VOL. 14. NO. 2 28-1-14
In our younger years when we were not
this old and cold, sports was no fear and scare. We just loved the open fields
and the race tracks. Those were the years of the “Inter-House Sports” the dusty
fields, the bamboo booths, the village teachers, scout masters and the very
excited hordes of gamboling kids. At meets, the best runners were put to test,
each representing different ‘houses’. Probably the most exciting of all the
races is the 100 meters and next perhaps the 100x4 relay race.
You felt the tension high and tight when
the race master got ready to send the runners off. You heard the loud shout of “On
to your marks”, followed by “Get set”. You noticed the taut muscles and nerves
of the runners, their concentrated glare or gaze, all ready to burst into
action at the shout of “Go!” or the crack of the race-gun.
Within seconds, you see the boys
separated from the men; the wheat from the chaff, the rabbits from the rats,
the leaders from the followers, the best from the rest. In all my life I have
never seen a hundred meters race, where pace equality among the runners from
the on-start is maintained up to twenty meters. The race track quickly
disproves the fancy that all men are born equal.
However a lot of things happen on the
tracks, just as in the race of life. Stumbles happen, collisions happen, muscle
cramps happen, track fright happen, to the effect that the eventual winner(s)
may not be the swiftest or even the smartest.
Nonetheless, the track is where the
athlete proves his class or mettle. That is the stage that he shows the stuff
of what he is made. He writes his report card, testimonial, whatever with his
feet.
Talking about athletes and their
performance reminds of the newly judges of the Lagos State High Court to wit,
Safari J., Savage J., Ogunsanya J., Bankole Oki J., Animahun J. and Ogala J. Sworn
in a few month ago into the exalted office of high court judge, they are
already beyond the stage of “Onto your marks” but already on the tracks.
Incidentally, their task is harder than
that of the athlete. The athlete runs in competition against a few individuals
whose action or inaction and the quality of same actually affect the runner.
The judge however is not in competition
ordinarily with any other brother or sister (or is it aunty) judge. He is in
competition with a stricter, harder and stronger opponent- HIMSELF.
Within a few months, or at the most, a
year, the whole (litigating) world would soon know what manner of judge is the
newly appointed judge. Is he the lazy type or the busy bee? Is he a faint of
knowledge or an empty drum? Is he the decent type or a yahoo? Is he a weakling
or a lion-heart? Is he a bribe hater or a bribe eater? Overall, is he worth the
sacred title “JUSTICE” bestowed on him for life.
Just as the athletes are on parade, let
our new appointed judges know that all eyes on them.
They are now gold fishes with no hiding
place. Of course the Bench is a clime different from the Bar. No lawyer, no
matter how brilliant and sage is nomenclatured “Honourable Justice”. That
should tell our judges something. The very goal a lawyer works for in the best
tradition of his profession is JUSTICE, which is the very gold a judge
personifies. So why not give the precious and rare commodity you who have
custody of it?
I commend all you new judges to the care
and grace of the Almighty, but we will be there too watching you. Again I pray
may the good Lord watch over you all. But we too, repeat, shall watch you too.
I rise!
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