Ifesinachi & co. Chamber. Legal Consultant & Estate management

14/05/2025

By Augustine Onyekachi Okoli Esq
Abraham Lincoln once noted that, ‘ A lawyer’s time and advice are his stock in trade .’ Over the centuries , the importance of the legal profession in promoting justice , reason and freedom has enhanced the socio- economic development of nations of the commonwealth through the artful applications of their stocks in trade .
One cannot agree less with the opinion of George Washington ‘that lawyers are the first virtuous nobility the world has known .’ perhaps, because of their monumental contributions to the socio-economic development of their terrains .
What a lawyer practices is the law , the object of which ‘is to preserve and enlarge freedom .’ according to Francis Bacon.
At this point ,’ the law becomes the last result of human experience for the benefit of the public .’ opines, Samuel Jackson .
Inevitably , across the globe , lawyers are held in high esteem , because , their learning prepares them for leadership of their respective countries, which they have utilized to drive growth , the social order and economic development of their countries .
The legal profession
in Nigeria was shaped by a rich and complex development embedded in Nigeria’s colonial history .
The Nigerian legal system itself is rooted in the pluralism of indigenous customary laws , traditions , Islamic law and the common law , with it’s rules of precedents and statutes .
Nigeria operates a federal system in which the supreme court is the apex court , followed by the court of Appeals , the high courts and other inferior courts .
The evolving Nigerian legal system with it’s modern legal frameworks , and law schools rely on the legal profession to oil and drive it’s growth.
Despite it’s challenges, and evolving law reforms , the Nigerian legal profession , remains relevant to the socio-economic development of Nigeria in it’s push towards industrialization.
This is because no meaningful development can take place in a social order without the preeminence of the rule of law , the lawyers stock in trade, that ensures, extant legislations, are fair , duly enforced , and applicable to all and sundry without fear and favour .
Economic developments can thrive mainly where there are legal frameworks and services that facilitate and drive business growth and create investment opportunities , protecting hunan rights , essential for social and economic developments.
The legal profession is essential for fostering good governance , nourishing transparency , accountability and helping to provide the mechanisms for fast and reliable resolution of disputes and promoting access to justice and thereby driving developmental strides and the social order .
The impact on socio- economic development remains heightened , promoting a well functioning legal system that attracts investment , promotes trade , and stimulates economic growth and development , ensuring social justice and development of strong institutions which are essential to a nation’s wellbeing .
These are not without challenges and opportunities to the greater good . It’s relevant to note here that access to justice , the promotion of legal reforms , contributes significantly to socioeconomic development while promoting a more just and equitable society .
Over a century , across Nigeria , the legal profession has faced numerous challenges, especially, under , military rules and dictatorship, particularly where constitutionalism faced the trysts of the supremacy of Decrees and edicts of military juntas , misguided about , it’s role for the greater good , and consequently , creating disillusionments and harrowing experiences, for the country .
Under the atmosphere of strives , fascism, corruption , economic underdevelopment in the 60s through the 90s , the legal profession in Nigeria made great strives to preserve the nation state , Nigeria’s cultural diversities , and customary laws , creating excellence, and attaining heights in which several Nigerians have emerged international jurists, presiding over world courts and driving the development of law and order across the globe .
Nigerian lawyers that have accomplished great strides in the international court of justice includes Taslim Olawale Elias who served as president of ICJ from 1982-1985 who projected a unique perspectives that shaped reforms and international legal jurisprudence .
Another Nigerian jurist is Chike Eboe Osuji who served as president of the international criminal court .
These jurists helped in shaping Nigeria’s legal system and by extension, the rule of law , and the socio economic development of the country .
However , the economic and leadership decline of Nigeria from the late 80s in which lawyers played less politically viable roles has diminished the relevance of the legal profession that’s increasingly challenged by poverty despite their immense contributions to the development of Nigeria .
The legal practitioners remuneration order 2023 , decidedly was to ameliorate the harshness of NIgeria’s economic decline , on the profession threatened by quacks and systemic adaptations to changes .
What remains to be accomplished are the removal of institutional bottlenecks that has emasculated the profession and impoverished legal practitioners across the country .
Nigerian lawyers must get more involved in leadership roles and politics for which they are virtiously suited , to reclaim their position of nobility in the country .

