A Life Bencher and Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) former General Secretary Dele Adesina (SAN) pays tribute to former NBA Kaduna Branch Chairman the late Olumuyiwa Olowokure.
I received the news of the death of O.O. as we fondly called him in NBA circle with a rude shock. My immediate reaction was to say “this cannot be true”. So, I made a couple of phone calls. Alas! It turned out to be true. I began to ask questions from nobody in particular. Why? How? Was he sick? For how long? How come I didn’t know? What is really going on?
Not long ago, I heard about the death of Reuben James and Femi Moroundiya, two other great friends both of whom demonstrably like O.O believed in me and in my quest for the President of Nigerian Bar Association, 2014. I quickly stopped the questions. First, because I couldn’t find answers to them and secondly, I remembered the truism that nobody no matter how powerful can add one second to his lifetime.
I also recognise that there is no accident in predestination. That is why the scripture says that there is a time to be born and a time to die. The timing of these two great events of life is beyond the knowledge and comprehension of any man.
Muyiwa Olowokure was a great Bar leader, a very honest, sincere and committed friend. A very reliable, straightforward and trusted Bar man. Because Muyiwa was straightforward, he will make his position known on any issue with absolute clarity.
Because he was straightforward, he never sat on the fence on any issue. Like me, he believed that a man that sits on the fence is either a coward or a traitor. He was a reliable collaborator in the politics of the Bar.
Because he was demonstrably reliable, you can take every single word that proceeded out of his mouth as valuable as gold. He was a forthright person, a practical believer of a dynamic and progressive Bar.
Muyiwa believed in leadership who will not be consumed by the allure of power but be driven by the passion to serve the Bar and better the standard of living of the Nigerian lawyer.
He excelled as a Bar leader. Perhaps I should add that Olumuyiwa Olowokure Esq. would have been one of the best General Secretaries of the NBA if he had won his election into the office in 2012.
Muyiwa lived a very resourceful life. He was well known and acknowledged in his chosen profession. It is not how long but how well. Muyiwa chose the platform of NBA to serve humanity. I believe Muyiwa lives in the hearts of our great Bar men and women throughout Nigeria. Remember, to live in the hearts of men is not to die.
As we remember Muyiwa, let us reflect on the state of the legal profession in Nigeria and our association. In particular, let us take the responsibility to look directly into history and ask ourselves: What must we do differently to achieve a better result in the burning areas of defence of rule of law, sustenance of democracy and the supremacy of our Constitution?
Indeed, the role of the NBA includes bringing about a much desired functional federal constitution, the protection of fundamental human rights of the citizens, the unqualified and unconditional obedience of court orders and judgments, the protection of independence of lawyers and judges in Nigeria as well as speedy and enhanced administration of justice.
Let me bring this tribute to a worthy friend, a consummate Bar man and a straightforward and principled personality to a close by saying that the time has come when we must resolve as a people to unleash the productive capacity of the NBA to reverse the misfortune of the legal profession and demonstrably contribute to the task of nation-building through the enthronement of the rule of law and due process.
As for death, you have done your worst by taking this gentleman at a young and vibrant age of only 56 years but let me assure you dear colleagues that when Satan the author of death is at its worst as in this instance, God is at His best and this same God, I am fully persuaded will be the father of the children and the husband of the widow Muyiwa left behind.
My great condolences to his beloved wife, his amiable children, members of his family and members of the Bar in Kaduna State.
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