In the first quarter of 2020, a total number of 619 were disposed.

The president of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Justice Benedict Kanyip, said on Monday in Abuja that the court disposed of 1, 486 cases in the outgone 2019 to 2020 legal year.

He said over 6,000 cases are pending before the court.

Mr Kanyip made this known at a ceremony to mark the beginning of the new 2020 to 2021 legal year.

He said the figure was understandable as 627 cases were disposed of in the fourth quarter of 2019, while in the first quarter of 2020, a total number of 619 were disposed.

Mr Kanyip said the figure however, dropped to 240 in the second quarter of 2020, the period in which the COVID-19 lockdown was most severe, according to him.https://tpc.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html

The president, in addition, said that in all, between October 2019 and June, 2020, 1,486 cases were disposed of.

He said this earned the court the annual vacation as the court worked even during the trying times of the COVID-19 lockdown.

“As at March 13, the court had 6,596 cases in its docket across the country with Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Ibadan leading in that order.

“Today, the total number of cased that are pending are 6095. This means that 501 cases were disposed of between March 13 and Sept. 30, 2020.

“COVID-19 did not allow for much filing of cases, but it did not stop the court from sitting and disposing of cases.

“The Judges of the court, in line with the Practice Directions and Guidelines 2020, sat physically and virtually all through the COVID-19 lockdown and took the opportunity to dispose of especially cases that were at address and judgment stages,” he said.

Mr Kanyip further said one of the things that stood out the court was in its regular and consistent uploads and updates of its judgments and rulings on its website.

“As accessed on October 3, between October 1, 2019 to October 2, 724 judgments and 215 rulings were uploaded on our website, this is a fact that has received favourable reviews from commentators.”

Speaking, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, urged the NICN to continue to uphold its sanctity and credibility in order to foster the public confidence in all judgments that emanated from it.

The AGF who was represented by Dayo Apata, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, congratulated the court for rising above the limitation imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic by the use of the virtual platforms in conducting court proceedings.

He said these platforms had helped the court to put in place measures that had guaranteed continued access to justice.ADVERTISEMENT

According to him, “these measures have given expeditious disposal of cases, as well as minimize the rate of transmission of the dreaded COVID-19 during the period of the pandemic.”

Also, speaker, Abdullahi Ibrahim, a SAN, on behalf of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN), congratulated the president and judges of NICN, for overcoming the challenges of the COVID-19.

Mr Ibrahim, who was represented by Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, said: “we thank God that after the ravaging wind, you have counted and your team is intact, to the glory of God.

“We wish your Lordships good health and wisdom to do justice to all manner of men, persons and authorities who approach the court for justice,” he said.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that another speaker at the ceremony was Olumide Akpata, the president, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), who was represented by Afam Osigwe.

(NAN)

Many young Nigerians recounted their sad experiences in the hands of the police unit.

The Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has expressed ‘anger’ at the activities of police officers who harass, assault and sometimes kill innocent Nigerians.

Mr Osinbajo stated this Sunday when questioned by journalists in Abuja, according to his spokesperson, Laolu Akande, in a statement.

“I am very concerned, in fact, very angry about what I see, happening to young men and women who are arrested, in some cases maimed or killed by men of the police force,” Mr Osinbajo was quoted as saying.

Mr Osinbajo’s reaction was announced hours after the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, banned some police units from operating on the roads following a public outcry of their activities.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Nigerians lamented the activities of the police unit, FSARS, using the #EndSARS code on social media.https://tpc.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html

Many young Nigerians recounted their sad experiences in the hands of the police unit.

UNLAWFUL AND ILLEGAL

In his statement Sunday, Mr Osinbajo vowed that culpable police officers will be punished and prosecuted.

According to the vice president, such violations are “completely unacceptable” because the law enforcement officers are individuals who are meant to protect Nigerians.

”The arrest, maiming or killing of young people or anyone at all, is completely wrong. It is unlawful and illegal, and anyone involved in this act ought to be investigated and prosecuted.”

“Today, I had a meeting with the Inspector General of Police, we reviewed several of these issues. The President and I have had discussions on this, he is very concerned about it. He wants to see a reform.

“You are probably aware that the IGP has issued a statement looking at all these issues, in particular, the warning against the use of these tactical units such as SARS for purposes of doing anything other than anti-robbery.

