₦airaland Forum

• MADUKA ONYISHI, MADUKA UNIVERSITY AND OTHERS DRAGED TO COURT OVER FAMILY LAND.
• The Amolu-Uwani Family of Ekwegbe Igboetiti Local Government Area of Enugu State has dragged Maduka Onyishi, the owner of Maduka Univerity and Peace Mass Transit to the Enugu State High Court over the family land matter. Copies of the writ of summons and motion on notice for Injunction currently pending at the Ogbede Division of the state High Court in suit No OG/06/2024 filed on 26th March 2024, as obtained by our correspondent listed the following as the 3rd -5th Defendants respectively, SAMUEL MADUKA ONYISHI, REGISTEERED TRUSTEES OF SAMUEL MADUKA ONYISHI FOUNDATION, MADUKA UNIVERSITY MANAGEMENT BOARD among other Defendants. The reliiefs sought by the Plaintiffs in the said writ among others prayers include :
• "A DECLARATION that the Amolu-Uwani family in Amudu village, Ekwegbe, Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area, Enugu State, comprising of 9 sub-families: Umu Attama, Umu Mbeke, Umu Edeoga, Umu Ugwuidogwu, Umu Ugwu, Umu Ezugwu, Umu Ele, Umu Agbo and Umu Gugu who are the deem holders of right of occupancy/ owners of the large expanse of land contained in the Sketch No 60/2022; Plan no HOU/EN/17/2022 measuring an area 377513.464sqm situate at Ugwu Udelle Agu Ekwegbe in Igbo Etiti LGA of Enugu State, has not shared the said Large expanse of land amongst the members of the Amolu-Uwani family and thus no member of the family can validly claim any portion of the said land nor sale, alienate nor enter an agreement for the sale or alienation of any such portion of the said land which by further description is bordered in the North direction by Obara Stream, the natural boundary between Opi Agu and Agu Ekwegbe , bordered in the East by land originally owned by the Amaezi family, now belonging to Dr. Dan. Shere, bordered in the West by the land belonging to Egbogu family, bordered in the South-West by Umuagogwu kindred’s land and bordered in the South by lands originally belonging to the Umunwogodo kindred.(the said bordering land which originally belong respectively to the Umunwogodo, Umuagogwu, Egbogu (Amairagu), and Ezemararua families are now owned by the 3rd Defendant) .
• "A DECLARATION that the Plaintiffs being the principal members of the Amolu-Uwani family, their consent are required for any valid alienation or transaction of the said land or any part of the said land.
• " A DECLARATION that the agreement signed by the 1st and 2nd Defendant to sell or alienate any part of the said Amolu-Uwani family land to the 3rd Defendant without the consent of the Plaintiffs who are the principal members of the family is invalid, null and void.
• "AN ORDER OF COURT restraining the 3rd to 5th Defendant, either by themselves or though their agents or privies from entering any part of the said Amolu-Uwani family land without the consent of the Plaintiffs for the purpose of carrying out any fencing, excavation, building, construction, development or tampering with the said land in any manner howsoever.
• On 27th March 2024 when the suit came up before the presiding Judge Hon Justice C.A Ogbabor for mention, Counsel to the Plaintiffs Ikechukwu Maximus Ugwuoke Esq moved a motion for substituted service of the processes in the suit on the Defendants. The said motion was granted and the case was adjourned to 30th May 2024 for Motion on Notice.
• Narrating the trajectory of facts leading to the suit in their Statement of Claim, the Plaintiffs stated among other things that
• “ the said Amolu-Uwani family land holds deep historical and spiritual significance for the family. According to their traditions, the land which was occupied by their ancestors from time immemorial serves as "Ala Oluwa", a sacred resting place for deceased members of the family. This belief is further reinforced by the custom that prohibits both male family heads (Onyishi Amolu-Uwani) and married female members of the family from visiting the land. Consequently, the land is being revered and protected for generations.
• “In 2017, one Dr. Dan. Shere offered to purchase the land. However, his proposal was politely declined by the Plaintiffs due to the aforementioned cultural and spiritual attachment of the family to the said land.. Around the same time, the 3rd Defendant also expressed interest in acquiring the land as part of land for his Private University which he superintends under his 4th and 5th Defendant establishments but he received the same response from the Plaintiffs. However, the 3rd Defendant did not want to take no for an answer from the Plaintiffs, Instead, driven by desperation, he devised various ploys to divide the family members and manipulate them into agreeing with him to sell the land the land to him.
