'Great Shock' By Adesina Ogunlana

I have just finished perusing the list of the short-list of candidates for the position of judges in Lagos and I almost died of shock.
And now that it is saying a lot. For, though I shock other people easily, I shock hard.
So why my shock? Could it because the list is rather serpentine, a whopping 28 names? No that was not. In fact 28 names is, come to think of it, embarrassingly short. A list of say 120 or even 200 names would have been more like it- to take care of all possible interests.
For example there is the Babalaje interest. Same for Iyaloja interest. Then there is the traditional rulers’ interest. Not to forget the Religious dealers (sorry leaders) interest. Then there is the political party (read A.C, bifurcated into Tinubu and Mr. Fash’s sub groups).
At the end of the day, eve if it is only four good ones that are appointed from the list, the authorities can easily look the rejects in the face and say “After all you made the short-list. Better luck next time.”
Was my shock due to seeing Mrs. Harrison’s name on that list again? You know Harrison now? The pious Christian lady lawyer who sold her client’s house without due authority, pocketed the proceeds and had to be dragged before the EFCC?That’s not enough to shock me I assure. Nigeria is a funny country where you gain promotion by doing bad things and receive elevation when you’ve been caught, this, especially when you are a “big boy or a big babe”.
Could my shock possible be because Mr. Christopher Balogun a former frontline player and a good able and very well mannered lawyer is now one of the Fellows of the Lower Rungs?Oh shucks! Not that! Who dices not know that no condition is permanent and that the race especially in Nigeria) is hardly to the brilliant and dedicated or the battle to the useful and worthy.
Let me tell you the reason for my shock. It was seeing the name of magistrates on the blessed lists. Not just one or two magistrates but a massive eight!Before Lagos magistrates learned the art, science and technology of going on strike to ensure the existence of the God-sent Magistrate Court Law 2009 (which will solve all the many problems of the magistrates and cure the poverty of their cadre), I was for magistrates to be elevated to the high court bench, at least the intellectually capable and industrious ones among them.But no longer! During their strike(s) they insisted and sometimes violently and abusively so, that they wanted to make the magistracy their all-in-all career. They boasted of their contentment in their magistracy cadre as long as the Magic Law-Magistrates court Law 2009 is restored.Now that the law has been restored, what is their worships or is it honours doing on the list of would be judges?So magistrates also want to be judges-the creatures they spoke of so disparagingly just a few weeks ago?
Just look at life o!Is this not Mrs. Christiana Titilayo Adesola Ikpat on the list? Adesola Ikpatt, chairman of Magistrates Association of Nigeria, Lagos Branch. Ah, wonders shall never end!Et-tu Adesola Ikpatt! My dear and noble friend (Believe me I really like the lady and she is my friend, but the truth must be told) how come you are on the list? What of Chief Magistrate Olufemi Isaacs, Ayo Odugbesan, Adeyemi Okunuga, Iyabo Okunuga, Surutu (sorry, Sururat Soladoye, Ganiyu Ali Safari, Emmanuel Ogundare, Oyindamola Ogala, Adedayo Akintoye.
I think the least these good and noble magistrates should do is to formally withdraw from the hot race to become judges in Lagos State, especially those of them who just few weeks ago believed the best place to achieve their career dream is in the new, improved magistracy of the famous Magistrates Court Law 2009.