“For example, and I think in his statement, he specifically said that you cannot have a situation where SARS says, they are investigating Cybercrime by arresting young men and women carrying their laptops and phones. Cybercrime is an electronic crime. I don’t see how you can investigate that by seizing people’s phones in a taxi or in their cars,” he said.

He blamed the harassment on ”a few bad eggs” in the police force who are causing all of the problems, adding that there is a need to take serious action.

“The IG’s statement today, is a good first step. He has said clearly that policemen must wear police uniforms. You cannot say that because you belong to a tactical unit, you can dress in your casual clothing and be armed, because people can’t even tell the difference between robbers and the police, if you are not properly dressed in police uniform. So, clearly, a reform is in the offing.

“So, I will like to encourage civil society activists, young men and women, who bring this regularly, by the way, to the attention of government and the police. And I think that activism is important because they have been able to bring a lot of these issues to the attention of the police and government, and that is an important part of the process of the reform.”

“I think that we all have to work together to ensure that the police and law enforcement agents, do what their duty is and their duty is to protect us, protect our society and livelihoods and homes,” he said.ADVERTISEMENT

TOO MANY CRIMES

The SARS unit has been accused of several human rights violations especially of young Nigerians who are seen carrying laptop computers.

The call for the abolition of the unit grew louder on Sunday with the police in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, pledging to cleanse its ranks of officials found culpable of improper acts.

The latest #EndSARS campaign is not the first. A previous one last year led to the formation of a presidential panel to review the activities of the police unit.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how President Buhari last year ordered the implementation of the report of the panel. However, nothing seems to have changed since then until the Sunday directive.

Many professors questions how a serving academic will be appointed an emeritus professor.

Despite being involved in age falsification in order to extend his retirement date, the management of Lagos State University (LASU) is set to appoint a former executive secretary of the Nigerian University Commission (NUC), Peter Okebukola, as an emeritus professor, PREMIUM TIMES can report.

In April 2019, PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported how Mr Okebukola, a professor of science education, used three different birth dates interchangeably to manipulate the system several times during his career.

Documents obtained by this newspaper show that Mr Okebukola has three different birth dates in the records of the university – February 17, 1949; February 17, 1948; and February 17, 1951.

Falsification of age

When employed by the institution, Mr Okebukola , who is generally regarded as the academic mentor of the incumbent vice-chancellor of the university, Olanrewaju Fagbohun, used February 17, 1949 but later presented two other birth dates – February 17, 1948 and February 17, 1951, at different times in the course of his 35-year career at the university.

While the institution noticed these discrepancies as early as 2014, he was, however, condoned. He was not sanctioned let alone dismissed as provided by university rule for the condition of service of senior staff.https://tpc.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html

On October 2, 2014, Olayinka Amuni – the then deputy registrar (who is now the substantive registrar of the university) – raised the irregularities in Mr Okebukola’s birth dates to the registrar of the university.

Mr Amuni explained that the professor ,who was employed in 1984 , with the birth date of February 17, 1949, was due for mandatory retirement on February 17, 2014, the day he turned 65.

“Professor P.A.O Okebukola was granted approval for three hundred and thirty-six (336) days deferred leave which should be utilised as terminal leave preparatory to final retirement from the service of the university,” he wrote in the letter with reference number LASU/ASE/REG/002.

Asides the deputy registrar noting the irregularities, the university’s Academic Staff Establishment, the division of the university that oversees matters of staff recruitment, promotion, discipline and welfare, flagged the discrepancies in Mr Okebukola’s birth dates after he applied for sabbatical leave in July 2014, and declined approval for the leave.

Following the push back by the Academic Staff Establishment, the former NUC boss in a letter dated December 5, 2015 eventually notified LASU management that he was prepared to retire from the service of the university.

But he again came up with another letter on January 18, 2016 withdrawing his notice of retirement. This came five months before the then Lagos governor Akinwunmi Ambode, signed the amendment to the LASU law, which extended the retirement age from 65 to 70 in May 2016.

The swift approval by the VC, Mr Fagbohun, who then said Mr Okebukola should proceed on sabbatical from February 2016 to February 2017 after withdrawing his retirement letter, was again countered by the deputy registrar, Mr Amuni , who noted that the VC’s approval of Mr Okebukola’s request to withdraw his notice of retirement was out of tune with the university’s law. Mr Amuni said this in a letter dated February 9, 2016.

