1ST WEEK NOVEMBER 09 (2ND - 7TH)

SQUIB DIARY

MONDAY 2ND NOVEMBER 2009
The Squib's out. Cover story? “BODE GEORGE GOES TO "SCHOOL” The jailing of a prominent politician by a High Court Judge, (Oyewole J.) last week.
It was a full house in the courts this morning as litigants, lawyers and other members of the public were around in large number. The situation could have been different. If the Lagos State branch of the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) had joined their other colleagues in some other states to embark on industrial action.

The JUSUN, Lagos branch is quite an important branch - it is not only the largest, but the most sophisticated and located in the very capital of journalism in Nigeria - Lagos. The failure of the JUSUN-Lagos to join the strike, took the shine off the action across the nation. Can tell that branch members are divided over the “non-joining” posture of Lagos JUSUN. While some said it was strategic, others accused the branch leaders of compromising their interests in the new alliance with the new chief judge of Lagos State.

TUESDAY 3RD NOVEMBER 2009
Was at the Ikeja High Court. Spent only about thirty minutes, there before “Vamoosing.” Can see great progress being made in the building of the new secretariat of the NBA Ikeja branch.

WEDNESDAY 4TH NOVEMBER 2009
Arrived the Lagos High Court, Igbosere for a case. Bemusedly watched as a counsel jumped up to tell the honourable presiding judge that he was representing the defendant (accused) who had just briefed him that morning. Yet half a minute before then another counsel had announced appearance, for the same defendant. When the judge asked the man in the dock to identify his counsel of the two, he disowned “Mr. just-newly briefed-counsel!” May be it was a case of the devil you know...

THURSDAY 5TH NOVEMBER 2009
Was at the Lagos Ikeja High Court. For a matter. Never went on. Moved on to the Magistrate Court Ebute-Metta, where I saw a “Charge and Bail” brethren on his customary perch on a table, placed in such a way that all ingress and egress into the court’s compound was open to the perching counsel. Well positioned, you’d say!

FRIDAY 6TH NOVEMBER 2009
Was at the Ikeja High Court. For a case. Did it and “zoomed” off to the Ebute-metta magistrate court. What a dirty court. Gaining access thereto was also a bother. The road was choked up with haphazardly packed vehicles. Even though there are ten courts at the EBT magistrate court, it has no registry. All filings take place in the magistrate court Sabo. Rushed down to Sabo and filed papers. The Sabo court is by far cleaner and 'saner' than Ebute-Metta’s.

SATURDAY 7TH NOVEMBER 2009
Was at the Police College Ikeja playing ground for the sport and fitness programme of the NBA Ikeja branch. Only one Tiger participated today. My humble self. Managed to have a good time though. After, moved to the bar centre to join some other 'Exco' members to supervise the offloading of several tonnes of cement bags there. Who says the Tigers are not going to have a bigger and more befitting secretariat soon?