The Nation Newspaper

Tag: can succeed

  • How young lawyers can succeed, by legal experts

    Former Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) President Mrs. Boma Ayomide Alabi has urged the Nigerian Law School to develop their skills and stay within the ethical compass of  the legal profession.

    She spoke while addressing students at the 10th mentoring programme for students of the Lagos Campus of the Law School.

    It is an initiative of Primera Africa Legal (PAL), in collaboration with General Electric International Operations Nigeria Limited.

    Alabi, who is PAL Managing Partner, urged the students to ensure that they look beyond their CVs while applying for jobs.

    She tutored the students on how to couch the covering mails to the CVs.

    On the essence of the programme, she said: “Former students of this institution and beneficiaries of this programme are still in touch with us.

    “They still appreciate the privilege of passing through this programme. After my call to the Nigerian Bar in 1988, I  was not sure of  what to do with my wig and gown, but I remained within the ethical compass of the  profession.

    “Today, the profession has given me a good living, has made me to travel and speak in almost every continent.

    “Develop your skills, stay within the ethical compass and everything good will come to you,” Alabi said.

    Speaking on the topic: A day in the Life of a trial Judge, Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of the Lagos State High Court discussed what career paths are open to the students on being called to the Bar.

    Justice Ipaye, who had a glowing career in active legal practice and the academia before her appointment to  the Bench, told the student that the legal horizon in Nigeria is quite broad as they could engage in litigation, Alternative Dispute Resolution, academics and as in-house counsel for corporate entities.

    On a typical day in the life of a judge, Justice Ipaye  said that  a judge’s life is reclusive and all about hard work.

    A judge, according to her, goes about his or her work with care and caution as they hardly appear on social media.

    She advised the students that if they desire a career on the Bench, they must ensure that they avoid impropriety at all times.

    She discussed the duties of a judge, the responsibilities, the skills and roadmap to being an impartial decision maker in pursuit of justice.

    Addressing the students on the Alternative Disputes Resolution (ADR) Mr. Sylva Ogwemoh (SAN) took the students through the rudiments of ADR.

    The learned silk said there was enough work for every lawyer to do, all that they would need is to remain focused.

    Ogwemoh said disputes were bound to arise daily in every field of life and transaction and lawyers are needed to resolve these disputes.

    He identified arbitration as an attractive choice of patties who desire a quicker resolution of their commercial disputes.

    Ogwemoh urged the students to ‘start now!’, explaining that there are platforms and opportunities for young lawyers to be involved in arbitration.

    He pointed out that under the Lagos New Rules, ADR is given priority as it is not compulsory to give seven days’ notice to the other party for ADR and a further seven days before litigation can commence.

    If this provision is not complied with the suit will be dismissed, he said.

    He admonished the students to ensure they prepare themselves for practice, deepen legal skills, dispute resolution skills and be innovative.

    To be a good litigation lawyer, Ogwemoh told the students that the five things they would need include facts of the case, knowledge of the law, knowing the judge and to be always prepared.

    The advocate sometimes forgets the everyday pleasures of life, Ogwemoh said.

    Speaking on A day in the life of an in-house counsel, Okezi Uwede-meshack of General Electric told the students the basics of what they would need to make a career as In-house counsel.

    Narrating his own personal career path, Okezi said a career as company secretary can be quite challenging and fulfilling.

    Senior Partner at Primera Africa Legal, Mr. Israel Aye gave an in-depth analysis on ‘Transitioning from In-house Counsel to General Law Firm Practice.’

    The occasion also witnessed the introduction of a law application MyLaw.ng.

  • How Buhari can succeed, by Yoruba socio-cultural group

    How Buhari can succeed, by Yoruba socio-cultural group

    A Yoruba socio-cultural group,the Majeobaje Movement, has expressed optimism that  succour is on the  way for Nigeria as the affairs of the country are about to be taken over by a worthy and competent Nigerian in General Muhammadu Buhari.

    But the  group said  the in-coming administration must draw from all sectors of the country.

    The group, through its convener, Chief   Akintayo Akin-Deko, released  a 14-point charter in Ibadan  to help the incoming administration streamline its efforts at revamping the core socio-economic sectors in the country.

    The charter covers  eradication of corruption, restoration of security, practice of true federalism, rule of law, reforming the constitution and revamping infrastructural facilities. Others are poverty alleviation, reinvigorating industries, universal health care, functional education, sustainable agriculture, electricity supply, affordable housing and youth empowerment.

    Akin-Deko  said: “For us at the Majeobaje Movement, good governance at the federal level remains a precondition for achieving better life in the South West. It is for this reason that we forwarded this open-ended Good Governance Charter to the President-Elect and his vice. It is our hope that they will adopt it as a cornerstone for a social pact through which positive change can be systematically ushered into, and thereafter sustained in Nigeria.