18/01/2022

𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑫𝑶𝑪𝑼𝑴𝑬𝑵𝑻𝑺 & 𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑻𝑰𝑻𝑳𝑬

♦️ 𝑺𝑼𝑹𝑽𝑬𝒀 𝑷𝑳𝑨𝑵
This 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒅𝒐𝒄𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅.

♦️𝑬𝑿𝑪𝑰𝑺𝑰𝑶𝑵
𝑨𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒄𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒈𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒄𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝑪 𝒐𝒇 𝑶 (𝑪𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑶𝒄𝒄𝒖𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒚) 𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆.

♦️𝑮𝑨𝒁𝑬𝑻𝑻𝑬:
𝑨 𝒈𝒂𝒛𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌, 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒈𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒔, 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒐𝒖𝒕, 𝒅𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒅. 𝑨 𝒈𝒂𝒛𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒗𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎.

♦️𝑪𝑬𝑹𝑻𝑰𝑭𝑰𝑪𝑨𝑻𝑬 𝑶𝑭 𝑶𝑪𝑪𝑼𝑷𝑨𝑵𝑪𝒀 (𝑪𝒐𝒇𝑶):
𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒂 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒐𝒄𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 (𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒕), 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝟗𝟗𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔. 𝑨𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒗𝒆, 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕. 𝑨 𝑪𝒐𝒇𝑶 𝒉𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒛𝒆𝒅 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒐𝒄𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅. 𝑨 𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒄𝒄𝒖𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒍, 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒈𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆. 𝑰𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒖𝒔𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝒇𝒊𝒙𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝟗𝟗 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝟐𝟓 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒈𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔.

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝟗𝟗 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔? 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒘, 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒚𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒄𝒄𝒖𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒕 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒔.

*Please note*: there are *kinds* of C of O, there is a *normal* C of O and there is *a Global* C of O and also we have types i.e. Residential, Industrial, Commercial, Agricultural C of O.

♦️𝑮𝑶𝑽𝑬𝑹𝑵𝑶𝑹’𝑺 𝑪𝑶𝑵𝑺𝑬𝑵𝑻
𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒂 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒐𝒄𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒃𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒖𝒚 𝒂 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑪𝒐𝒇𝑶. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒐𝒄𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒄 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔.

♦️𝑫𝑬𝑬𝑫 𝑶𝑭 𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑮𝑵𝑴𝑬𝑵𝑻
𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒂 𝒅𝒐𝒄𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅. 𝑰𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅/𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒚𝒆𝒓; 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒉𝒊𝒔/𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔, 𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒍𝒆𝒔, 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒚𝒆𝒓.

♦️𝑹𝑬𝑪𝑰𝑬𝑷𝑻
𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒐𝒄𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒆𝒅𝒈𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆/𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒖𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒚 𝒉𝒆/𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅. 𝑨𝒔 𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒅𝒐𝒄𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒎 𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒓, 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒔.

♦️ 𝑪𝑶𝑵𝑻𝑹𝑨𝑪𝑻 𝑶𝑭 𝑺𝑨𝑳𝑬
This 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒚𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒖𝒚 𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒚. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕 𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒚.

Thanks for reading.🤝🏽

20/02/2021

Is our job, so don't get mad, get a lawyer.

27/07/2020

*Richter tip: 8 steps for a happy client*

1.Maintain contact – Your client needs information and your assurances.

2. Answer and immediately issue discovery.

3.Engage in aggressive motion practice, as needed – Your client needs to know she is a priority and you need the proper responses to best represent her.

4.Make an early evaluation of liability and potential damages – This is key throughout because your client is attempting to evaluate risk and set reserves.

5.Conduct an early analysis for resolution strategies – Positioning cases for early resolution may not positively affect your billable hours, but your client will be happier and happy clients keep sending work.

6.Present a balanced view of a case’s strengths and weaknesses – Sugarcoating your analysis may lead to false expectations that lead to doubt and mistrust.

7.Provide a proposed budget – Aids in sound decision making.

8.Explain tactics and procedural issues – Your relationship with the client should be collaborative because your interests are aligned.