• “that despite the family's resistance to a meeting with the 3rd Defendant, the 3rd Defendant persisted and eventually secured a meeting sometime between 2017 and 2019 with the Plaintiffs. There at the meeting, the Plaintiffs’ family stood their ground that they would not sell the land. In an attempt to placate the family, the 3rd Defendant wheedled them with a promise: either to buy a cow for appeasement of the family land, or to purchase another piece of land somewhere else as a replacement. Still in an attempt to persuade the family, he told them that a man can sell anything he owns, even emphasizing that he (the 3rd Defendant) could sell everything he owns except his wife and children. However, the Plaintiffs’ family who would not give into his logic, responded to him that their attachment to the said land is akin to his devotion to his love for his wife and children. Exiting the meeting hall in a dramatic huff, the 3rd Defendant issued a final threat: “Mark my words, in less than a decade, this family will be crawling back to me, begging me to buy the land!"
• “That just months after the contentious meeting, the Ekwegbe Youth intervened and prevented the 3rd Defendant from fencing off a large portion of the land. Undeterred, he attempted to acquire the land through the official channels by reporting the Plaintiffs’ family to the Ekwegbe General Assembly, claiming the family obstructed development of the Community. At a subsequent meeting convened by the General Assembly at the late Igwe N.B.T Ezeani's Palace, both parties presented their cases. Finally, the General Assembly advised the 3rd Defendant to respect the Plaintiffs’ family's clear decision and cease attempt to acquire the land. In spite of the advice, the 3rd Defendant continued pressing the Plaintiffs’ family for the land
• “ that notwithstanding the above resolution, the 3rd Defendant successfully persuaded 1st Defendant to collaborate with 2nd Defendant to execute a temporary sale agreement of part of the said land to him. Both 1st and 2nd Defendants signed a document outlining the terms and acknowledging a partial payment of 5 million naira, serving as evidence of their arrangement. The family considers this deal dishonest. The Plaintiff pleads and shall found on a copy of the said agreement and hereby give the said Defendants to produce the original copy.
• “The Plaintiffs state that from the beginning, the 3RD Defendant was informed that the land was not for sale. Furthermore, as a native of Nsukka familiar with its customs, the 3rd Defendant should be aware that, even if the land were available, the 1st and 2nd Defendants who are the young men the 3rd Defendant dealt with lacked the authority to sell the land or any part of it without the elders consent. Moreover, the agreed price of 400 thousand naira per plot significantly undervalues the land, which would be worth at least 3.5 million naira per plot if it were on the market.

Ikechukwu Maximus Ugwuoke, National Welfare Secretary Aspirant of Nigerian Bar Association received a thunderous ovation from members of the Unity bar, the Abuja Branch of NBA when he informed them that he is also known as "Hakuna Matata" during his introduction and greetings to the bar at the branch meeting held on 12th May 2022.
Fielding answers to the questions from newsmen who interviewed him on why he is called Hakuna Matata after the meeting Ugwuoke said: "Well, the words ‘Hakuna Matata' are etymologically Swahili language which means 'no worries; be happy'.
"Hakuna Matata seems to have taken over my proper names amongst my friends and acquaintances. It all started about ten years ago when the spiritual director of Adoration Ministry Enugu, Rev Fr Ejike Mbaka delivered one of his sermon titled 'Hakuna Matata' during one of his ministry's programme in Enugu in 2012. That year, I was to contest the office of the social secretary of the NBA of my branch , the Enugu Branch. I so much cherished the title and content of the sermon that I used it as the heading of the Campaign poster I printed for the election. On the day of the election I also came to the branch election venue with a box that has the inscription 'Hakuna Matata' on its sides. During my introduction before the voting started, I informed the members of the branch that all I wanted to achieve if elected as the social Secretary of the branch then was to make them happy and forget their worries and that the packages I have for this were inside the Hakuna Matata box I was holding. Of course, it was fun and the mother of my manifestoe that made me win the election. From that point on, all the lawyers in the branch who didn't know me before then started calling me Hakuna Matata. Initially I was worried that it was taking over my proper name such that if someone is asking most lawyers about me in Enugu and you mention my proper name Ikechukwu Maximus Ugwuoke only few lawyers would agree they know me, but just mention Hakuna Matata and almost all will tell you 'yes we know him'. Fr Mbaka seems to have popularized the name the more as he too has continued to address me as Hakuna Matata till date instead of my proper name.
My regime as social secretary of the branch was really an Hakuna Matata regime for the lawyers with lots of stress- relieving programs we had then for lawyers some of which included, walk for life, getting comedians to liven the branch dinner etc.
'Originally the name of the law firm I founded about that time was 'El-Maximus Ugwuoke & Co, breakthrough Partners '. But due to my popularity with the name Hakuna Matata, I had to add 'Hakuna Matata Chambers' to the firm's name during its registration to reflect my identity.
