God is with this magazine, called the Squib. How I came to know? You see, just as the fortunes of the magazine appear sliding, it receives massive dosage of energy charging and image laundering boosts. For example when it was a mere infant, a complete little even ungainly presence in the legal profession, God sent an angel to fan embers of popularity for the magazine.That angel was none other than the then Chief Judge of Lagos state, Ibitola Adebisi Sotuminu. Sotuminu C.J who in her younger days according to retired Justice Olufawo used to be known as “My Cleopatra” put her considerable clout to the task of promoting the Squib. She did this by picking a quarrel with the magazine and vowing to exterminate it. It was like having an elephant dueling with an ant. Such an ant, people reckoned must be a special, wonderful creature that they ought to know and meet.
Consequently Mr. Anonymous-Squib became Mr. Well Known-Squib. It was a case every week, of Squib here, Squib there, Squib everywhere. All, courtesy Mrs. Justice Sotuminu who even made things sweeter for the Squib by regularly abusing her and her publisher, Adesina Ogunlana. Mrs. Justice Sotuminu’s favourite tags for me were “miscreant” and “bad boy” while she famously said that the Squib was an obnoxious publications”
In the course of time. Sotuminu J. became part of the history of the Lagos State Judiciary. Fatai Adeyinka J. came in after Sotuminu C.J. He left shortly with no particular clean records. Adeyinka C.J kept his peace while the Squib roared. Then Adeyinka C.J went away with history.
Now it was the turn of Alabi C.J. the incumbent “Olori Oko”. The relationship between the C.J.O and the Squib took off on a friendly note. But since oil and water do not walk hand-in-hand the relationship soon turned frosty. The problem was that the Squib was an unrepentant astringent which cannot be mellowed with toothy grins, warm hand shakes, and back slaps.
Blunt, graphic and screaming as ever, it was not long before the Squib upset a sensitive Alabi C.J At a public gathering in March 2007 the C.J committed a Freudian slip when he referred to the Squib’s publisher as OMO WERE YEN (naughty nut).
Again this verbal missile helped the image of the Squib’s publisher a great deal. It’s no mean feat I tell you, to get a public acknowledgment from the prince of Chief Judges of Nigeria. After the naughty nut ornament was hung on my humble neck, adulation and adoration chased me all about the place. I became a Popular Jingo. Just like in the Sotuminu days, everybody wanted to meet the naughty nut. And you know everybody include those delicate, better shaped species of humanity that a creative mind once described as “sex on two legs”.
Now it is beginning to happen again. Another Judge of the Lagos High Court has become self-motivated to mount another round of promotion blitz for the Squib. The good judge and may God bless her ladyship abundantly is none other than Honourable justice Funmilayo Atilade. Her ladyship was presiding over a civil suit in which my chamber was representing some of the respondents. Incidentally another lawyer from the chambers and not my naughty nut self came for the matter.
Somehow my name came up in the course of the hearing. The name, yes the name was the cause of katakata in the court. Please read on:-
Atilade J. : Adesina Ogunlana? That name sounds familiar
Innocent Lawyer: (happily) yes milord. He is the editor of the Squib.
Atilade J: (up set) Oh, is that trash still on?
Innocent Lawyer: Very much so, and it is actually a good magazine
Atilade J. : Good magazine you say? That magazine which always attacks judges and sees nothing good in them?
Innocent Lawyer: My Lord, with due respect sir, the Squib is not like that. In fact there are many instances it commended judges and it is also helpful in the bar. In fact last week the magazine exposed a fake lawyer who has spent several years practicing as a lawyer.
Atilade J.: Look, one day when that magazine publishes a nasty story about you, then you will appreciate my point. For your own good you had better leave that chambers. They can’t teach you anything good. If you want to make progress in life and in this profession, take my advice and leave that chamber.
Innocent Lawyer: As the court pleases.
Poor girl. She reeled home in shock. But at home, she received a further shock. This is because, upon hearing of the demolition exercise of the honourable judge, the “villain of the piece”, the naughty nut instead of frowning and hopping made broke into a huge wide, grin.
The only thing he said was “Thank you God” May God bless the honourable judge with more vigour to carry out more attacks on the Squib. May God give her ladyship, bigger and more prominent platforms like the NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, the UNITED NATIONS, BBC and CNN to say negative things against us”.
Of course, you should know the reason for the prayer-the bigger and more influential the attackers of the Squib and their platforms, the more successful the Squib becomes. So, with all heartfelt sense of gratitude and appreciation do I doff my hat to Honourable Justice Funmilayo Atilade of the Lagos High Court for the powerful, pungent and pugnacious attacks on my humble, naughty nut self and the “obnoxious” Squib on Tuesday 7th October 2008.
Please, my lady, accept the assurances of my warmest regards. E se pupo. E se gan ni!
N:B
By the way some people are wondering whether my clients in the case before Honourable Justice Atilade can get justice in the matter considering the intensity of the bitterness of the honourable Judge against their counsel.
Well, what do you guys think?
No comments:
Post a Comment