He also described the approval of Mr Okebukola’s application to go on sabbatical leave and his continued stay at the university as “anomalies.”

Mr Amuni, who was in charge of Academic Staff Establishment division, argued in the letter addressed to the registrar at the time that the subsisting policy of the university under which the sabbatical leave was approved was that “an academic staff who is sixty-five (65) years old shall compulsorily retire on age grounds.”

“In view of the law enacted by the Lagos State House of Assembly establishing the contributory Pension Scheme for Employees in the Public Service of Lagos State and for connected purpose, Professor Okebukola ought to have retired statutorily by the 17th February, 2014 on the strength of the first date of birth he presented i.e 17th February, 1949,” he wrote.

“In the view of the above background information/irregularities observed, vis-a-vis the positions of regulations, the Registrar may wish to recommend to the vice-chancellor that to redress the anomalies, Professor Okebukola’s sabbatical leave be terminated forthwith and; his letter seeking to withdraw his earlier retirement be discountenanced”, the deputy registrar pointed out then.ADVERTISEMENT

LASU lied to protect Okebukola

When contacted, Mr Fagbohun and Mr Okebukola both ignored PREMIUM TIMES’ request for comment.

Also, the institution’s spokesperson, Ademola Adekoya, rather than address issues raised by this newspaper said, the university management had decided not to comment on the issue.

The university later released a statement claiming it relied on the date of birth forwarded to it by Mr Okebukola’s former employer, Oyo State College of Education, when he was employed by the university.

“Professor Peter Okebukola joined the service of Lagos State University transferring his service from the then Oyo State College of Education, Ilesa and the date of birth on his Record of Service forwarded to the University by his former employer is 17th February, 1951. The University is bound to stand by that date because the Record of Service is the officially recognized record of his past service.

“The affirmation of the Date of Birth of Professor Okebukola in the Record of Service forwarded to the University by the Oyo State College of Education, Ilesa confirmed the assertion by Professor Okebukola that he was born on 17th February,1951,” the management of the university stated.

But official documents obtained from the university showed the school management was aware of Mr Okebukola’s multiple birth dates.

The documents also revealed that the university vice-chancellor, Mr Fagbohun, was not only aware of calls by the university’s Academic Staff Establishment division for Mr Okebukola to retire having exceeded his statutory retirement age but also actively prevented the division from ordering him to retire.

Despite the integrity shadow cast over his career by the falsification of his age, the management of the university appointed Mr Okebukola a distinguished professor, during its 21st convocation ceremony in 2017.

Professor emeritus

On August 24, 2020 – the university’s department of Science and Technology Education nominated Mr Okebukola for the emeritus status because of “his outstanding contribution to the university in general and his extensive research and publication.”

He was said to have mentored both academic and non-academics within and outside the university, documents seen by PREMIUM TIMES revealed.

Moreover, the Dean of Faculty of Education, Olatunde Owolabi, in a letter dated September 1, 2020, communicated the nomination of Mr Okebukola by the Faculty of Education ‘s Appointment and Promotion Committee to the vice chancellor.

The faculty said the former NUC boss met the requirements of the university condition of service for senior staff and as such was nominated by the department as provided by section K of the university rule which states that “the candidate must have successfully supervised the PhD Thesis of at least five (5) candidates; he must have produced at least a student who had attained Professorial cadre”

“He must enjoy the overwhelming support from his department; as an ambassador of the University, such candidate should consistently attract funds or grants from which the younger generations would benefit; a certain percentage of the funds which the Emeritus Professor attracted should be given as Honorarium to the Emeritus Professor; he must be a team player and be good at conflict resolution; he must be someone highly respected and with high dignity; scoring template should be developed to accommodate the above criteria; attendance at Senate meetings should not be made mandatory for the Emeritus Professor”.

The rule did not explicitly state that nomination should be for retired professors as is the case in most universities around the world.

The norm, however, is that the meritorious honour is awarded to retired and outstanding professors who thoroughly served the system.

But Mr Okebukola is still a serving professor at the university, a situation which prominent academics who spoke to this newspaper found strange.

