Lawal, as military governor of Lagos, saying the metro line undertaken by Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at the same time with that of Lagos State had since been completed.
“Though, Mudashiru Lawal is a good man, one of my saddest days in life was when he stopped the metro line project. Kuala Lumpur that started their metro line with Lagos at the same time then has since completed hers.
“I am happy that dream is being recreated now by the Fashola administration and many of us will live to see that dream being fulfilled.” he said, while describing the Lekki-Ikoyi suspension bridge which was captured by the book as fantastic. Utomi said he was not an advocate of mega city, but that he would love the idea of a Lagos-Ibadan megalopolis where new towns would emerge in areas such as Ijebu-Ode, where people would live and still work in Lagos.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
About 17 oil workers, including five Nigerians and 12 Pakistanis, have been abducted aboard an ocean going vessel by pirates operating along the nation’s waterways on Monday.
Their ship was allegedly invaded by the pirates and they were abducted even though a Nigerian Navy formation, the Forward Operation Base (FOB), NNS Formoso, was near the area where the abduction took place.
Following the ease with which the operation took place, THISDAY gathered that the action is now causing anxiety among security personnel in the Niger Delta region. All effort to get the Nigerian Navy to comment on the abduction yesterday proved abortive as they denied knowledge of the attack and the abduction of the oil workers. The pirates were said to have attacked the ship, MT Matrix at a point near Akassa in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State.
The Nigerian Navy had last week lamented the activities of pirates and vandals along the Akassa, Brass, Sangana and Nembe corridor of the nation’s waterways, saying the area was the most notorious for all manners of illegality in the country.
The 12 Pakistani and five Nigerian crew aboard the vessel were working for Val Oil Trading, a Lagos based oil company when the abduction took place.
Attempts to get the official position from the Nigerian Navy in Bayelsa State failed even though senior officer attached to Forward Operational Base (FOB) known as NNS Formoso in Egweama in Brass area of Bayelsa confirmed the incident, lamenting that “it is not unusual that such incident occur along the area claimed, as it is 40 nautical miles into the high seas. It is difficult in the area.” Meanwhile, the Nigeria Trawlers Owners Association (NTOA), has raised the alarm over daily huge losses they incur from pirate attacks off the nation’s coastlines.
The group said about 130 vessels used by its member for fishing activities were either stolen or hijacked with some of their members either killed or kidnapped for ransom. The President of NTAO, Mr. Joseph Overo, disclosed this yesterday when they visited the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Joseph Ezeoba, on a “Save Our Soul (SOS) call to rescue the association from economic strangulation.
Overo cried out to the naval boss and the federal government for the timely assistance to forestall the deadly attacks by pirates and kidnappers in the high sea, saying that if urgent action was not taken, fish and shrimps would disappear from the country.
He stated that the association which are producers of fish and shrimps for local consumption and export, provides livelihood for over 10,000 Nigerians who are gainfully employed in that sector of the economy.
NTAO President also noted that the danger of these attacks is that when their trawlers are hijacked they can carry it to attack other ships in other country’s territorial waters which can easily create a diplomatic row.
He then appealed to the Navy to adequately police the entrances to the sea where these nefarious activities are often carried out, citing Brass, Adoul and Opobo it occurs constantly.
He said: “I can tell you that in the last 10 years, the association operated over 250 trawling vessels, but now it can only operate 122 because of attacks and kidnapping of our crews. The reason is simple; because we are being attacked on daily basis, and as we speak, the attack is going on.
“ We have therefore come to seek for assistance. We also want to highlight the areas of severe attacks such a Zungeru, Bonny, Opobo. Here vessels are being hijacked and taken out of the country to attack other vessels, this is very dangerous.”
“The worse is the kidnapping and killing of our members. Most times when ransom are not paid on time they can kill these men and we had no option that to quickly pay the ransom to save their families the agony”, he added.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
In its purest form, our profession is no friendlier than a cock-fight or a gladiators’ pit. Every player has at some point tasted the sands of defeat. Therefore, no one lawyer can beat his chest as the quintessential bench-mark when at certain points in his career; he may have been bloodied by some wiry minion. The competition is so stiff that we continually look over our shoulders to gauge the next man’s every move. The young lawyer begrudges the old of his stability and massive client-base; the old is scared of the revolutionary upheavals that the young are brewing in those computers and tablets, while fuzzily shaking his head when they chant alien phrases like Digital Rights and Cyber-legislations.
The corporate lawyer envies the litigation-lawyer for his seamless grasp of procedure; while the litigation guru goes green at sighting his corporate colleagues safely ensconced within the limited challenges of secretarial duty. We regularly schedule conferences and seminars, ostensibly to impact the legal network. But those are really avenues to measure progress (or hopefully, stagnation) across the competitors. How much exposure has he attained since the last visit? Any new mega-briefs or transactions? The mandatory requirement for the Practice-synopsis of Key-note Speakers is a subtle web to catch these details. And being the megalomaniacs we all are, nothing is ever left to the imagination. So, we leave the conferences either more vain, or more bitter; depending on how well our achievements fare in comparison to those of the next lawyer. Burrowing into our typical psyche (i.e. extreme disdain for 2nd-place); I have attempted hereunder to identify certain error-zones that may be counting in favour of the next man:
1. Headlines Versus Details Every lawyer prides himself for being an avid reader. But maybe, that virtue sometimes proves hurtful. You try to devour every single detail in a book. You measure numerous precedents in every routine brief, and rigorously research for every client-interview. Expertise, you call it. But this other lawyer who doesn’t work half as hard, soars. He doesn’t dive deep, but beats through every surface. He skims for headlines and key-words, while you burrow painstakingly through every syllable. You are heavy on thoroughness, while he is on sensation. When it matters most, he can give decent overviews; expertly implying that he is constrained by available time. The sufficiently impressed client buys him in, and it is only when his earnings are assured that he digs deeper. Odds are, he may even outsource the digging to you, for a stipend; while he skims through other opportunities. Your knowledge pays you, but his masterful use of time pays more.
