FREE AT LONG LAST

Free at long last was indeed the exclamation after I had successfully written all papers of the Bar finals examination at the 2015/2016 academic session of the Nigerian Law School.And then began the wait and the accompanying prayers and thoughts of silly mistakes that may have been made in the course of the examinations.I'd recall asking myself to wit:if the questions set as it were,were all there was to the bar finals? I had carefully answered all questions and am glad it turned out well on the long run.

After my solemn call to the Nigerian bar several questions and fears hit my mind as to what next,where do I go from here? What  area of the law can I  possibly create  a niche and satisfactorily compete with the ever changing laws,its indeed a notorious fact that our laws change with time to suit the needs of the society so as not to defeat the social engineering characteristics of the law,my humble apologies to Dean Roscoe Pound.

With the thoughts of where to go and what to do? Still on my mind i've been though willingly subjected to pupilage in a law firm,this would serve the purpose of helping me develop and hone some legal skills and improve on those already acquired through learning.This brings me to the unavoidable difference between the law as it is and the law as it ought to be.For a period of five(5) years at the University and a period of one (1) year at the Nigerian Law School all we had been taught were the law as it ought to be,leaving us with a whole new experience in the outside world where we are faced with the law as it is.No doubts the law as it is may be at variance with what it ought to be,but I am persuaded to believe that we as young lawyers can effect a proper translation of what the law ought to be into every facet of our legal sphere,I admit this would take a while.

Although am yet to find my feet in the practice of law even more discouraging is the fact that the Nigerian Bar Association and indeed senior lawyers have  no plans and have thus far not encouraged young lawyers in this practice,this has raised issues of abuse.We have all earned the right to audience and undertake to practice in accordance with the rules of the profession,we are interconnected in this selfsame practice and should all ensure that we render the necessary assistance to colleagues as the situation presents itself.This is an appeal and a solemn call to install measures to forestall further abuse of young lawyers. The foregoing not withstanding i am certain of the future and verily believe that hard work pays and the diligence and hard work put in now will pay off in the later years.

Freedom in its true sense entails a state of being free,not constrained. Contrary to the kind of freedom I perceived I had gotten from the completion of the aforementioned exams,I've been inducted into one of the noblest professions,the legal profession,called as a minister in the hallowed temple of justice with so much constraints,with respect to practice directions and upholding the standard of the profession which I must not fall short of. This whole episode indeed points out to the fact that man is never free,howbeit it's safe to make allusion to the famous phrase man is born free but is everywhere in chains.(apologies to Jean Jack Rosseau).

Hotel collapses in Delta State,leaving many injured

No fewer than seven people sustained injuries after a popular hotel, the Mekaval hotel situated in Effurun-Warri in Delta state collapsed at about 2am today September 9th. The injured were mostly indigenes of neighboring state who had come to the state in search of a miracle at the Christ Mercy Land Church, headed by one Pastor Jeremiah Fufeyin, popularly referred to as ‘Ijaw TB Joshua’.

Nigerian Army partners with NNPC to stop oil theft and pipeline vandalism

In its bid to eradicate pipeline vandalism and oil theft in Nigeria, the group Managing Director of NNPC Ibe Kachikwu yesterday September 8th held a meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin where he called on the Nigerian Army to help in the protecting NNPC's equipment and assets.

650 Nigerian refugees repatriated from Cameroon

650 Nigerian refugees have been repatriated from Cameroon to Nigeria. Mr Sa’ad Bello, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Camps Coordinator who made this known yesterday September 8th, said the new repatriated Nigerian refugees were mostly women and children.

He said they are currently undergoing health and security screening and will be settled into four major camps in Adamawa state which includes the NYSC Orientation Camp at Bajabure in Girei Council Area, Malkohi IDPs Camp in Yola South Council Area,  Fufore Camp in Fufore Local Government and Saint Theresa Catholic Camp in Yola North Area.

PDP says they’ll never hang Buhari’s portrait in their offices

The PDP has refused to hang the official portrait of President Muhammadu Buhari at the party’s national secretariat, Wadata House national secretariat, located at Zone 5, Abuja, despite the fact that it has removed that of former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh on Tuesday said:

Man steals 4 month old baby and gives to his girlfriend to sell

A young lady named, Kelechi Uche was paraded by the state Police Commissioner, Joshak Habila, in Umuahia, for trying to sell a baby. Uche was arrested by some members of the public at Osusu Aku, where she went to look for buyers.