On the ground of age accepted currently by the university, Mr Okebukola will retire in February 2021.

For instance, at Cornell University in the U.S., an emeritus professor is only given to a member of the professorial staff who retires after ten years full-time equivalency in the rank of a university professor, professor, or associate professor and who has rendered distinguished and meritorious service to the University.

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SEE DOCUMENT HERE

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At the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom, it is an honorary title, recognising distinguished academic service of fully retired Professors. Also at the Washington University in U.S., Professor Emeritus must be a professor who had already retired from the system and the promotion is a lifelong appointment.

A senior lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Kehinde Ayoola, said emeritus professorship is not meant to be dispensed for ‘joke.’

“Based on the record, the feat is meant for old professors who have retired from the system. It is to appreciate their contribution to scholarship. I have not seen any situation where someone in the system is honoured with such.

In OAU ,for instance, Wole Soyinka is the only Emeritus in the university’s Faculty of Art. That shows the importance of the promotion. There has never been a case where a serving lecturer is even recommended.

A retired professor, Toye Olorode, told PREMIUM TIMES that LASU’s decision to announce Mr Okebukola as an emeritus professor was ‘watery’.

“The recommendation is watery and should not even be considered. It is for a retired professor who has been found to have genuinely served the department recommending him for such. It is not an honorary degree but a meritorious appointment on retired professors who genuinely worth it.”

“One cannot be recommended when someone is still serving the system let alone be honoured. The system should frown at such development and should not be condoned except such fellow truly deserve it.”

In addition, the vice-chancellor of Technical University, Ibadan, Ayobami Salami, said Mr Okebukola’s nomination is “abnormal”.

“No. It cannot be. It will be abnormal for any department or institution to recommend a serving professor for an emeritus position. The honour is strictly meant for senior staff who retired serving institution. Except one has retired, the appointment is not given. So, it is very abnormal for any of such to occur if the nominee is still in the system. It is used to honour those who are retired already”.

LASU seems bent on conferring the award on Mr Okebukola as the registrar of the school, Mr Amuni, on September 22, 2020, wrote to the university senate on behalf of the vice-chancellor, pleading that Mr Okebukola’s appointment be considered.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the institution, Ademola Adekoya, first denied our report but when confronted with details of the planned appointment, said he could not confirm nor deny such promotion because he is not aware of the development.

premiumtimesng

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved release of N10 billion to the National Population Commission (NPC) for continuation of Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) in 546 Local Government Areas in the country.

Buhari also approved an additional N4.5 billon to be included in the 2021 Budget for completion of the exercise as part of the preparations for the next census.

Acting Chairman of NPC, Dr. Eyitayo Oyetunji, disclosed these on Monday in Abuja while briefing reporters on release of the funds and the update on the EAD at the NPC headquarters.

Oyetunji said: “The President has graciously followed this up by a further approval of an additional N45 billion to be included in the 2021 Budget for the completion of the exercise as part of preparations for the next census.

“No doubt, this milestone development, under-scores the President’s understanding of the role of data, especially demographic data as the bedrock for informed development planning and allocation of resources, facilities and services.

“The President has by this giant intervention demonstrated his desire to invest in the population, especially our teeming youthful population and to thereby lead the country to harness the demographic dividend.”

Asked when the next census will commence, Oyetunji said: “I can tell you that we are very close to the conduct of the election. You will recall that President Muhammadu Buhari appointed the complete membership of the NPC including a substantive chairman.

“That in itself is an indication that government is working towards the exercise. And you will also agree that at a time like this there was high demand for scarce resources for government to commit a sum of N10 billion to the EAD is an indication that we are truly closer than when we began.

“Like they say in the bible the exert time and date is what we have not yet indicated. With the speed we want to complete the EAD which is the major preparatory activity, for us at the NPC we are ready at any moment and prepared to conduct the census. We just need a nod to do so.”

The NPC boss said 228 LGAs were successfully demarcated across the 36 States and FCT in the previous nine phases.

He said the 10th Phase of the exercise will commence on 5th and end on October 29th 2020, including training and fieldwork.

Oyetunji also disclosed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has entered into a special arrangement with NPC under which the NPC is assisting INEC to create digitised maps of INEC Registration Areas (Wards) for the first time as part of the EAD.

