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What teachers should teach students about their names

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What teachers should teach students about their names

There is something strange about the way many people who are below 30 years introduce themselves in speech and in writing these days. During an interview for a job or other issues, if you ask the interviewees to introduce themselves, you would most likely hear something like: “My names are Balogun John.”

 The first strange issue is that of one person saying “my names are”, implying that the person has many personalities or identities. Only people with a shady character have many identities. The second issue is that of saying the surname first and saying the first name last, thereby confusing the listener.

 The challenge these days is that when one hears or sees a name, one cannot easily know which is the first name or surname. For those whose names contain names that are regarded as traditional surnames, it may be easier to decipher which is the surname, but for some other people, it may not be easy. Imagine a young man whose name is Ikenna Chukwuemeka or Ayodele Olayinka or Hassan Musa or John Emmanuel introducing himself this way. For you to ascertain which is his first name or surname, you have to ask him to clarify that. But it is not all the time that someone has the opportunity to ask the owner of a name to make this type of distinction. That is why a standard way of writing one’s name was developed a long time.

 When you write your name, which should come first: Surname or first name? The answer is evident. Your given name is called your first name. It should always come first.

 Question: “What is your name?”

Answer: “My name is Azuka Onwuka,” not “My name is Onwuka Azuka.”

 Your surname or family name is also called “last name,” because it is meant to come last. If you write a book or publish an article in a newspaper, your first name or initials come first while your surname or last name comes last.

 Remember that you grew up hearing of William Shakespeare (not Shakespeare William), Chinua Achebe (not Achebe Chinua), Wole Soyinka (not Soyinka Wole), Nnamdi Azikiwe (not Azikiwe Nnamdi), Florence Nightingale (not Nightingale Florence) Abraham Lincoln (not Lincoln Abraham), Dele Giwa (not Giwa Dele), Diego Maradona (not Maradona Diego), Michael Jackson (not Jackson Michael), James Bond (not Bond James), etc.

 However, when names are written alphabetically on a school list, bibliography, voter register, recruitment list, etc, the surname may be written first by those compiling the list, to make it easy to locate people’s names. But note that whenever the surname comes first, something MUST happen: a comma must come after the surname, or the surname must be in uppercase.

Example:

Abdulsalam, Ahmed Sanni

Balogun, Temitope Yinka

Onwuka, Azuka P. I.

Osagie, Aifuwa Omoh

Yala, Pam Dalong

 Or

 ADAM John Thomas

BENSON Jane Mary

CLINTON Robert Peter

 The trend among those who are under 30 to always introduce themselves or write their names with the surname first is queer. First name is called first name because it is meant to come first.

 Based on which is your surname, someone will know how to address you officially. If you introduce yourself as Rashidi Yekini, the person can then address you as Mr Yekini, not Mr Rashidi. When only one name is used with your title, it has to be with your surname, not your first name: Mr Onwuka, Miss Akpabio, Mrs Jonathan, Alhaji Jakande, Professor Usman, Chief Lar, etc.

 Furthermore, on the issue of whether to say: “My name is Azuka Onwuka” or “My names are Azuka Onwuka”, let it be reiterated that each human being has only ONE name.

 Please take a look at these two expressions:

  1. Edson Arantes do Nascimento
  2. Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu Wa Za Banga

 The first is the real name of the great footballer Pele of Brazil. The second is the full name of the former president of Congo when it was known as Zaire. However, in spite of the length of the names, each of them is ONE name. Pele has ONE name and Mobutu has ONE name.

 You should never ask someone: “What are your names?” And you should never tell someone: “My names are….” You are one person, not two or more people.

 Yes, like most people, you may have a number of identifiers under your name, but they all form a unit known as your name. You can break them down into first name (or given name), middle name (second name), third name, fourth name, and surname (or family name or last name). But you only have ONE name and nothing more.

 Some factors have made this issue of writing the surname first prevalent now. The first reason is the practice of emphasising the surname in schools. It has always been the practice that teachers address their students by their surname: “Onwuka, come here. Where is Akpabio?” But based on the feedback I have received from my probe into the matter, many teachers these names specifically teach their students to introduce themselves with their surname first.

