Sunday, July 17, 2022
OF JUDGES, LAWS AND JUSTICE
It did not come as a surprise when the President of NBA Olumide Akpata reacted to the out-cry of the 14 Justices of the Supreme Court through a protest letter for justice, to the Chief Justice Tanko Muahmmad, JSCN.
S.6 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) like other previous constitutions gave the third arm of government, the Judiciary an independent status. That is the ideal situation that enhances separation of powers, as propounded by early constitutional philosophers like Montesquieu. However, practical experience has shown that it never had independence even though students and the public are thaught and to believe that the Judiciary is "independent".
As a public institution the Judiciary depended on the public, especially the Bar to defend that status, because it would be seen to have lost that independence if it had to fight for itself at every front. Therefore the burden to protect the independence of the Judiciary is a Corporate Social Responsibility of the public. Without that there's a vacuum that exposes the Judiciary to the frontline.
This burden to "give back" to society now behoves on Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), litigants, constitutional lawyers, human rights activists and the public Interest defenders as stakeholders to rise up to the occasion, with the hindsight that 'm'Lords' obviously have been groaning silently before they blew the lid.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and a former President of NBA Olisa Agbakoba fought for financial independence of the Judiciary to the Supreme court. After serving as a member of Confab 2014 he left his earnings to Federal Government (Executive) instead of the Judiciary.
According to Patrick Devlin of blessed memories, author of "Enforcement of Morals" there are issues bordering on consiceince that are beneficial to society generally which are protected collectively like the silent Justices.
Amidst all these prominent politicians afford N100 million for party nomination forms which are campaign slots since they're almost sure they wouldn't catch the nomination ticket because of the avalanche of competitors for the ticket.
They would have made headlines nationwide if some of them decided for act of corporate social responsibility with a fraction or all the ticket/nomination jumbo bill. However, if they're not in the positive frame of mind being advocated here, they tacitly allign with PMB (Executive) who believes that the Judiciary is not helping his administration. So we're now at a crossroads of 'judging the judges '
#corporateleaders
IKECHUKWU O. ODOEMELAM & CO
Legal Practitioners
Corporate Attorneys/Consultants
legalservices.ike99@yahoo.com
https://tapestri.io/members/join/now/ideaworkshop
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0075RXXLE COMPANY SECRETARIES HANDBOOK
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005783S6SDIRECTORS
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MKCESY MEETINGS: Dynamics and Legality
.
Corporate Social Responsibility: LEADERSHIP IS NOT A POSITION/TITLE
Corporate Social Responsibility: LEADERSHIP IS NOT A POSITION/TITLE: Just finished reading a book on 'Lesdership' written by two brilliant #1 Bestselling Book authors: James M. Kouzes and Barry N. Posn...
Saturday, July 16, 2022
LEADERSHIP IS NOT A POSITION/TITLE
Just finished reading a book on 'Lesdership' written by two brilliant #1 Bestselling Book authors: James M. Kouzes and Barry N. Posner and came away with startling revelation that leadership is a relationship not a title, rank or position.
Cast my mind back to my early days as a civil society rights conscious lawyer. Not only am I a membe of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA I joined Law Society of England and Wales, Amnesty International, Civil Liberties Organization, Human Rights Lawyers, Concerned Professionals etc. All these were in a bid to be referred to as one of the "leading" lawyers. Just titles!
I was making at least weekly published comments on the national dailies, excluding those comments censored or lost. I also participated in numerous Radio phone-in programs. In the process
I also got invitations from some TV stations but I honoured at least 11 invitations from a total of 3 Lagos-based TV stations. In my mind I had acquired the enviable status of "leader" in my profession.
Even after the acquisition of these titles they were not an end for me because they were not paid assignments. At the end of every program the anchor usually say: "thank you for stopping by". Sure, you go to find ways to make ends meet although you've added a few more friends to your profile.
On the flip side through my comments during those media programs I became either 'pro-establishment or radical lawyer' depending on which comment/program the person calling me such names is reacting to.
Therefore, life became 'one week, one trouble' for me. On one such occasion I was detained at 'Area F' Police station on the orders of Justice Akande, Ikeja High court pending charge of contempt of court.
Just as Philemon met St. Paul in prison, I met accused persons who came in connection with more serious allegations than contempt. But that is not the reason for this discourse. The officer who made inquiries about the new inmates and why we came in displayed exemplary leadership when he ordered that I should be allowed out to stay at the frontline office. Prior to the order I had spent nearly two sleepless days inside the dungeon.
At the police frontline office, I met a lady sergeant who was on duty and she acknowledged that their Oga ordered me to remain there until they forward my charge to court. Later, on siting her name tag, I realized she was Christiana Thompson.
During my detention I shouted a few times because of my conviction that my arrest was unnecessary in the circumstances and I was eager to appear in court. The seargent was offended at that. The rest is now history. After my acquital, in the same year I read that Christiana Thompson had been promoted and sent on training. It was probably the 'Oga' displaying yet again exemplary leadership.
I boarded an Abuja-bound Okada airline. Few minutes before take-off two of their staff came on board to check our tickets. On confirming my departure ticket, rather than leave me with return ticket, he asked that within few minutes he wanted to check the ticket with their records at the their office. I never thought about his whereabout when the plane took off.
On arrival at Abuja I inquired about him they said that ticket checkers were not part of the crew. I was totally dumbfounded and embarrassed as I narrated to them that the checker didn't hand me my return ticket to Lagos after 'checking'. Was he exercising competences of leadership he would have realized that boarded passengers are not allowed to disembark until the journey ended.
