'More Hunger Ahead' By Adesina Ogunlana

THE LEARNED SQUIB

In the olden days, in the days of Joseph, Balaam, Elisha, Daniel, up to the advent of newspapers and the birth of the www wizardry, you could only become a prophet or a seer by celestial or at least extra-terrestrial calling.

In those days, mental exertions and physical training would never make anyone a Nostradamus. No matter the level of trying, no matter the time of application. The best you could be by those methods was to end up a guesser. Of course we know that in the very precarious turf of prophesy where the propinquity of error to success is quite close indeed, guessers invariably end up losers.

In one word, in ancient times, you were either a prophet or not. But nowadays a newspaper freak, not to talk of an internet fly, has all what it takes to become a super-prophet or a grand seer. You see, when you have a lot of relevant information about a person, thing or an organization at your disposal, with a little application of commonsense, you can confidently look into the seeds of time and say with confidence which ones will germinate and which ones will not.

Of course a newspaper fed prophet or an internet enabled seer may not cut the traditional figure of a diviner one inch. Instead of the penetrating gaze of the prophet of old or his long beard, the modern ‘Nostra’ may look like an Adonis. Of course, Adonis’ are either clean shaven or adorn their chins with designer hair styles. They don’t go about with dirty, tangled beards.

Happily, the hood does not the monk make. The efficiency and reliability of modern day prophets has little or nothing to do with their possibly snazzy looks. You don’t have to be wonky to be a trustworthy visionary, neither do you need to mouth any mantras to get the job done.

I consider myself one of the modern prophets in question and I hereby prophesy unto you all. I prophecy that there is going to be more hunger for Lagos lawyers in the next few weeks. Don’t sneer at me or at the prophecy. It will come to pass. But first, let me tell you how I know what will surely happen.

If you will only turn with me to page 3 of the December 1, 2007 edition of the Saturday Sun, you will be privy to the information I have had since December 1.

The news was that judiciary staff would be embarking on another round of nation wide strike as from January 15, 2008 if the Body of Chief Judges of Nigeria “fails to meet its earlier 4-point demands.”

Now, here’s the prophecy – the workers will surely go on strike. The reason is very simple: nobody in Nigeria, especially at the management levels, ever takes workers seriously until push comes to shove.

Now here’s the second prophecy: as from late January 2008 when the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) will once again shut down the judiciary nation wide, many lawyers, especially Lagos lawyers, will experience lean pockets and even leaner tummies.

I assume that everybody knows that many practicing lawyers in Lagos State since the beginning of the New Legal Year in September 2007 have experienced a sharp lull in business. The reason is chiefly due to the incarceration of thousands of non-part heard cases in the registry where they were returned to, in the wake of the mass re-posting of judges from their various Cause Divisions.

Now, a grimmer immediate future awaits us all in late January 2008 since the courts will surely be shut down then. For the moment at least, we are able to eke out a living since courts, lethargic and infirm as they are, are still on; in January 2008, our market will come under lock and key.

Why am I so sure that the courts will be paralysed in January 2008? The reality of this is already obvious to discerning souls.

First from now till January 14, the authorities will pretend not to have notice of the impending strike. Then from the 15th to the 22nd January 2008, the authorities will indulge themselves in making nasty remarks about the JUSUN leadership. It is only after, say the 3rd of February, that Messrs High and Mighty will begin to consider having any dialogue with the striking workers while at the same time start the blackmail programme of labeling the striking workers as “unpatriotic elements who want to truncate our nascent democracy for narrow, selfish reasons.”

Finally, around the outer rim of February 2008, one or two concessions will be made to the workers. Shall I go on prophesying? The spirit has really woken up in me.

Prepare, dear learned friends, prepare for January, February, even March 2008. It will be a long winter.


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