 The second reason is that even when teachers have not expressly told their students to always write their surname first, they have not clearly made the students to understand that outside the school environment, they should introduce themselves first with their first name. There is no distinction made about how one should write one’s name when filling a form and when introducing oneself.

 There is also the factor of the rise of the Internet. There is a rise in the number of places where one can fill one’s details online. There are email accounts to create, social media accounts to create, and different websites to register with for one thing or the other. In addition, the banks also lay emphasis on surnames in the opening of accounts and issuing of the ATM cards. Agencies that provide identification documents like the passport, driving licence, voter card, national identity card and company’s identification cards lay emphasis on the surname too.

 However, in spite of all the challenges in the environment on the issue of the order of names, the first name still remains the first name, while the surname still remains the surname. If any institution requires the surname to be written first while filling a form, give it to them in that format. But do not let that confuse you to introduce yourself or have your name displayed on your social media platforms with your surname before your first name, unless you clearly mark the surname off with a comma. That is the standard way. In addition, even though you may have a first name, a middle name and surname, you have only one name. Therefore, you should not ask someone: “What are your names?” or introduce yourself with: “My names are ….”

 These issues should be taken seriously by teachers from the primary school to the university, because when it comes to learning, teachers wield the biggest influence on children. To most children, whatever their teachers say is right is what is right.

Excerpt from English Incorporated by Azuka Onwuka

 *** Twitter @BrandAzuka

#EndSARS: House Of Reps To Partner With NBA, CSOs On New Police Act

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#EndSARS: House Of Reps To Partner With NBA, CSOs On New Police Act

The Speaker House of Representatives, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, has unveiled some of the plans by the House, aimed at tackling police brutality in the country.

In a statement signed personally on Wednesday, Gbajabiamila said over the next 30 days, the House will work with the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), civil society and with Nigerians of good conscience to draft new legislation that establishes a system of independent accountability from the Force.

According to him, the new legislation will hold erring members of the Police Force to account for their conduct in the performance of their duties and impose civil and criminal liability for violations of the Police Code.

It will also compel the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to take responsibility for the failures of training and discipline that leads to such violations.

In the past couple of days, there have been uproars and protests, calling for a scrapping of a subunit of the police force, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), following series of allegations of harassment by officers.

Initially, the cry was for the unit to be reformed but a fresh incident on Saturday, brought to the fore, calls for proper handling and even scrapping of the rogue, high-handed police officials.

According to Gbajabiamila, in his statement on Wednesday, “their actions betray our trust and wreak unquantifiable damage on the already frayed fabric of our society”.

The Speaker, however, admitted that “at the heart of this fundamental failure lies the unavoidable truth that we do not have an independent framework for ensuring that members of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) are appropriately held to account when they fail to adhere to the policies and laws that govern their operations”.

“We have long expected the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to police itself,” he added, noting that it is now abundantly clear that for the benefit of a functioning system of policing in Nigeria, parliament has to step in to introduce an independent, fair and practical approach to ensure that those to whom we grant the authority to act in the name of the state, are held to the highest standards of professional conduct.

Amnesty International blames Nigerian government for impunity by SARS

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By Augustine Osayande

Amnesty International on Tuesday said the Nigerian authorities have failed to tackle the impunity enjoyed by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), whose brutality and corruption was becoming increasingly brazen, despite repeated pledges to reform the police squad and investigate violations committed by its officers.The International Human Rights Watch said last weekend that the Nigeria Police announced yet another ban on routine patrols by SARS and other tactical squads of the Nigerian police, the fourth such ban in four years, amid growing anger over harassment and abuse by officers.The group further stated that the Minister of Police Affairs had also announced an investigation into infractions by the police unit.“This is yet another lame attempt to rein in this unit of the Nigerian police which is notorious for the widespread torture and other ill-treatment of Nigerians.“We have seen from bitter experience that past investigations into violations were either never carried out or marred by irregularities.“To date, the Nigerian authorities have yet to show a genuine commitment to ending the lawless activities of SARS,” said Osai Ojigho, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria.“Such abuses will only be prevented when SARS officers are held to account for their actions and face disciplinary or criminal punishment if they are found to be responsible for human rights violations,” said Osai Ojigho.