2. He is Less Law, more Business Knowing all the law is a historical impossibility. Thus, the next best thing is – how much you know beyond the Law. A small-time auto-technician knows every car part; but the business man earns bigger from assembling them as commercial wholes. Pretty soon, the world will grow wise to the fact that lawyers bring absolutely no extra value to a transaction between gentlemen. Oh, we try to shackle them with terms and conditions (or more frighteningly: covenants). And we never fail to insert that arbitration clause which is not intended to oust the court’s jurisdiction, of course. But maybe the parties have just not figured out that “disputes” are merely disparate views of a tangible subject. Therefore, they do not need a lawyer to resolve them; they simply need experts in that relevant field. Also, they don’t need to be called disputes. Simply refer to them as varying opinions. When this happens, lay-experts (as opposed to legal-experts) will be ushered in to resolve contentions; and Agreements will subsist happily ever after. That next lawyer may be more successful because he has grown capacity beyond the law; and in certain technical business areas, he lends an extra limb. Do not say you haven’t been fore-armed…
3. “The Philosophers’ Football Match” Syndrome
Few of us may be familiar with the famous comedy sketch by a British group, Monty Python, depicting well-known philosophers as footballers on a field. Socrates, Marx, Archimedes, the whole squad. Yes, you guessed right; they wandered aimlessly the entire game. Every proposed move was weighed, challenged, reviewed and discarded. At the end, nobody kicked the ball. Some lawyers are always on the verge of something big: an adventurous merger; a new public lecture-series; a capacity building partnership with some global investor; blah blah blah. Once the idea emerges, it is massively debated and measured in-house. Series of SWOT analyses and feasibility assessments are performed; meanwhile some upstart elsewhere spontaneously acts on his own Eureka moment, and voila! He lands on TV, soaking up endorsements and huge fees. You watch his interviews with an upturned nose, spotting little imperfections in his Initiative. Meanwhile, your own ideas are still undergoing brutal mutilation within the barricades of your project-file, and you remain anonymous.
4. Delayed Gratification
Lawyers must be paid. I support hostility towards free-service requests. But, that next lawyer may be growing big, ironically from delayed payments. Yes, oozing tailored professionalism; you brandish your Scale of Fees to the client on a take or leave basis. That way, you earn no more than you ask. That next lawyer adopts a different approach. “It’s Ok, don’t pay” He tells the broke client who has smart ideas. He rather requests for an equity stake, a Board appointment, a collateral Retainer upon success of the current Deal. Of course, it is a risky approach. You may lose all in the face of a rascally adventurer. But if he strikes gold, he can’t say it’s all mine, when your fees are pending.
5. It May All Be in the Mind…
Who is to say the next man is better? Richer maybe, more famous too. But are your clients happy? Are your primary bills paid? Do you promote the course of Justice? Real satisfaction is intangible. It is not measured by plaques and awards. It is surely not measured by wealth; because making money takes less imagination than being a lawyer. I think the next man is only as good as you want him to be when he meets you in the fight-arena.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of an Ikeja High Court has fixed July 10 for further hearing of an out-of-court settlement brought before him over the lingering crisis between the Lagos State Government and the Muslim Students Society (MSS) over the ban of Hijab in public schools in the state.
The decision of the court, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), was sequel to the request by the Lagos State counsel, Muniru Ajanaku, who prayed the court to adjourned the matter on the grounds that the state believed that the matter could be resolved out-of-court.
The lead counsel for the students, Taiwo Hassan Fajimite, said it was unfortunate that the state has not responded on the case until now, but that the Muslim community was willing to meet the state government and consider the terms and conditions being offered on the way out.
The Muslim students, who thronged the court to witness the proceedings, took to the streets to protest and to register their displeasure over the decision by the Lagos State Government to ban the use of Hijab by female Muslim students in public schools. The students led by Muslim teachers and some clerics, carried different placards with inscriptions such as, “Hijab is Our Right, it Must be Respected,” “Fashola, to be Forewarned is to be Forearmed,” “Lagos State Government, Stop the Discrimination against Our Female Students,” among others.
The students promised to continue their protest as well as explore every available legal means to ensure the rights of Muslim students to wear hijab in public schools is protected. However, some stern looking policemen immediately mobilised to the scene to avoid miscreants from hijacking the rally.
The female students who wore hijab on their various uniforms vowed to continue to wear their hijab to school, until the court decides its legality or otherwise. In his short ruling on the application by the counsel to the government, Justice Oyewole urged both parties to explore the dialogue option and report back to the court on the next adjourned date. He adjourned further hearing to July 10.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
President Goodluck Jonathan has assured that Federal Government will establish a child helpline to protect the rights of children in Nigeria.
Jonathan gave this assurance in an address on the occasion of Children’s Day Celebration at the Old Parade Ground, Abuja, even as a Non- Governmental Organization (NGO), Helpline Foundation made a case for over 10.5 million out of school children across the country. *Details to come later
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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