*Adapted from “Building a Better Law Practice: Become a Better Lawyer in Five Minutes a Day”*

25/07/2020

A Tutorial Lecture On Special Exceptions To The Doctrine of Nemo Dat Quod Non Habet Rule

Date: 23rd July 2020

*Background* :
Nemo Dat Quod Non Habet is a Latin maxim meaning ‘no one can give what he has not’, and it can be found in section *21(1)* of the Sale of Goods Act. As a general rule, it tries to protect the interest of the true owner when it provides that where the goods are sold by a person who is not the owner thereof, and who does not sell them under the authority or with the consent of the owner, the buyer acquires no better title to the goods than the seller has. Usually the sale of goods takes place between a buyer and either the owner of the goods or the owner’s authorised agent. However, there are circumstances in which a seller may purport to sell goods which he does not have any right to sell. For example, if goods are purchased from a person who is not the owner and who does not sell them under owner’s authority, the buyer does not acquire a title to any of the same notwithstanding that he has paid value for the same in good faith.
The object of this rule is to protect the right of ownership, with the right of the original owner retained in event of his possession stolen and sold to an unsuspecting third party; *Bishopsgate Motor Finance Corp. Ltd v. Transport Brakes Ltd (1949), Mohammed. v. Klargester Nigeria Ltd (2002).* In the circumstances that an unauthorized sale is made by a seller without the consent of the original owner, the law has to decide which of two innocent parties to favour: the buyer or the original owner. It is at this stage that the nemo dat quod non habet rule comes into play. The principle rests on a vision of a chain of transactions, and is also related to the principle of “first in time is first in right.” See *Atanda v. Ajani (1989) 3 NWLR (pt. 111) 511, Ogunleye v. Oni* *(1990)*

16/07/2020

*LEGAL BITES*

These are some of the most important law topics for all law exams.
1. Sovereignty
2. Fundamental Rights
3. Doctrine of Severability
4. Doctrine of Eclipse
5. Writs
6. Indemnity and Guarantee
7. Bailment and Pledge
8. Pledge and Mortgage
9. Intention in Crime
10. Law of tort or torts
11. Assault and Battery

Sovereignty

It means a country or a state to be free from external controls. It implies the state with absolute power and free from any kind of dominance. The constitution is the supreme law of the land, but the source of the constitution is “the people of India. Preambleitself declares that it is the resolution of “we the people of India.”

Fundamental Rights

Fundamental rights are available in Part III of the Constitution. These rights are guaranteed to the people of India and few rights only to the citizens. The rights are available against the state. Fundamental rights are also known as constitutional rights, but all constitutional rights are not fundamental rights. Article 13 makes every law null and void to the extent it violates fundamental rights.

Fundamental Rights

Fundamental rights are available in Part III of the Constitution. These rights are guaranteed to the people of India and few rights only to the citizens. The rights are available against the state. Fundamental rights are also known as constitutional rights, but all constitutional rights are not fundamental rights. Article 13 makes every law null and void to the extent it violates fundamental rights.

What is Doctrine of Severability

This doctrine comes into application when the validity of any part of statute or law is in question. It is argued that whether the whole statute should be declared null and void or only that part which violates fundamental rights. The doctrine says that if the invalid part can be separated from the statute, then that part must be severed and declared as void. The whole statute remains valid after severing the invalid part. But if in case the

14/07/2020

*INTERPRETATION OF STATUTE - INTERPRETATION OF STATUTE*: Guiding principles to interpretation of statutes

*GARUBA ABIOYE & ORS. V. SA'ADU YAKUBU & ORS*
*(1991) LPELR-43(SC)*

" _Now it is an accepted principle of interpretation of statutes that statutes which encroach on the rights of a subject, be they personal or proprietary rights, attract strict construction by the courts the implication of that principle is that they are construed fortissime contra preferentes-if possible, so as to respect such personal or proprietary rights."PER BELLO, C.J.N._

*ACT®️*

01/06/2020

*CONDEMN R**E IN TOTALITY AND SEEK JUSTICE FOR VERA UWAILA OMOZUWA...*

By Hrh Valmax Iyke Oliobi.

R**e is one of the most terrible crimes on earth and it happens every few minutes. The problem with groups who deal with r**e is that they try to educate women about how to defend themselves, but fails to do the needful by telling Men to avoid r**e, knowing fully well that r**e is truly evil and inhuman which has several repercussions surrounding the deadly act....

She had just been admitted into the University of Benin to study Microbiology. She was 22. Uwa's dream of becoming a Nurse has now been dashed perpetually by Rapists and Murderers. All she wanted to do was to read in the Redeemed Christian Church of God near her residence, where decorum could be guaranteed.