The International organization further stated in August 2018 that the government set up a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the activities of SARS and make recommendations for reform.He said, “However, the commission’s report has yet to be made public almost two years after the panel submitted its findings to the government.”It added that the current collective outrage of Nigerians over atrocities by SARS provides another opportunity for the Nigerian authorities to end police brutality and all form of human rights violations by the police.The International organization again calling on the Nigerian government to seize this moment to demonstrate the country’s commitment to human rights and fulfil its obligation of holding the police to account.The group said the government must empower oversight bodies, including the Police Service Commission, Committee Against Torture and the National Human Rights Commission to investigate and initiate prosecution of police officers, who are involved in the violation of human rights.“The authorities have an obligation to protect Nigerians and bring to justice those who violate their human rights. Unless the authorities follow through with their promises to reform SARS and end the frequent extortion and ill-treatment of Nigerians, their empty words will be just that,” said Osai Ojigho.

Kaduna Gov. appoints Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli as Emir of Zazzau

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Kaduna Gov. appoints Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli as Emir of Zazzau

The Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, has approved the appointment of Alhaji Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli as the 19th Emir of Zazzau.

He succeeds HRH Alh. (Dr) Shehu Idris who died on Sunday, 20th September 2020 after reigning for 45 years.

Alh. Bamalli is the first emir from the Mallawa ruling house in 100 years, following the demise in 1920 of his grandfather, Emir Dan Sidi.

Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli as Emir of Zazzau

According to a statement by the State Commissioner, Ministry of Local Government Affairs Ja’afaru Ibrahim Sani, until his appointment as Emir of Zazzau, Alh. Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli held the title of Magajin Garin Zazzau and served as Nigeria’s ambassador to Thailand, with concurrent accreditation to Myanmar.

He had been a commissioner in the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission in 2015.

He had worked in the banking sector and as Executive Director and later acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Corporation.

He was a staff member of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Agency before his stint as head of Human Resources at Mtel; the mobile communications arm of the old Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL).

Born in 1966, Alhaji Bamalli studied Law at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

He holds a master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy and a diploma in Organisational Leadership from Oxford University.

He is also a fellow on Conflict Resolution of the University of York, United Kingdom (UK).

Ibrahim Sani said on behalf of the Kaduna State Government, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has congratulated HRH Alhaji Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli on his appointment and wished him a successful and peaceful reign as Emir of Zazzau.

Education Ministry, ICPC Launch Full Probe Of N2.67bn Spent On School Feeding

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Education Ministry, ICPC Launch Full Probe Of N2.67bn Spent On School Feeding

The Federal Government has ordered an investigation into the alleged missing N2.67bn meant for feeding school pupils during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, announced this in a statement on Tuesday.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC) had raised the alarm N2.67 billion released to 104 Unity Colleges during the lockdown for meal subsidies were in the accounts of private individuals.

But in a statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, Ben Goong, principals of the 104 colleges claimed payments on meal subsidies to Unity Colleges on the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System, (GIFMIS) platform was designed to accommodate individual officers of those colleges officially recognised to receive such payments and disburse same to food vendors.

According to the principals, this followed difficulties encountered by farmers, local food vendors and market women who do not have Tax Identification Numbers (TIN), PENCOM and other requirements to access the payment platform.

In the statement, the principals also claimed payments made during the lockdown period had to do with debts owed food vendors even before COVID 19, some of which are still pending, adding that these debts arose from irregular and inadequate budgetary allocations and releases over the years.

“The investigation is to establish the veracity of the claims to ensure that there is no diversion of public funds or misappropriation of same.