He said it is expected that the output of the collaborative effort will further enhance the accuracy and transparency of future elections.

The President of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC), Chief Emeka J.P. Obegolu, FICMC, FCIArb, while delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the Institute during the launch of the Arbitration and Mediation Rules of the Janada International Centre for Arbitration and Mediation (JICAM), encouraged the many Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) institutions in Nigeria to support each other.

He stated further that there are over ten (10) ADR institutions in Nigeria alone, he believes that the general hope is for these institutions to leave their mark on the dispute resolution landscape in Nigeria, and contribute to the effective resolution of disputes, and this hope unites us all. He explained that to achieve this united goal, we must see ourselves not as competitors, but as partners in this dynamic field of Alternative Dispute Resolution.

In support of this statement, he announced that the Institute is currently partnering with over twenty (20) ADR institutions in Africa, and beyond, to deliver her first ever African Mediation Conference themed “Transnational Commercial Mediation: Leveraging Options and Intersections in Africa.”

Some of the organizations ICMC is partnering with are;
– Janada International Centre for Arbitration and Mediation (JICAM)
– International Centre for Arbitration and Mediation, Abuja (ICAMA)
– Lagos Court of Arbitration (LCA)
– Lagos Chamber of Commerce International Arbitration Centre (LACIAC)
– Abuja Chamber of Commerce Dispute Resolution Centre (ACC-DRC)
– Oyo State Multi-Door Courthouse
– Mediation Training Institute (Nigeria)
– Mediation Training Institute (East Africa)
– Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (East Africa)
– African Arbitration Association
– West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP)
– International Mediation Institute (IMI)
– Tanzania Institute of Arbitrators
– iResolve
– Kigali International Arbitration Centre
– Nairobi Centre for International Arbitration
– ODR Africa Network
– Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) Nigeria Branch
– Conflict Dynamics (South Africa)
– SEDIN-NICOP, GIZ Nigeria
– Panel of Neutrals
– Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU)

The Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators happily extends a hand of partnership to the many outstanding ADR institutions in Nigeria, and in Africa, to partner with her to interrogate the issues and developments surrounding the business of Mediation and International Commercial Mediation in Africa.

The Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators is the professional body of dispute resolution practitioners with the mandate to regulate the practice of Mediation, train prospective ADR practitioners, and encourage organizations and institutions to adopt Mediation and Conciliation as the primary means for resolving disputes.

The ICMC 2020 African Mediation Conference is scheduled to hold on the 1st of December, 2020, and to partner with ICMC to deliver this conference, kindly send an email to [email protected].

To register for the African Mediation Conference, kindly visit www.icmcconference.org. For more information about the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, kindly visit www.icmcng.org

The absence of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, and Abdulrasheed Maina, ex-Chairman, Pension Reformed Task Team (PRTT), on Monday, stalled the continuation of the ongoing money laundering trial.

Although Justice Abang and Maina were not in court for the day’s proceeding, Sen. Ali Ndume, who is standing as surety for the ex-pension reformed boss, was in court.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Maina (1st defendant) before Justice Abang, on Oct. 25, 2019, alongside his son, Faisal; and firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd.

Although Maina is facing 12-counts bordering on money laundering, he had pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

It would be recalled that the former pension reformed chair was recently released from Kuje Prison nine months after he was able to produce the senator who deposed to an affidavit to always bring the 1st defendant to court at every adjourned date or forfeit the N500 million bail bond.

NAN also reports that Ndume, who represents Borno South in the National Assembly, had told the court, on Oct. 2, that he did not know the whereabouts of Maina after the 1st defendant was absent from court for the third time.

The judge, in the last sitting, had ordered Ndume to produce Maina unfailing at today’s (Monday’s) proceeding or he would be forced to grant the EFCC’s prayers to revoke Maina’s bail and issue a warrant of arrest against him.

Besides, the anti-graft agency had also prayed the court to make an order for the lawmaker to forfeit the N500 million bail bond to the Federal Government and be remanded in prison pending the time he was able to meet the pledge.

At the resumed trial on Monday, counsel to the parties and Sen. Ndume were all in court at about 9 am but Justice Abang and Maina were not in court.

Maina’s case was number two on the course list.

The court registrar, after litigants in cases scheduled for the day, had waited for over an hour, announced that the day’s sitting would not be holding.

