(Re: “I would Have Voted for Apata If Adesina Were Not Running”)

Dear W. I. Okereke Esq, thank you for coming out to speak for your candidate. Thank you. But, with respect, an aspect of your write-up caught my attention and I couldn’t let go. Said you:
“During the last election I [had] supported a very popular candidate Arthur Obi-Okafor SAN. I was so passionate about his stolen mandate that we urged him to declare himself NBA president and form a parallel Bar…. After the said election, I said to myself if NBA cannot conduct a free, credible and fair election, then there is no need wasting my time in NBA politics. I vowed not to participate in any NBA politics or attend any Conference organized by the instant regime and I have religiously kept to that.”
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My Comment:

1️⃣First, you had joined in urging someone who lost to declare himself the NBA President and form a parallel Bar. Chai! Please, is this what the law said; that when you lose and you passionately believe your mandate was “stolen,” you should declare yourself winner and form a parallel government? Chai chai. Or, was there any court that had declared distinguished Chief Obi-Okafor’s “manate” “stolen?” If no court had so declared, then how did you arrive at the conclusion that he was the winner? I would be interested in knowing, because I thought it was a secret-ballot system of voting. So no one even knew who had voted for him or her. Meanwhile, I think there was a case instituted over the 2018 NBA presidential elections. The claimant was the very respected senior Silk, Arthur Obi-Okafor; you see, after he had rejected your illegal advice to declare himself NBA president, and being a perfect gentleman and honourable man, he had dragged both Usoro, Mahmoud and the NBA to law. Unfortunately, I am sure you’ve heard, the NBA and USORO, SAN, won that case while the claimant lost. Dear sir, can we take this to mean that the mandate you had mistakenly thought was “stolen,” was actually in the hands of the rightful owner (Usoro), unknown to you? Anyway, all these are now past. But, you’ve seen how Mr Usoro’s NBA leadership is transforming NBA and recording real feats?

2️⃣. After the election, you had vowed to no longer attend any NBA Conference, nor participate in NBA politics. This means you did not come for the NBA Conference in 2019? Ohhhhh, my God, you missed something big ooo; the conference was awesome. Please don’t miss NBA conferences again. Meanwhile, please contact me to send you all the papers delivered at the conference (08021365545); they are very incisive. And you are a good writer and advocate who might need them from time to time. But, sir, I have a question for you: AT WHAT POINT DID YOU CHANGE or RENOUNCE YOUR VOW TO NEVER PARTICIPATE IN ANY NBA POLITICS, because this is the very next NBA national Poltics after that one in which you said your candidate’s mandate was “stolen?” I don’t understand; in fact, I am bemused at this tergiversation; you had declared you would no longer participate in any NBA politics in 2018; the next NBA politics would be in 2020. 2020 came and here you’re happily campaigning for your candidate (as it you’d never made the vow) and yet (at the same time) you’re still beating your chest and saying “I vowed not to participate in any NBA politics or attend any Conference organized by the instant regime and I have religiously kept to that.”▪️Dear Sir, have you really kept that promise? But I tell you what, you have made a good choice by returning and participating. It is good to stay with your constituency/people. I am sure you’re happy you’re back into NBA politics. Staying away from NBA politics, which is about who becomes our bar leader, doesn’t augur well for the future of the profession. I am really happy you’re back, I repeat.

My advice:

(a) Don’t be over-confident next time in nba politics, starting from this 2020, so that if your candidate loses, you’d not start thinking it was a “mandate-stolen” issue. Please, I dey beg you ooo, adopt my style; work with BENJAMIN DISRAELI’s words: “Work and hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.” My brother, just work hard and pray for your candidate to win, but prepare your mind that whoever wins is the will of God, so that, in the spirit of sportsmanship, you would be among the first persons to congratulate whoever emerges winner at the end.

(b) Do not be in a haste to make a vow lest you break it later; AS YOU HAVE BROKEN THIS ONE. Please, if your candidate loses this time, don’t be in a haste to promise or vow to leave NBA politics, especially now that it has become clear to you that you keep coming back even after promising yourself and all of us that you’d not. I think you (like I) just love the NBA and its affairs and I don’t think you can keep away from them. Even when you didn’t come for the 2019 in Lagos, I can bet (no be fight ooo) that you had followed the conference on the TV and seen how awesome it was. But, see ooo, brother, are you really telling me you didn’t join the conversations and social interactions on the NBA-AGC 2019 WHOVA app? So many things really happened on WHOVA; a few examples would convince you—- some lawyers got hooked up as parmament life partners (I attended one of such weddings late last year); news law partnerships and associateships were formed and strengthened; new contacts and relationships made; movement and communication or correspondence were seamless; announcements were efficient, and so many more awesome things. Sorry. Thanks to God, you’d call me for the conference papers; I would cease the opportunity to gist you on the many pluses and positives about that conference. We talk on phone. Besides, we’d find out time to sit out for some isi-ewu or point-and-kill or nkwobi, with some cool drinks (the not-costly ones) after these elections, perhaps during another conference. You know this election is just a game; winners would take victory with magnanimity; losers would accept loss in the spirit of sportsmanship,
while the NBA remains ome one indivisible family under one Leadership! Amen ? Meanwhile, please stay steadfast to the NBA; all is well.

Lest I forget, you didn’t mention Dr Babatunde AJIBADE in your article. Anyway, don’t mind me, but I brought up his name just so that you would know that a greater Bar awaits you and I. An accomplished intellectual giant, consummate solicitor and courtroom advocate, excellent diplomat and astute administrator, DR AJIBADE is an NBA idea whose time got ripe in 2020. If not for the fact you’re already elsewhere, I would have suggested you joined #TeamAjibade2020, to inject greater unity into the bar, and grow it to the NextLevel. My brother, no wahala. But note those things I said about Dr AJIBADE; they’re true. There is one I forgot; he is not being sponsored by a godfather (ALL NIGERIAN LAWYERS ARE HIS GODFATHERS & GOD-MOTHERS, collectively), and as such he would not be held down to kowtow to any secret deals with either any individual GodFather and or some regional or other group. Dr AJIBADE would be for all and for none in particular, truly. Watch out, if he wins. I pray he does win. He’ll, by God’s Grace.
Thank you, my brother.
You’rs faithfully,
Sylvester Udemezue
(udems)