“To this end, the ministry in line with the Minister’s directive is to collaborate effectively with officials of the ICPC to unearth the facts as well as find a lasting solution to the payment system for meal subsidies that will ensure accountability and transparency,” the statement added.

Onslaught on Trump as supporters hail him; families of COVID-19 victims slam him for downplaying his diagnosis

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The mainstream media in the United States of America is unreletting in its bid to tarnish President Donald Trump, even in the face of growing support from his supporters, as the presidential election draws near. Many suggest his support base is expanding.

The dislike for Trump even extends to Nigeria, where support for him is as divided as it is divisive. At times, it is based on ethnicity and religion.

An ABC report reproduced by Yahoo was a typical example. Written by Ivan Pereira, it reads:

Hours before he was released from a hospital stay for his coronavirus diagnosis Monday, President Trump tweeted his thoughts on the pandemic that’s killed over 210,000 Americans, saying, “Don’t be afraid.”

On Twitter, supporters of the president praised his strength and hailed his message, calling him “Our beloved President” and “BEST PRESIDENT EVER!”

But for scores of families who’ve lost loved ones to the disease, as well as first responders and other advocates, the response was far different. Many of them slammed the president’s cavalier sentiment and warned that it could make the situation worse.

Brian Walter, a New York City transit worker who lost his father to the virus, told ABC News in a statement that Trump’s advice to people not to fear the coronavirus “hurts.”

MORE: Trump returning to White House after saying he ‘learned’ about COVID-19 by having it

“It makes me worry for all the families who will still experience the loss of a loved one because our president refuses to take this pandemic seriously,” he said.

Walter is a member of the survivor network and advocacy group COVID Survivors for Change, which has been documenting the toll the pandemic has left on millions of Americans. On Sunday, the group installed 20,000 empty chairs on the lawn across from the White House to symbolize the nation’s COVID-19 deaths.

Chris Kocher, executive director of COVID Survivors for Change, said in a statement that he was taken aback by Trump’s tweet, given that he had the best health care and treatment in the world — a luxury that most coronavirus patients don’t have.

Trump’s doctors told the press that he was given several medications including an antibody cocktail, remdesivir and steroids.

“For the long haulers living with symptoms of COVID-19 for months on end, this virus is terrifying. Trump doesn’t care, and he still doesn’t get what families are going through,” Kocher said in a statement.

Susan R. Bailey, the president of the American Medical Association, urged Americans to keep heeding warnings from doctors and health experts.

“We know vigilance is the best response to the COVID-19 pandemic because this virus doesn’t feed on fear; it feeds on complacency,” she said in a statement.

Liza Billings, a New York City nurse who lost her brother to the pandemic and is also member of COVID Survivors for Change, criticized Trump’s take on the virus.

“I watched as medical teams fought like hell to save patients from COVID-19. All too often, this deadly and ferocious virus won,” she said in a statement to ABC News.

Billings called Trump’s message not to fear the virus a “slap in the face to all of those who lost a loved one to COVID-19, as well as all of us who put our lives on the line to save others.”

“It’s a callous and dangerous remark that will do nothing to stop this horrifying pandemic, and may even make it worse,” she said.

Among the more prominent voices speaking out was Kristin Urquiza, the Arizona woman who appeared at the Democratic National Convention and blamed Trump’s rhetoric for her father’s coronavirus-related death. Urquiza quote-tweeted the president’s message saying, “At this point, the only thing we should be afraid of is you.”

In a statement to ABC News sent later Monday evening, Urquiza said Trump is preoccupied with looking strong instead of focusing on helping the nation through the crisis.

“It’s more clear than ever before that Trump cares about no one but himself,” she said.

While not referring to the president’s tweet directly, former Vice President Joe Biden told a crowd in Miami that the president should listen to the scientists and medical experts about the dangers of the pandemic.

He noted that since the president was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Friday, more than 100,000 more Americans have contracted the virus.

“I hope the president’s recovery is swift and successful,” Biden said, “but our nation’s COVID crisis is far, far from over.”

ABC News’ Victoria Moll-Ramirez and Molly Nagle contributed to this report.

