LAST WEEK IN SEPTEMBER 2007

SQUIB DIARY By Adesina Ogunlana www.squibanticorruption.com

Monday 24th September 2007
The Squib’s out. The first in the year. CoverStory: Tiger’s New Legal Year 2007 statement.
Was at the Ikeja High Court and saw many lawyers moving about like sheep without a shepherd.
Not only were many courts undergoing belated renovation, virtually all the judges have been reposted from their divisions. The effect? Confusion. Not a few wondered at the timing of the renovation and transfers.
To worsen things, all non-part heard matters in their scores – if not hundreds, were sent back to the Records Section for re-assignment by the Chief Judge. Of course no reassignment has been done and the earliest assurance of that being done according to Records Section is 2-4 weeks. Wonderful! What a mess, what a disaster really in terms of delaying and clogging the wheels of justice administration.

In line with the tradition here of scorning the Bar, the authorities never deemed it fit to contact, communicate with, not to talk of consulting the bar on these developments. First class geckos informed the Squib that one of the apparatchiks of the present regime, Ayo Odugbesan, a Deputy Chief Registrar pointedly told some bar leaders who came for a meeting with the Chief Judge a few weeks ago, that the Alabi administration had no need to inform the bar about any changes or developments in the Lagos Judiciary.
Wow! Bravo!
Now we know why we are where we are today.

Tuesday 25th September 2007
Rainy Day. Was Briefly at the Ikeja High Court. Left for the Ministry of Justice, specifically to the Directorate of Public Prosecution. To see the D.P.P you go there 2.00 – 4.00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Got there well within the hours stipulated this day but couldn’t get to see the official after about a fifty minute wait. By the way, there is a new D.P.P now, no longer Efunbowale Gbadebo. It’s now Adebola Okikiolu-Ighile. The same one. The former D.P.P. Bless you.

Wednesday 26th September 2007
Was at Ikeja High Court. Had the misfortune of visiting the holding cell in the court’s premises. Oh what strong, foul odour fills the whole place. Overpowering stench, yet detainees and warders stay in there. Unbelievable. Serious health crisis imminent if that place is not cleaned up and fumigated immediately. Have been seeing some brand new Kia vehicles, about twenty in the court’s compound. Who could they be for? Magistrates?

In the afternoon, got to the lair of the Ikeja Tigers, the Bar Centre. Couldn’t use the convenience there. No water! Seems this “No water” situation is now a recurring decimal. Can’t the problem be permanently solved?

Thursday 27th September 2007
Was at the Court of Appeal Lagos. Usual lawyer’s work. What was unusual was that after the appeal was dismissed as prayed for – both appellant and respondents were happy and embraced one another and thanked the counsel too!
One day you may hear the full gist of the rather curious case involving a champertous old lawyer.

Friday 28th September 2007
Was at the Ikeja High Court. Briefly. So quiet.