“The court is indisposed and all criminal cases slated for today will be adjourned until tomorrow, Tuesday, including the case between the Federal Government and Abdulrasheed Maina,” the registrar said.

All efforts to interview Sen. Ndume were unsuccessful as the lawmaker said he would not speak since the court did not sit. (NAN)

*Makes Case For Judicial Reforms,
*Demands End To Political Interference

The Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) has said that the greatest threat facing the Judiciary at the moment is the incessant disregard for the letters and spirit of the Constitution by politicians.

The body which made their stance known at the opening of the New legal year of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) on the 5th of October, 2020 at the Court’s Headquarters in Abuja.

Mr. Asiwaju Adegboyega Awomolo SAN who made the position of the body known, stated that most state executives and appointing authorities deliberately choose to frustrate the decisions of the National Judicial Council with regardss to the appointment of various heads of courts, noting that by section 158 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, the NJC is not subject to any direction or control when carry out its duties.

The respected attorney called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to swing into action by seeking Judicial interpretations on the issue.

According to Mr. Awomolo, a better alternative to the present system of appointment of Judicial officers would be for the NJC to directly send the names of the intended Judges and Justices to the legislative arm, and thereafter the individuals should be appointed by the executive and not with the reverse scenario as presently obtainable. This alternative, he considered would help checkmate the incessant undermining of the NJC’s recommendations as the NJC has the preferred qualification for that.

The body also accused the executive arm of deliberately frustrating the course of Justice by withholding funds meant for the Judiciary sighting the recent outcry by some retired Judicial officers with regards their pension.

Mr. Awomolo SAN however commended the president of the court, for the accelerated application and deployment of information technology software in the court, leading to speedy disposition of cases, as well as the timely intervention of the court in various industrial dispute, thereby justifying the wisdom in creating the court as a specialized court. He called for the creation of more specialized courts, so as to meet up with the ever-growing demands.

With regards to the applicants to the rank of Senior Advocates, He noted that over the years, there have been an increasing admittance of respected individuals into the highly coveted rank of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), with this year having a total of 166 applicants being shortlisted from 200 applicants. According to the body, there exists no harm in admitting more individuals with unquestionable character and integrity into the inner bar without compromising the standard of the bar.

Mr. Asiwaju Adegboyega Awomolo SAN, would stood in for the Doyen of BOSAN— Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim SAN, due to the I’ll health of the latter.

The growing incidences of quackery in legal practice are becoming more rampant in Ogun State, where a fake lawyer was apprehended by the Police in the thick of a court session.

The scene was a civil trial at the Magistrate Court 6, Ifo, where Chief Magistrate I.A. Arogundade was adjudicating over cases called for hearing on Friday October 2, 2020.

The fake lawyer, Tajudeen Olufemi Idris, was defending a civil trial between one Ifeanyi Chuckwu Vs Ayo Itori, when suddenly his comportment and general temperament became questionable.

Chief Magistrate Arogundade was said to have raised questions about his conduct and representation before the Court and promptly queried his law studentship and year of his Call to Bar.

He had claimed to be a legal counsel from his own legal Chamber, Tajudeen O. Idris & Co.

The culprit responded, claiming to have graduated from the Nigerian Law School in 2009. 

But, further enquiry revealed that his name was nowhere to be found amongst those called to bar in 2009, hence, the Police were notified.

Consequently, the Divisional Police Officer, Ifo Division, CSP Adeniyi Adekunle, detailed his operatives to the court premises, where the suspect was apprehended.

The suspect is currently undergoing investigation and he is presently in the custody of the Police.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Edward Ajogun, has expressed concern about increase in the number of people impersonating lawyers, thereby swindling people of their hard-earned money. 

The CP recalled that not less than five cases of fake lawyers have been reported since his assumption of office in less than 2 months ago.

On the 12th of August 2020, a 56-year old man, Sylvester Ogbagu, was arrested at Shagamu while parading himself as lawyer.

Another fake lawyer, Adedeji Ebenezer, was arrested in the Court premises at Itori on the 5th of August 2020, while similarly appearing for a client as a lawyer.

The suspect was tried and subsequently sentenced to three years in prison.