I wasted time thinking about solution and appropriate steps to take, because leadership is about finding solutions as quickly as challenges occur. Around business district I sited 'Bussinessmen's Fellowship meeting centre' and noticed that they were at the service that evening. Since I belonged to Airport Road Chapter Lagos, I joined the service.
It was after the service that I spoke to the leader, Ifeanyi Odi and he in company with his wife drove me to "Sunny Guesthouse", unfortunately their accommodation had exhausted. I thought yet another challenge staring me in the face.
This was getting late in the night and not mobile phone time, so I moved around and located the nearest police station and walked in. It did not take much time before they gave me a seat till morning. That was exemplary leadership exercised by the officers on duty that night. That challenge could have turned worse if they wanted.
A lady on duty at this Abuja police station gave me wrapper to cover after she watched as I battle mosquitoes while passing the night. It was exceptional because Nigerian security outfits are over-stretched and there's limit to what you expect them to provide in terms of services to citizens as enshrined in the constitution. According to the authors of the leadership book in review, the summary of leadership behavior is 'caring'.
The book is worth more than million times the monetary value. That comparison is actually an understatement considering the achievements of exemplary leadership globally. Finding and savouring the book would be a feat you'd always be proud of.
Ikechukwu Odoemelam Esq
Corporate Attorney/Consultant
Legal Practitioners
Corporate Attorney/Consultant IKECHUKWU O. ODOEMELAM & CO https://tapestri.io/members/join/now/ideaworkshop http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0075RXXLE COMPANY SECRETARIES HANDBOOK http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005783S6SDIRECTORS http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MKCESY MEETINGS: Dynamics and Legality
Friday, June 17, 2022
NIGERIA V. JP MORGAN: NIGERIA RETREATS WITH BLEEDING NOSE
A complex and prolonged case, Nigerian Public Interest lawyers and concerned groups expressed disappointment when the UK court delivered judgment on this case, Tuesday14 June, 2022.
Anti-Money laundering suit between Nigeria and JP Morgan on "fraudulent" money transfer during 2011 to 2013. As a legal practitioner, I must state from a neutral standpoint that proving "fraud" against a defendant is an uphill task.
BACKGROUND: FG sued df to recover a total of $1.7 billion, alleging "gross negligence" for failure to pay $875 million realized from oil sales into Federal government account, instead to escrow account of Malabu Oil & Gas company owned and controlled by former Petroleum Minister, Dan Etete.
Earlier around 1998 off-shore oil field license, OPL 245 had been awarded to Dan Etete's company by the late Head of state, Gen. Sani Abacha.
Nigeria, in the suit claimed that JP Morgan being responsible bankers owed a duty of care, and averred that the defendant was aware of the fraud and it's implications, therefore shouldn't have transferred the funds against the bank's compliance officer's warning.
The case has generated huge public interest and many questions have been, and being asked about the place of corporate social responsibility (CSR)?
DUTY OF DUE DILIGENCE
The plaintiff, Federal Government of Nigeria who instituted this suit owes a duty of due diligence on behalf of the people of Nigeria.
From the commencement of this matter in 2011, what did the various Attorney-Generals and Ministers of Justice and NNPC do to ensure that Nigeria was not short-changed?
If the defendant's compliance officer was able to alert its employer about the possibility or risk of fraud, how many times did Nigerian authorities raise eyebrows? What was the justification for the plaintiff's indifference when it mattered?
There's clearly absence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on the part of the plaintiff's legal team and functionaries during the defendant's transfer of the funds. This absence came with collateral damage of $1.7 billion
Ikechukwu Odoemelam Esq
Legal Practitioners
IKECHUKWU O ODOEMELAM & Corporate Attorneys/ Consultants
Saturday, June 11, 2022
Corporate Social Responsibility: OUTSOURCE YOUR COPYWRITING/TRAINING TO US
Corporate Social Responsibility: OUTSOURCE YOUR COPYWRITING/TRAINING TO US: ANNOUNCEMENT #corporateleaders CSR contributes to the growth of prosperity Let's relieve you of some of your constituency projects: ...
OUTSOURCE YOUR COPYWRITING/TRAINING TO US
ANNOUNCEMENT #corporateleaders
CSR contributes to the growth of prosperity
Let's relieve you of some of your constituency projects: (Training of unemployed constituents and retraining of staff) at a very affordable sponsorship.
* We're IDEA WORKSHOP - Independent
* Skills Acquisition provider.
* We provide digital assistance services
such as copywriting etc.
* We enable you start a foundation for
expression of Corporate Social
Responsibility.
www.corporateleadersboard.blogspot.com
Contact us: 08061151471
ideaworkshop@live.com
Corporate Attorney/Consultant IKECHUKWU O. ODOEMELAM & CO
https://tapestri.io/members/join/now/ideaworkshop
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0075RXXLE COMPANY SECRETARIES HANDBOOK
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005783S6SDIRECTORS
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MKCESY MEETINGS: Dynamics and Legality
Thursday, June 9, 2022
Corporate Social Responsibility: OWO TERRORISTS BLACK SUNDAY MASACRE
Corporate Social Responsibility: OWO TERRORISTS BLACK SUNDAY MASACRE: Religious and non-commercial organisations basically survive on corporate social responsibility (CSR) from the public and cause-driven inst...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)