4TH WEEK SEPT/1ST WEEK OCT(28TH SEPT-3RD OCT) 09

SQUIB DIARY

MONDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER 2009
Hurray! The Squib is out. After so many weeks of vacation. The cover story? THE TRUE AND FULL CAUSE OF GANI FAWEHINMI’S DEATH.
The Lagos Judiciary celebrated the New Legal Year (2009-2010) today. Was at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, for the Christian service. The judges were there, looking noble and pious in their red ceremonial out-fits. Why do judges ceremonials come in red? Well, well. Saw lawyers too, plenty sef in the holy building, but not looking quite as pious as the judges. Well may be because the learned friends were wearing their eternal, if not fraternal-black gowns. Even the gold overlays on the silk-lawyers’ gown could not help cast any holy halo on them. They only looked like fat cats.
After the service (sermon delivered by Bishop Ademowo) there were photograph sessions in front of the church House. Hearty greetings, here and there. Amongst judges, magistrates and counsel alike.
Saw Geckos mingle with men and women. And, horror, saw some magistrates even judges deigning it fit to take photographs with the first Gecko, Yours truly!
Later the party moved to the High Court, Igbosere. For the march past and light entertainment. Only that the entertainment was not all that light. The food spread was impressive, adequate for the rather large crowd of ‘celebrants’ that turned up.
There were three ‘tents’. The best decorated and comfiest with our conditioners pressed to work was right in the middle. It was for the first class and Senior Advocates. Ahem.
At a point a gecko saw in there, a turbaned figure and was told that that was Serikim Musulumi Ikorodu Chief Imam Fatai Adeyinka of the Ikorodu Central Mosque and formerly Chief Judge of Lagos State. Where upon the gecko exclaimed “Ah, Alahu Akbar! So Fatai too is now one of the prophets?"
Earlier on in the day the scene gecko saw another retired judge of Lagos state High Court - James Oduneye J. After the Church Service. The attempt to dye the shaven head of the judge, turned the head into a welter of blue-black lines and shapes.
The second tent was for the second class citizen magistrates, while the third tent was for the ordinary un-silky lawyers 3rd class citizens. As for the judiciary workers, there was no tent for them. They just queued up along a window, from where “manna” dropped down.
Must not forget to mention that the entertainment included light music from a Robot. Musician: the turntable of a Disco-Jockery. Oh, my! Forgot to mention about the march past.
Was told it was a very brief affair may be less than fifteen minutes.

TUESDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER 2009
Went to the Events Centre CBD Ikeja to attend a training workshop on “Crime Scene Management”. Just for forty minutes - poor acoustics drove restless me away.

WEDNESDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER 2009
Came to the Lagos High Court Tafawa Balewa Square. My matter could not go on. Spent time there geckoing about the court.

THURSDAY 1ST OCTOBER 2009
Public Holiday. Nigerians love few other things than a public holiday. Every-time holiday! Please don’t mind me jare - just the rantings of an over-worked, over-heated-gecko, who was still in his den up to 11.00pm. On Independence Day!

FRIDAY 2ND OCTOBER 2009
Came down to Lagos high Court. For a case. Judge absent. On the way for I.B.A conference. Reportedly. Later left for the Maximum Security Prison to see some of those who put bread on my table.
On the way back, at the Airport fell into the hands of Towing Vehicle Family of Vultures, about seven in number. The Squib-mobile had minor hiccups, rectifiable within minutes, by simply opening the bonnet and allowing greater sweep of wind to the engine. The vehicle was safety parked on a shoulder, causing no obstruction. But the vultures would not listen to any ‘sense’ outside ‘settlement’.
"Your offence is #25,000.00! We have to tow away this vehicle. Speak our language or the vehicle will be towed away! “We are the task force!" All this, despite the fact the SM had come out of her coma. At the end of the day #2,000.00 was extorted from me - and that for not acting the uppity “alakowe”. The vultures (young male adults 21-36 years of age thereabouts) came in their raiding van, a post world-war contraption with a FAAN sticker, with plate number CA 578 FST. Time 3.20p.m.

SATURDAY 3RD OCTOBER 2009
Was at the Police College, Ikeja. For Tigers’ Sportif. But was even too unwell to come down from the car to exercise the ailing body. Learnt later that one other Tiger had arrived and left before I came. Tiger Farounbi Olayinka.