Domestic Abuse Allegation: Davido Terminates Lil Frosh Contract With DMW

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Domestic Abuse Allegation: Davido Terminates Lil Frosh Contract With DMW

Following an alleged domestic abuse involving rapper Sanmi Goriola Wasiu, popularly known as Lil Frosh against his estranged girlfriend and model, Gift, the singer’s contract with Davido Music Worldwide (DMW) has been terminated.

Lil Frosh had been alleged to have beaten Gift to stupor on Monday after Gift’s manager and brother, Michael took to Twitter to release pictures of Gift’s swollen face and called out the singer, accusing him of abusing his sister several times.

Davido in a statement released on his Twitter account on Tuesday said his record label does not condone violence against women in any form and would not support such behaviour from the singer signed to his label.

The statement read in parts: “In light of recent allegations made against Mr Sanni Goriola Wasiu, also known as Lil Frosh, we would like to state that as a record label, domestic violence is not a trivial matter and we will never support or condone such behaviour.

“Upon internal investigation carried out by the label, we are left with no option than to terminate the recording contract that exists between the label and Lil Frosh immediately. We hereby severe all affiliations with Mr Sanmi Goriola Wasiu, popularly known as Lil Frosh”, the statement read.

Lawyer submits damning Petition to CJN, wants Malami’s SAN rank withdrawn

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Lawyer submits damning Petition to CJN, wants Malami’s SAN rank withdrawn

Enugu based Legal Practitioner and the originator of the Online Petition calling for the suspension of the AGF’s SAN rank, Mr. Izu Aniagu has petitioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria over the numerous sins of the Attorney General of the Federation.

In  the detailed petition sent to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mohammed Tanko, Mr. Aniagu narrated the gravity of the various acts allegedly committed by the AGF against the legal Profession.

Aniagu urged the CJN to take appropriate steps to address the act of unpardonable impunities emanating from the office of the Attorney General of the federation and Minister of justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.

BarristerNG recalls that about 10,000 lawyers signed the Online Petition by Mr. Aniagu when it was published online.

Mr. Izu Aniagu Esq

Read the full petition Below

1st October, 2020

The Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman,
Legal Practioners’ Privileges Committee,
Supreme Court of Nigeria Complex,
Three Arms Zone,
Abuja.

Through:

The Chief Registrar of Supreme Court and Secretary of the
Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee,
Secretariat of the Legal Practioners’ Privileges Committee,
Supreme Court of Nigeria Complex
Ground Floor, Abuja.

Your Lordship,

SUSPENSION OF THE RANK OF SENIOR ADVOCATE OF NIGERIA AND ALL RELATED RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES ON MR. ABUBAKAR MALAMI, SAN, ON THE GROUNDS OF CORRUPTION, ABUSE OF OFFICE, BALKANIZATION AND INTIMIDATION OF THE NIGERIAN BAR AND THE JUDICIARY.
Please, accept and record this letter as my petition against the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, with reference to the subject matter also captured therein.

This petition, first and foremost, arose in view of the recent Statutory Instrument No. 15 of 2020 (the “Instrument”) issued by Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, which purportedly amended the 2007 Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners (RPC). The said amendment effectively removed certain provisions, including the provisions on stamp and seal for legal practitioners and payment of practicing fee.

It would be recalled, my Lord, that the above amendment of the RPC evoked agitated reactions from Nigerian lawyers and was also greeted with so much anger even from among ordinary people for not following procedure as prescribed by the enabling law.

Section 12 (4) of the Legal Practitioners Act (as amended) confers the power to issue rules of professional conduct for legal practitioners, and any amendments thereto, on the General Council of the Bar (the “Bar Council”). The Bar Council comprises the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation, the Honourable Attorneys-General of the thirty-six states of Nigeria, and twenty members of the NBA. Consequently, the RPC and any amendments thereto may only be validly issued after it has been deliberated upon and approved at a properly convened meeting of the Bar Council.