According to the police boss,a man simply identified as Uchenna and four other suspects, still at large, stole a four month old boy at gunpoint on August 21, at Ntigha Uzo in the Obingwa Local Government Area of the state. Then he gave the baby to his gf, Kelechi Uche to sell.

I chose people who have been loyal to me,Buhari speaks on his recent appointments

 President Buhari yesterday broke his silence on the recent appointments he made which has been described as lopsided by some critics. In an interview with BBC Hausa which was translated by Daily Trust, President Buahri said he chose people that have been loyal and steadfast with him right from his days in APP, CPC and then APC.

Pres Buhari may reduce Nigeria's foreign trip abroad

President Buhari has ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to review the number of Nigeria’s foreign missions abroad. The Perm Sec in the Ministry, Amb Paul Lolo, stated this to State House correspondents today after a meeting with the President on the ministry’s activities. He stated that Nigeria must review the number of its present 119 missions abroad based on the present Economic realities

Man finds wife naked in bed with her own dad, gets stabbed by father-in-law

A man in Oakland County was stabbed after he discovered his wife in bed with her own father. The 25-year-old victim came home to find his wife and his father-in-law lying naked in bed together.

He woke his father-in-law up, and the two got into an argument that continued outside. The older man, Henry Allen Michael of Detroit, then allegedly stabbed his son-in-law in the back with a knife and drove away in the victim’s vehicle.

British Airways plane catches fire at Las Vegas airport (photo)

A British Airways jet caught fire on the runway at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas Tuesday, forcing the evacuation of the passengers on board. “There were 159 passengers and 13 crew on the flight,” according to the airport’s Twitter account. “Two were transported for minor injuries.” The 275-seat B77-200 jet was headed to London’s Gatwick Airport.

Female UNILAG student electrocuted at Campus hostel

A female University of Lagos student was electrocuted yesterday Sept. 8th after a high tension cable fell on her in front of the Sodeinde hall of residence in the campus. According to reports, the young lady was immediately rushed to the Lagos state Teaching Hospital but was certified dead on arrival. Sad! May her soul rest in peace, Amen.

LIB

12yr old girl contracts HIV after her step-brother & his friends raped her in Abuja

A 12-year-old girl (name withheld) has contracted the dreaded HIV/AIDS disease after she was allegedly raped by her 25 year old step brother, Abdullahi Mohammed and his friends at her father's house in Jahi district in Abuja.

According to Daily Trust, the girl's father and mother separated and the father married another woman who already had a son from a previous relationship.

Narrating what happened, the girl said her step brother started raping her when she was 8 years old and each time he raped her, he would threaten to kill her if she told their father.

Nigeria's FG orders withdrawal of diplomatic passports from ex government officials

The Nigeria Immigration Service has begun the withdrawal of diplomatic passports from former government officials including former governors, former Senators and House of Reps members, former Ministers and commissioners, former special advisers/special assistants, former chairmen/deputy chairmen of local government areas, all retired heads of parastatals and retired public servants.

As Buhari blazes the trail for merit - Reno Omokri writes on Buhari's recent appointments

The article is by former presidential aide, Reno Omokri. Read below...

Recently there was a big uproar about the appointments made by President Buhari. I disagreed with those who complained that the President's appointment were lopsided. Appointments should not be made on the basis of ethnicity, region or religion. Appointments should be made strictly on merit! As far as I am concerned, the President can appoint all his appointees from the same state as long as they are the best Nigeria has to offer.

75 year old man prays the court for divorce due to sexual deprivation

An Ado-Ekiti customary court, yesterday, dissolved the 26-year marriage between a bricklayer, James Kayode Oguntuase, 75 and his wife, Felicia, 53, over sexual deprivation.
Oguntuase accused Felicia of denying him sex, adultery, stealing and stubbornness, allegations which she denied.The petitioner told the court that he had caught his wife with 3 different men and that she had aborted three pregnancies for her lovers. He also accused also alleged that his estranged wife stealing N35,000, the money he had saved for the purchase of carpentry materials.

He asked the court for the custody of their 6 children,Caroline, 25; Peter, 23; Akin, 18; Ife, 15; Rachel, 12; and Tolulope, 6 stating that he'd be responsible for their upkeep and everything else.

However, the wife, in her response, said she denied the petitioner sex on grounds of ill-health, and also denied the allegations of adultery and stealing. She urged the court not to dissolve the union.

Court president, Joseph Ogunsemi, dissolved the union, saying the marriage had broken down as the two parties failed to avail themselves of the opportunity given to settle the dispute amicably.