Another fake lawyer, Elijah Ayodeji Ojo, was also arrested in Ajuwon Police Station on the 28th of June when he came to solicit for a so-called client, who was having a criminal matter with the police. 

Likewise was the case of one Lawrence Oyedunu, who was arrested in Sango Ota while presenting himself as a counsel to a suspect.

The CP, therefore, called on the state branch of NBA to put necessary machinery in motion to checkmate the activities of these fraudulent people.

Ajogun also appealed to those who wish to be lawyers to take a cue from the determined effort of a traditional ruler in the state, who at 75 years of age still endeavored to go to Law School because of his interest in legal profession rather than impersonating.

The difficulties Nigerian entrepreneurs endure in the hands of foreign private equity firms and venture capitalists have been blamed on the clever tricks deployed by investors.

Investigations on the Nigerian business landscape revealed that the tricks used by equity partners easily deceive Nigerian business founders into their embrace and eventual takeover of such businesses from founders.

A source familiar with relationships between foreign equity firms and Nigerian businesses disclosed that private equity companies are adept at using tax avoidance entities, registering their investment vehicles in places such as Mauritius.

The source also explained that the equity firms insist on the initial investments being in tranches, so as to enable them to scoop shares at much lower value via rights issue.

Another business source explained that foreign equity firms deliberately concede to having a Nigerian founder as Chief Executive Officer for a few years, during which they milk the reputation, goodwill and connections of the founder as a prelude to his/her eviction from the business or being rendered a peripheral figure (such as chairman).

 “Once they fully grasp the business model and have acquired sufficient nous on the business landscape, they would quickly remove the founder and take control of the Board and Management,” said the source.

“After gaining control of the Board and Management”, he stated, “foreign equity partners tend to borrow locally against the company’s cash flow, taking advantage of subsidized funds, like intervention funds, to drive growth before selling at a premium to the highest bidder.”

In recent times, Nigerian businesses such as Chicken Republic; travel firm, Wakanow; pathology laboratory, Pathcare (now Synlab), Starcomms; FilmHouse/Imax and HealthPlus, have seen equity partners dueling with the founders for ownership.

The issue has become one of huge concern in the business and investment circuit.

Last week, Nigerian business owners, under the umbrella of the Business Founders Coalition, called the attention of the Federal Government to the plight of local business founders.

The coalition, at a press conference held in Lagos, said: “Our experiences have largely been ‘tales of woes’ which have the possibility of stunting the growth of indigenous businesses like ours. We are also hoping that through this coalition, the government can enact policies and laws that will correct that apparent lop-sidedness.”

Led by its coordinator, Dr. Richardson Ajayi of Synlab, the coalition said Nigerian business founders are forced to go shopping for foreign investor partners because of un-favourable or unavailable access to local finance to grow their business.

The coalition added that venture capitalists usually demand controlling rights as a condition to invest and often seize on this wrest control from the founders.

While admitting that investor partners are crucial for national growth, adding that there are many good equity companies patient enough to see the equity transactions blossom, the coalition said others are simply predatory in their transactions.

“Our objective is not to deride it or even paint everyone with the same ‘tar’. There are many good private equity companies and many successful private equity transactions as well as patient private equity players that understand the challenges of this market. But unfortunately, there are some who come into Nigeria literally to hijack our companies. Our intention therefore is to lead the charge in drawing attention to this unwholesome practice and advocate for a better investment climate for Nigerian entrepreneurs,” said Ajayi.

He noted that Nigerian entrepreneurs’ options for growth capital are severely limited, as bank loans are hugely expensive where available.

“So, when you are talking to only one investor, which is usually the case, you really are between the ‘rock and a hard place’. You either take the money on the onerous terms or you watch your business dreams evaporate like many have done,” he further stated.

Ajayi noted that foreign investors tend to make sweet promises beyond funding, but do not deliver at the time of the growth, forcing local entrepreneurs to endure the breaches in a bid to ensure their dreams do not go up in smoke. This, he said, often never works and leads to boardroom tussle.

Ajayi noted that the latest victim of the investor/ business owner clash is HealthPlus, whose Founder & CEO, Mrs. Bukky George, has been having a raging battle with Alta Semper Capital, a United Kingdom private equity firm that wants to take control of the company, following a breakdown of the investment deal between both firms.   (Sunday Independent)