    “There has never been a contractual agreement between voters and political office holders. We are concerned. We believe Nigerians, especially  Yoruba, deserve more than we are getting as a people. We need to set an agenda for any government in South West.”

  • How my successor can succeed, by Tukur

    How my successor can succeed, by Tukur

    Erstwhile Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Bamanga Tukur has advised whoever succeeds him to be fearless, consistent and focused.

    Reflecting on his 21-month tenure as chairman, Tukur admitted he went through hell in office, saying that but for the wisdom and doggedness of President Goodluck Jonathan, the party would have collapsed long before now.

    In a statement he issued yesterday, Tukur warned the incoming chair to be wary of “evil plots” by certain members whose mission is to completely destroy the party.

    Tukur, who resigned his position on Wednesday, said he made a huge sacrifice by resigning from office.

    He regretted that certain members would prefer the party being run in the “business as usual” mentality. Such members, he said, were utterly opposed to any form of change.

    Restating his loyalty to President Jonathan, Tukur said he would continue to support the President and the PDP to the best of his ability.

    He insisted that he stood by every decision he took while in office, saying such decisions were meant to reform the party and to deepen internal democracy.

    He called on Nigerians to continue to pray for Jonathan and the PDP to overcome its trying moments.

    According to him, some key stakeholders in the PDP never had its interest at heart.

    Tukur said: “Personal ambitions, crave for sudden wealth and unimaginable level of treachery usually got the full attention of such stakeholders than anything else.

    “I did my best to bring PDP to good standard and international best practices in politics. I came in with the mind-set to reform the party by promoting the principle of election instead of selection and the idea of consensus instead of imposition.

    “Alas, I was proved wrong by those who believed that the old order in PDP must be retained, not for any good thing, but for their selfish interests.

    “Some members got so desperate that they turned to the media and funded all negative reports against me. If you are familiar with all the negative media reports, none attributed any wrongdoing to me. The reports only echoed the views of the sponsors that I was unbending in my desire to change the bad situation in PDP.

    “They even attempted to use the media to get me in confrontation with Mr President. I never spoke to anyone about issues, yet the media would attribute some reports to me. But we knew those who were behind it all. They had forgotten that whatever goes round surely must come round.

    “To put me on the spot, they sponsored another report that governorship aspirants were buying me bulletproof jeeps so that I can give them governorship slot in their states.

    “I understood that the authors of such reports had denied what they wrote. It is wickedness when the media distort facts against you, just to please their pay masters.

    “How could I do such a thing when, indeed, I was the one advocating change in PDP. I waged war against the idea of imposition or selection of candidates for elections in our party.

    “We did that successfully in Adamawa and it is working. We conducted transparent elections in Anambra and the best candidate won. We never favoured any candidate during the process.

    “All the same, those who benefited from the rot within the party in the past stood on our way. My conviction is that very soon, Nigerians will know the truth. It then matters what the country does with such truth.”

  • How Oshiomhole can succeed, by Edo SSG

    How Oshiomhole can succeed, by Edo SSG

    Secretary to Edo State Government Professor Julius Ihonvbere has urged the people to support Governor Adams Oshiomhole in his bid to tramsform the stste.

    He described him as a man of courage, integrity, and credibility, adding that the governor will do more for Edo State next year, if they cooperate with him.

    The former university don spoke in Benin-City, the capital. He said: “Let us continue to pray for him to move higher after his stewardship here but I think what should concern us is who comes after Oshiomhole. If the person has just 50 percent of Oshiomhole’s quality, we can have parties and dance.

    Ihonvhere urged the indigenes to be weary of fake leaders with myopic conceptualisation and pedestal understanding of the values of democracy.

    He said: “The amount of money this government has invested in reconstruction of roads is huge. It is easy for Oshiomhole to construct cheap roads without street lights and drainages such that what we see is on the surface ,but the governor did not do that.

    Anybody who has been to New York will know that New York does not have any road that is as good like the one Oshiomhole is constructing here and he is doing all these for all of u, our children and generations yet unborn, to show people that government and development is possible”.

    The Secretary to Government called for the evalustion of politics and assessment of the elected representatives.

    He said Edo State must always have in the National Assembly competent people who can articulate its interest in a country whose federalism has been eroded.

    He stressed: “There is also the erosion of our federalism; we need people in Abuja as members of the National Assembly who can speak out because it is not enough to go around as Senator or House of Representatives member and wear suit or agbada, no. That is a place where you educate, where you use your brain, do pure research, articulate ideas, present facts and figures to convince your colleagues to say yes, you know what you are talking about.

    “But they behave as if they are headmasters, who can summon classrooms teachers to the headmaster’s office whenever they like; this is not possible. I hope in the new year, we can take the lead on this.