My Lord, there is, unfortunately, no evidence of a meeting convened by members of the Bar Council with respect to the said instrument. As a matter of fact, no member admitted to have been issued with notice of any meeting leading to some of them vowing to challenge the action of the Attorney General in the law court. Therefore, to that extent, it is only safe to conclude that the Attorney General of the Federation acted unilaterally and illegally in his decision to amend the RPC.

My Lord, the action of Mr. Abubakar Malami should have been ordinarily glossed over as a mere “passion of the moment”. However, doing so at this point will be dangerous, especially in view of his habitual desecration of the legal profession since his assumption of office. Mr. Abubakar Malami, from inception has abused his position to the extent that further indifference to his impunity, which of course has already pervaded the entire judicial process, will inevitably lead to the implosion of the legal profession in Nigeria.

Aside his other malfeasance, by circumventing the Bar Council to arrogate to himself the unilateral power to make laws for the body of the legal profession, Mr. Malami has shown his unpretentious loathing for the rule of law and as such must be punished in accordance with the laid down procedures.

The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) by virtue of section 5 (7) of the LPA CAP L11 LFN, 2004 is saddled with the responsibility to make the guidelines and confer the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria to qualified legal practitioners in Nigeria. The guidelines contain certain criteria that must be considered for the conferment/withdrawal of the rank, which must not only pre-exist in a candidate but must inure in him even after the conferment of the rank. Some of these criteria as provided in Paragraph 19 (1) of the Guidelines are as follows:
“a candidate must demonstrate high professional and personal integrity; be honest and straightforward in all his professional/personal dealings; be of good character and reputation; show observance of the Code of Conduct and etiquette at the Bar; and demonstrate high level of understanding of cultural and social diversity characteristic of the Nigerian Society”. See also Sub-paragraph (17) (a) which provides “that a candidate should demonstrate clear qualities of leadership and loyalty to the legal profession.”

My Lord, Mr. Malami has overtime demonstrated uncommon disregard and disloyalty to the legal profession. His unilateral issuance of a new RPC has deepened the division among lawyers. He is accused to have unilaterally amended the RPC with intendment to facilitate the breakaway of lawyers from the northern part of the country from the national body and create a factional body known as the Northern Bar Association.

It is a public record, my Lord, that some group of lawyers from the north in the guise of protesting the disinvitation of Governor Nasir El-Rufai by the NBA to her annual Bar Conference, wrote to the Attorney General and demanded his endorsement and recognition of a splinter body. It is also on record, that following that demand, Mr. Malami, responded a few days after by issuing a new RPC. The timing of his illegal action which unfortunately coincided with the time the new leadership of NBA was trying to settle grievances generated during the bar election has brought a sad day in the legal profession.

There’s no doubt that Mr. Malami’s action is a clear contravention of the guidelines which provide for honesty, straightforwardness and loyalty to one’s professional/personal dealings. He is also guilty for failing to understand the cultural and social diversity characteristic of the Nigerian Society as provided in the Guidlines. This is because, rather than demonstrating leadership, Mr. Malami exploited the misunderstanding arising from the diversity in culture and opinion among legal practitioners to alter the power of a united bar in favour of a select few.

My Lord, while we agree with Mr. Malami that every citizen of Nigeria has the right to freedom of association and right to conduct his or her cases in the law courts, the requirement of NBA’s stamp and seal has never been to prejudice those rights. The RPC only seeks to checkmate the activities of quacks parading as lawyers. Without a strong body and/or instruments to checkmate practitioners, my Lord will agree with me that every profession will undoubtedly go the way of the dogs.

Going further, my Lord, it is also a well known fact that Mr. Abubakar Malami, as the Attorney General and Minister of justice, has been in the eyes of the storm for many wrong reasons including wanton disregard to court orders, lack of diligent prosecution, failure to prosecute, shielding of suspects, usurpation of offices, indiscriminate filing of nolle prosequi and/or withdrawal of cases, as well as bias and corruption.