How easy it is to take a life you had no hand in creating even after ra**ng an innocent girl... What heartlessness dwells in hearts of these ra**sts and killers?

It’s so exhausting to see injustice continue to thrive time after time. Every time we say NOT AGAIN, and then there is a new story. Enough is enough. It’s too disheartening. Justice must be served for the innocent souls we keep on losing.

A ra**st is a MURDERER! You kill the soul. You kill an invaluable essence of life. You create a lifetime filled with horrific memory of your atrocity.

R**e is completely a despicable act without any tenable excuse. It injures not just the body of the survivor but their soul and many times, may break their Spirit. We must strive for a society that makes it safe for women in all spaces and raises better Men for the good of the social society.

It's so heartbreaking to see how far some people would go to dehumanize others for their own sexual urge and satisfaction. As children grow, parents are obligated to give them proper orientations on respecting people's will and not forcing them against it.

According to her sister Judith Omozuwa,

Uwavera had been studying in a "quiet" church near her home (Redeemed C

20/05/2020

If you divorce your wife, you must forfeit your house to her, see the new court rules in Nigeria
https://www.operanewsapp.com/ng/en/share/detail?news_id=bb7e67a3be151c59d3d895d8f5ee2984&news_entry_id=s41ca7c07200308en_ng&open_type=transcoded&request_id=RELATED_NEWS_af4b0911-d5db-4264-ae36-104ed931a189&from=news

DIVORCE YOUR WIFE, FORFEIT YOUR HOUSE TO HER; COURT RULES IN OYO



A woman that has children for her husband and had married him before a house is built has the right to live in the house with her children even after divorce under the provisions of the Married Woman Property Act 1882, a court held on Friday in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The belief that patriarchy is so entrenched in the Nigerian system and women have no rights even under the law has been proved to be an erroneous one, majorly propounded by those ignorant of the rights provided under the law, the court said in a landmark judgement.
The provisions of the *Married Woman Property Act 1882* formed the basis of the pronouncement of the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Munta Abimbola, on Friday in a property suit between a divorced couple, Toyin Arajulu, formerly known as Mrs Toyin James and her former husband, Mr James Monday.
The court held that *“a husband who marries a wife and builds a house during the pendency of the marriage stands the risk of losing that house if he later divorces the woman who had children for him unless such woman, of her own volition, leaves the matrimonial home.”*
Justice Abimbola, while ruling on the matter, emphasised what is known in law as the *“palm tree justice,”* which indicates that it does not matter in whose name the property stands or who pays what (on the property) and in what proportion as determination of such matters transcends all rights, legal or even equitable, but simply what order is fair and just in the circumstances of the case, citing the case of *Home Vs Home (1962) 1 WLR 1124 at 1128.S 17 Married Woman Property Act 1882*, which is a statute of genera

If you divorce your wife, you must forfeit your house to her, see the new court rules in Nigeria - Crime - operanewsapp

08/04/2020

A woman that has children for her husband and had married him before a house is built has the right to live in the house with her children even after divorce under the provisions of the Married Woman Property Act 1882, a court held on Friday in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The belief that patriarchy is so entrenched in the Nigerian system and women have no rights even under the law has been proved to be an erroneous one, majorly propounded by those ignorant of the rights provided under the law, the court said in a landmark judgement.

The provisions of the *Married Woman Property Act 1882* formed the basis of the pronouncement of the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Munta Abimbola, on Friday in a property suit between a divorced couple, Toyin Arajulu, formerly known as Mrs Toyin James and her former husband, Mr James Monday.

The court held that *“a husband who marries a wife and builds a house during the pendency of the marriage stands the risk of losing that house if he later divorces the woman who had children for him unless such woman, of her own volition, leaves the matrimonial home.”*

Justice Abimbola, while ruling on the matter, emphasised what is known in law as the *“palm tree justice,”* which indicates that it does not matter in whose name the property stands or who pays what (on the property) and in what proportion as determination of such matters transcends all rights, legal or even equitable, but simply what order is fair and just in the circumstances of the case, citing the case of *Home Vs Home (1962) 1 WLR 1124 at 1128.S 17 Married Woman Property Act 1882*, which is a statute of general application.

Toyin Arajulu had filed the suit against her ex-husband, Monday James, who she married under Native Law and Customs in 1997 and for whom she had four children.

She claimed that while she was married to him, they had put resources together and