By Valentine Obienyem
To many, the call to the bar is one of their happiest moments. They see it as the culmination of six years of intense and monastic scholarship. Thus, it is not uncommon for the new wigs to invite their parents and well-wishers and “subject” them to Epicurean celebrations. Though the ceremonies take place in Abuja, people come from far and near to felicitate with the the new wigs.
Last years, during the call to the bar ceremonies, precisely in July, there were transport problems on account of strike to protest the hike in petroleum prices. This year again, the joy of the call to the bar was dimmed by strike to protest the increase in petroleum prices. I have noted these unfortunate developments to point out the torture caused to the citizens by the government’s ignoble policies. But one thing I like about the last strike that affected the new wigs was the allegation that the judgement of one of their kind, Justice Roseline Ukeje, contributed to the increase. Whichever way we see it, it is subtle reminder that lawyers are one tribe of men positioned and indeed have the capacity to contribute positively or negatively to the emancipation or enslavement of their societies.
The new wigs, including one of my friends, Mrs. Princess Obiageli Onu, may have been moved by the state of the nation – strike – during their call to realise that all is not well with the country and that they owe it as a duty to contribute their mite to nation- building.
In spite of the fuel crisis that affected transportation, Oby’s husband, probably overwhelmed by his wife’s elevation to the bar, still managed to play host to a dinner, so that friends would rejoice with them. I was enthusiastic to attend because I have taken interest in the progress of the family. Sometimes Mr. Onu would write articles, quite against the government and its policies; why his wife would write the contrary of what the husband had written. But this is not surprising; coming from a family with respected political pedigree, Mr. Onu is the younger brother of Dr. Ogbonaya Onu, the former governor of Abia State . It is the mark of maturity that they do not allow their political persuasions to affect domestic tranquillity.
In truth, it is a mark of emancipation to respect individual’s rights within the bounds of reason. Such emancipation is needed in our country today. We need a country where ideological leaning should not be misconstrued as call to arm. We need a country where Moslems, Christians, traditionalists and atheists should live under the same roof and still get on very well.
I am persuaded to share my experience with the Onus for lessons we can derive there as a country. Even the dinner in her honour the night of her call, on Thursday, 14th of October, was not entirely Epicurean. No doubt, food and drinks where abundant and the guest ate lucullanly. Also, seasoned lawyer where craftily invited to “crush” the new wig with words of advice.
First, let us see the lucullanly dinner. Lucius Laus Licinius Luincus Lucullus, was noted for his dinners, which were culinary events of the Roman year. Cicero tried once to find out how Lucullus ate when alone. He asked Lucullus to invite him and some friends to dinner that evening, with the plea that he should not send warning to his servants. Lucullus agreed, merely stipulating that he be allowed to notify his servants that he would eat in the “Apollo Room” that evening. When Cicero and the rest came, they found a lavish repast. Lucullus had several dining rooms in his City Palace, each selected according to the splendour of the feast. Apollo Room was reserved for meals costing over the equivalent of our N300,000.00. At the Optimal Hotel, were the Onus played host to us, we dinned in the “Apollo Room.”
Then the counsel. The new wig was reminded by all the speakers that only diligence and hard work could guarantee success in the profession. One particular lawyer spoke that one must belong to either of the two extremes – God or Devil – to avoid metaphysical pitfalls. He said that some lawyers engaged in crude practices before coming to court, and if the opponent was not in Christ, he might see strange things happening to him. He said that one of the dangers of belonging to the extreme of the devil was that one had to contact babalawos for medicine, and since the babalawos had degrees of powers, one could never be sure if the opponent had contacted more powerful babalawos. He finally called on the new wig to belong to the extreme of God, since no power is greater than His. I have deliberately decided to reflect on this counsel to show the degeneration in our society; the extent some people can go in search of success and end up doing grave damage to their lives. The extreme any lawyer will belong to have long been decided at school, the period of his moulding. This is why the government should look seriously into education in this country. I see no way a student, who was a cultist, will not find the extreme of the devil more attractive.
When I came back that evening, I reflected on the legal profession and what would be the state of mind of the new wigs, including my friend, Oby. In defining law as the ordinance of reason, promulgated by a legitimate sovereign for the good of the society, St. Thomas Aquinas challenged law and lawyers to use the instrument of law for the good of the society, and not to strengthen the government’s resolve to hike prices or give legitimacy to those that perpetrate misdeeds.
A cursory look at our society shows that lawyers, in truth, have not so much lived up to expectations. Today, the more popular view of lawyers in the society is that of men who love wrangling and childish entrapping of adversary by the use of bewildering arguments. Though most of these arguments are contrived to uphold the principles of law, this should not be interpreted that all lawyers are liars, but often we hear cases of those who coach witnesses in concealing and disrespecting relevant facts. In some cases, some urge their clients to outrightly deny the commission of the offences they are charged with. Some actively connive with their dubious clients on how to commit crimes to avoid being entangled by the law. The familiar belief that lawyers, unlike others, are buried differently, probably exaggerates, but reflect, the people’s contempt for lawyers.
Another obvious thing from how lawyers behave is a certain superiority-instigated delusion of grandeur. A certain false notion of their self-importance is always detectable. This feeling of grandeur is seen in operation in the way lawyers address one another: “My learned friend.” With this, they want others to believe that they have the superiority of learning. Some argue that every other person, however his position, comes to them when they have problems, especially with the law. This is the reason why most men, especially in the academia, treat lawyers as a special tribe of men under strong delusion.
As my friend is called to the bar, it is my sincere advice to her to be herself and avoid any delusion that being a lawyer has made her superior to others. I have often argued that no profession is greater than another. Just like a medical doctor goes to a lawyer for solutions to legal problems, a lawyer goes to him for medical problems. Each profession/course is good where it belongs. Most important thing is how much of our profession do we use to benefit humanity and contribute to the progress of civilisation.