By virtue of Paragraph 25 (1) (a) of the Guidelines, “the rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria may be withdrawn from any person holding the rank by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee if the person is adjudged to have conducted himself in a manner incompatible with the dignity and honour of the rank; or guilty of professional misconduct.”

Mr. Malami, by persistently obstructing the cause of justice, even as the chief law officer of the federation, has conducted himself in a manner incompatible with the dignity and honour of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

On November 18, 2018, through a lawyer from his office, Pius Akuta, Mr. Malami withdrew a fraud case filed by the EFCC at Lagos High Court against John Abebe, younger brother to late Stella Obasanjo. As the Attorney General of the Federation, he also filed for the discontinuation of a N25 billion criminal charge against Senator Danjuma Goje without any justification after over seven years of diligent investigation and prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Furthermore, my Lord, Mr. Malami withdrew a criminal case against the Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar; and also demanded for the withdrawal of the cases against Mohammed Bello Adoke, Diezani Alison-Madueke and others involved in the Malabu Oil scandal.

As the Chief Law Officer of the Federation, Mr. Malami also withdrew criminal charges against soldiers accused of killing police officers and a civilian in the bid to aid the escape of billionaire kidnapper, Bala Hamisu, popularly known as Wadume; and also suspended the investigation of alleged fraud in Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL).

Other ignominious acts by the Attorney General, my Lord, include halting the prosecution of former Comptroller General of Customs, Mohammed Inde Dikko, shielding the ex-Customs boss from refunding of $8million to the governmen; and writing a letter dated 16th December, 2016 withdrawing the case of fraud filed against Godsday Orubebe, former Minister for Niger Delta; as well as the reinstatement of Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, into the Federal Civil Service Commission without due process.

My Lord, Mr. Malami is also accused of auctioning of sea vessels holding crude oil seized by the Federal Government, violating Section 31(2) and (4) of the EFCC Act 2004. He is also said to have authorized the sale of vessels by companies under EFCC prosecution for similar offence of illegal bunkering. Furthermore, he was indicted of duplicity of payment of $16.9million fees to two friends as new lawyers for the recovery of the loot traced to a former Head of State, Sani Abacha, after a Swiss lawyer, Enrico Monfrini, who helped in the recovery was fully paid by the previous government.

Going further, my Lord, Mr. Malami has also consistently disobeyed court orders by refusing to release persons who have been granted bail by competent courts of jurisdiction such as the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky; National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), as well as the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu who remained in custody for over three years despite being granted bail by courts.

There are also serious allegations that Mr. Malami shadily acquired assets worth billions of Naira after his appointment as the Attorney General and Minister of justice. These assets include Rayhaan Hotels worth about N500million, located at opposite Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Zaria Road, Kano State; a property worth about N600million located at Ahmadu Bello Way, Nasarawa GRA, Kano; a newly constructed school at the back of Nitel at Gesse Phase 1, Birni Kebbi, Kebbi State, worth about N700million. Other assets include property allegedly built by Malami for his son located at Gesse Phase II in Birni Kebbi worth over N400million; a mansion known as Azbir Arena allegedly built by Malami for his second son; Azbir Arena, an entertainment centre worth over N3billion, with a big plaza and kids playing centre and hotel, all combined in one expansive property.

My Lord, the above accusations against Mr. Malami are too weighty to be ignored and therefore requires an urgent reactions. To this extent, my Lord, we demand that the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee should immediately commence a process to withdraw the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria from Mr. Abubakar Malami. The withdrawal of the rank can be done before setting up inquiry into the matter to ascertain his level of his innocence. This is in accordance with Paragraph 25 (2) of the Guidelines which provide thus:
“The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee may suspend a legal practitioner from the use of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria pending the determination of any disciplinary action, complaint or prosecution against such a legal practitioner.”

My Lord, the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee has always demonstrated a strong capacity to discipline Senior Advocates of Nigeria. In 2010, the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee debarred and ostracized Michael Kaase Aondoakaa SAN, a former Attorney-General of Nigeria and Minister of Justice following a petition written by Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) against him for subverting the rule of law in the country.