The court also awarded custody of the children below the age of 18 to the petitioner, while Peter and Akin, who are above 18 are free to decide where to live.

The petitioner was also ordered by the court to arrange for an alternative accommodation for the respondent, the cost of which should not be more than N60,000 and not less than N48,000 per annum.

The court ordered the petitioner to pay two years rent for the new accommodation for the respondent and he is also expected to bear the cost of transporting her luggage to the new place.
The court ordered the respondent to always assist the petitioner in the upkeep of the minor children.


Vanguard

Senate begins probe of Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, Jonathan, others over mismanagement of power funds

Today, the Senate will begin an inquest into alleged mismanagement of funds appropriated to the power sector from the Olusegun Obasanjo civilian administration to date. In a statement by the Clerk of Senate ad hoc Committee on Power, Cletus Ojabo, yesterday, the power sector probe will be in the form of investigative hearing/interactive session.


According to Ojabo,  the investigation would centre on funds appropriated for the power sector since 1999 and the unbundling of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN.

Man found dead shortly after lodging with two women in a hotel in Delta

An offshore oil worker working with one of the oil companies in Delta state died unexpectedly after lodging with two women at Beji's court in Ugborikoko area of Warri in Delta state on September 5th. According to police report, the man arrived the hotel in company of two women but was later found unresponsive in his room by one of the hotel cleaners. The two ladies were no where in sight.

He was immediately rushed to the hospital where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival. His body was deposited at the Warri Central Hospital. Efforts are ongoing to trace the ladies while the state CIID Asaba is investigating the matter.

Saraki awards 2 first class law graduates N500k scholarship to Law school (photos)

Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday awarded a N500,000 scholarship each to two first class law graduates of University of Ilorin, Mohammed Abdullahi Tosin from Irepodun L.G.A and Adam Mohammed Ndakuku from Edu L.G.A, both from Kwara state. According to Saraki, the scholarship fund was drawn from his pension as a former Governor of Kwara state. 

Comply with directive on Treasury Single Account or face sanctions- Buhari tells govt agencies

President Buhari has threatened to sanction Government Agencies that fail to comply with the Federal Government directive to remit generated revenues into the Treasury Single Account by September 15. This is contained in a statement released by his Special Adviser on Media & Publicity Femi Adesina today September 7th. The statement after the cut...

Asset declaration: Buhari may be the least corrupt in Africa - Washington post

Washington Post published an article over the weekend, saying that President Buhari may be the least corrupt leader in Africa after declaring that he has only N30 million in his account. The article below.

The biggest appointment so far has gone to an Igbo man - Keyamo

In an interview with Punch, lawyer Festus Keyamo said despite what many think - that Buhari is marginalizing the South West in terms of appointments - that the biggest appointment so far in the Buhari administration has gone to an Igbo man. Below is what he said...

12 year old girl kills self with hunter's gun

OPERATIVES of the Kwara State Police Com­mand are working on vari­ous theories to unravel the mystery surrounding the ac­cidental gunshot that killed 12-years old Ganiyat at the Alangua area of Tanke, Ilo­rin.

The unfortunate incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, when a dane gun said to belong to one Baba Ria, who died about seven years ago, went off and killed Ganiyat.

A Witness who lives in the neighbourhood said that the de­ceased was playing with her peers and younger ones shortly after their mother who came to visit them left.

7yr old girl narrates how her dad touches her, puts his manhood in her mouth & offers her money

A 7 year old girl (name withheld) has narrated how her father Chukwuemeka Odunzie, pictured above molested her by touching her body and putting his manhood in her mouth and afterwards gives her money so she wouldn't tell anyone. According to Vanguard, the young girl who is a primary 3 student and resides with her parents at their Ojokoro Housing Estate, Meiran, Ijaiye, Lagos, said her dad usually touched her private part whenever her mother wasn't around or was busy with domestic work.

Adesina's appointment shows I had a good team - GEJ

Former President Jonathan says that the recent appointment of former Minister of Agriculture Akinwunmi Adesina as the 8th President of the African Development Bank, AfDB, is an attestation to the fact that he had a very good team during his administration. Jonathan said this in a congratulatory letter he sent to Adesina on his new appointment.

Pension arrears should attract interest, Imo pensioners tell Gov. Okorocha

The Association of Retired Permanent Secretaries in Imo, has told Gov. Rochas Okorocha that continued delay of pension payment by government amounts to forced loan and should attract interest.
The pensioners made their position known in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) on Friday in Owerri.