The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee also in 2018 suspended the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria on one Mrs. Oluwatoyin Ajoke Bashorun over her refusal to pay rent for nine years on a rented property she occupied. In the same way, the committee also announced the withdrawal of the rank from Mr. Kunle Ogunba for abusing court process and derailing the course of justice. My Lord, without doubt, none of the above instances of misconducts could have been as fatal, gloomy and destructive as the many allegations of infringement against Mr. Malami.

My Lord, the level of confidence that a nation’s justice system enjoys depends on how far those heading the system are willing to observe the written laws themselves. To this extent, we urge my Lord to take appropriate steps to address the act of unpardonable impunities emanating from the office of the Attorney General of the federation and Minister of justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.

May my Lord be pleased.

Yours faithfully,

Izu Aniagu Esq

Cc: The President,
Nigerian Bar Association,
National Secretariat,
NBA House,
Plot 1101 Mohammadu Buhari Way,
Central Business District, Abuja,
F.C.T, Nigeria.

Downplaying COVID-19 Danger – Newspot

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Downplaying COVID-19 Danger – Newspot

Facebook on Tuesday removed a post by US President Donald Trump for downplaying Covid-19 danger by saying the season flu is more deadly, in a rare step against the American leader by the leading social network.

A day after checking out of a hospital where he received first-class treatment for Covid-19, Trump used Twitter and Facebook to post messages inaccurately contending that people have more to fear from the flu.

“We remove incorrect information about the severity of Covid-19, and have now removed this post,” Facebook said in reply to an AFP inquiry.

Twitter added a notice to the tweeted version of the Trump post , saying the message was left up due to public interest but that it violated rules about spreading misleading and potentially harmful information related to Covid-19.

Twitter also added a link to reliable Covid-19 information.

Trump checked out of hospital Monday after four days of emergency treatment for Covid-19, pulling off his mask the moment he reached the White House and vowing to quickly get back on the campaign trail.

Shortly beforehand, Trump had tweeted that Americans, who have lost nearly 210,000 people to the pandemic, should not be afraid of the .coronavirus.

Facebook in August removed a video post by Trump in which he contended that children are “almost immune” to the coronavirus, a claim the social network called “harmful COVID misinformation.”

That was the first time the leading social network pulled a post from the president’s page for being dangerously incorrect.

Facebook faces pressure to prevent the spread of misinformation while simultaneously being accused of silencing viewpoints by calling for posts to be truthful.

Health officials have urged people of all age groups to protect themselves against exposure to the virus, saying everyone is at risk.

Trump has unleashed an array of misleading medical speculation, criticism for his own top virus expert and praise for an eccentric preacher-doctor touting conspiracy theories.

Facebook has largely held firm to a policy that it would not fact-check political leaders, but it has pledged to take down any post which could lead to violence or mislead people about the voting process.

A coalition of activists has pressed Facebook to be more aggressive in removing hateful content and misinformation, including from the president and political leaders.

AFP

Imo judicial probe panel indicted only Okorocha – Uzodimma clarifies

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Imo judicial probe panel indicted only Okorocha – Uzodimma clarifies

OWERRI – Contrary to reports in some newspapers, the Justice Benjamin Iheaka Panel of Inquiry which investigated the award of contracts in Imo State is specific on the administration of former Governor Rochas Okorocha, according to a statement by the Imo State Government.

Mr Oguwike Nwachku, Special Adviser/Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hope Uzodinma in the statement clarifying the report submitted the governor on Monday, said: “Recall that the Panel submitted its report to Governor Hope Uzodimma on Monday, October 5, indicting the Okorocha regime and saying it uncovered fraudulent contracts worth N106billion which the regime should be made to refund.

“Consequently, the report by a local newspaper, Nigerian Watchdog, that former Governors Achike Udenwa and Ikedi Ohakim are to refund N106 billion together with Okorocha should be ignored as the probe period did not extend to their regimes.

“The mix-up arising from the duration of the probe – 2011 to 2019 – and not -2006 to 2019 – is highly regretted.”

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