In a three-page statement signed by Chief Hyacinth Onyekwere and Chief Fabian Agba, chairman and secretary respectively, the group stated that pension is a first charge, recognised by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Akande pledges robust communication from President’s media team

The Senior Special Assistant, (SSA) Media and Puplicity, to the Vice President, Mr Laolu Akande, on Thursday pledged robust and transparent operations by the media team of the Presidency to project the activities of the Federal Government.

He said this to State House Press Corps while responding to his confirmation as the SSA.

NYSC deploys biometric technology for conduct of check on corps members

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has developed a biometric data capturing technology that will help in the nationwide conduct of weekly and monthly check on corps members.

The Director-General of the corps, Brig.-Gen. Johnson Olawumi, said this during the inauguration and practical demonstration of the programme at the Kuje Area Council, Abuja.

``It is going to make sure that corps members stay in their places of primary assignment. It will reduce the rate at which they travel.

``It will help the core employers to benefit from the services of these corps members maximally because they will now remain in their places of primary assignment.

Policemen bag suspension for allegedly causing a woman's death

Two out of ten Policemen tried over the death of a 50 year old female politician,Mrs Ronke Adelugba,in Akure the Ondo State capital have been suspended.

The 10 policemen, who reportedly invaded the residence of the deceased in two police patrol vehicles went through orderly room trial for two days.The suspended policemen are Inspector, Fabunmi Oladipupo and Inspector Haruna Idris.

The deceased, a single mother was said to have been hit with the butt of the gun by one of the  policemen who invaded her home  at Alarapon lane in Akure metropolis while pursuing a criminal.

According to reports, the policemen, during an heated argument over the whereabout of the criminal that reportedly ran into her house beat her up and  allegedly hit her with the butt of the gun.

She was said to have slumped and died before she could be rushed to the hospital.

Briefing newsmen on the development, the commissioner of police, Isaacs Eke, said the command took the disciplinary action in order to ensure that the case is not swept under the carpet.

Eke added that the command is waiting for the autopsy report to ascertain the cause of the death of the 50-year-old politician.

Vanguard

Sports:Enyeama may face sanction

SUPER Eagles captain, Vincent Enyeama may have played his last game for the team following his refusal to honor tomorrow’s AF- CON 2017 Nations Cup qualifier against Tanzania in Dar es Salaam. There are reports that officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are considering blacklisting him from the team. NFF President Amaju Pinnick and other top officials of the soccer federation met into the late hours of the night on arrival in Dar es Salaam, obviously to decide what to do about the France based keeper.

Heartbreaking Tribute For Drowned Syrian Boy Appears In Australian Newspaper

“Rest in peace Aylan Kurdi. May God forgive us for failing you.”

Those were the words that concluded a heartbreaking tribute published in an Australian newspaper on Friday, memorializing the 3-year-old Syrian child whose death sent ripples of shock and grief around the world this week.

Publish the state financial account, Archbishop Obinna tells Okorocha

Following the acknowledgment of the receipt of the Federal Government bailout fund by the Imo State Government,the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace, Most Rev. Anthony J. V. Obinna, has again challenged Governor Rochas Okorocha to publish the state’s financial statement.

Archbishop Obinna, who repeated the demand while fielding questions from journalists in Owerri, wondered why it was taking the governor such a long time to publish the state account for public consumption.

The fiery Catholic cleric challenged journalists to invoke the Freedom of Information Act, and force the governor to release the document.

2 killed, 7 injured in Onitsha auto crash

Not real picture of the crash

Two persons died,wednesday night,while seven sustained injuries as the driver of an articulatef vehicle lost control at Upper Iweka,Onitsha,Anambra State,and rammed into a car coming from Asaba,Delta State.

The accident, which occurred at a spot close to the scene of the tanker fire accident, which claimed over 70 lives on May 31, took place at exactly 8p.m.

ICPC must probe Fayemi –Ekiti PDP insists

We are in the era of probe,where the umpire has promised that there will be no sacred cows,whoever is found wanting by the law will go in for it.The corruption searchlight is now fixed on former Ekiti state Governor,Dr fayemi.

As the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) begins the probe  of former governors, Ekiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  has urged the Commission to  include former Governor of the state, Dr Kayode Fayemi, in the list.

Rivers Election: Dakuku, APC, open case at the tribunal

After 110 days of legal rigmarole, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate for the April 11, 2015 election, Dr. Dakuku Peterside finally opened their case before the Rivers State Governorship Election Tribunal amidst protest by Governor Nyesom Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the appointment of a new chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Adamu Guroma.