Ugwuoke further narrated. “At the last Enugu monthly Bar meeting when I informed the branch of my submission of Nomination form for the position of the National Welfare Secretary of NBA, one senior lawyer Okwuliehe Esq asked me about the Hakuna Matata Box. I simply told him that the content of the box has been reviewed to encapsulate the Maximum Welfare which is my vision for the NBA that will be unsealed at National level of the bar when the time comes. He could not contain his laughter"
Ugwuoke commended the unity bar for the privilege they give him during the meeting to address them and interact with the members of the branch who gave him a good treat during the meeting.

Frontline Aspirant to the office of National Welfare of Nigerian Bar Association, Ikechukwu Maximus Ugwuoke is making a case for the upgrade of the welfare of Legal Practitioners in the Nigeria Police Force. He argued that they deserve better welfare treatment in the Force than they have now. In a statement he made available to newsmen he said that during his consultations with Lawyers in the various branches of NBA in Lagos, Abuja and other places he has visited so far, he has realized that lawyers in the Nigeria police force are facing a very sorry situation in terms of their welfare and ranks.
In his words, he said "I was chocked to gather that some lawyers in the Police Force are still at the rank of Corporal or Sergeant or Inspector cadres which are third, fourth and fifth lowest rank in Nigeria Police in ascending order. I was also amazed that other professional like medical doctors are given the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP), which is the third rank in the Senior Officers Carde in ascending order, at the point of their entry. This situation should not be. The Bar Part 2 Programme, which is mandatory for Legal practitioners in Nigeria, is a post graduate course and legal practitioners in the Force should not be treated like this. This debased entry ranking or generally degrading ranking of legal practitioners in the Force reflects on their welfare package, recognition and remunerations as lawyers in the Force. The result of this is the lack of interest by legal practitioners to join the Force and a handful of those who have joined (some of whom I know) are resigning from the Force to join private practice and to pursue their careers elsewhere.”
Ugwuoke maintained that there is no doubts that there is the need for NBA through its welfare body and drivers to engage Nigeria Police Force to upgrade the ranking and welfare of lawyers in the Force commensurate to their work, productivity and comparable to their other professional peers in the Force. He said that approach will reduce the dearth of legal practitioners in the Force and increase productivity of the entire Police Forces in terms of prosecution of cases in court. He pointed out that the degrading treatment to lawyers in the Force could be the cause of using non-lawyers police prosecutors in the trial of capital offenses in Magistrate courts and possibly one major reason for the holding charge in the criminal Justice system which has been used to remand many suspect in the awaiting trial of correctional facilities in Nigeria.
According to him, "Even when non-lawyer police prosecutors have good cases to present in court but had to face a legal practitioner on the defense side, your guess is as good as mine. All this makes it imperative that the welfare of lawyers in the Police Force need to be priotized and enhanced to encourage them to remain in the Force and deliver their services diligently. It is high time the Nigerian Bar Association which is the parent body that should advocates for the welfare of lawyers in Nigeria began to engage the Nigeria police force and the Police Service Commissions to enhance the welfare of Lawyers in the Police Force. This is part of the focus of the NBA of my dream and my priority" he said.

Ikechukwu Maximus Ugwuoke, frontline aspirant to National Welfare Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association, has described lawyers are True Nation builders. He made this observation in his commendation message to Ikorodu Branch of NBA in their ongoing law week programme themed "Nation Building: Our collective responsibility ".
According to Ugwuoke, "The theme of the Law week reminds me of the popular poem of Henry Barlow (Uganda) titled "Building the Nation" and the very first stanza of the poem that reads:
'Today I did my share In building the nation. I drove a Permanent Secretary to an important, urgent function in fact, to a luncheon at the Vic'
In the same vein, I joined the Ikorodu Branch of the NBA to do our own share of building the nation. I was privileged to be part of the activities of the first day of their law week taking place from 11th to 16th of May 2022. I was privileged to witness their press conference, I interacted with the executives of the branch and the branch Fida executives. I also participated in their road walk against domestic violence. The placards used during the road walk which read 'NBA say no to drug abuse, NBA say no to Pornography, NBA say no to Domestic Child Labour' etc were used to drive the messages home as we walked round the streets of Ikorodu.
Lawyers are indeed true nation builders; their contributions to nation building through their services to the nation are unequalled. This is underscored in the following words of Fred Rodell; 'It is the lawyers who run our civilization for us — our governments, our business, our private lives. Most legislators are lawyers; they make our laws. Most presidents, governors, commissioners, along with their advisers and brain-trusters are lawyers; they administer our laws. All the judges are lawyers; they interpret and enforce our laws. There is no separation of powers where the lawyers are concerned. There is only a concentration of all government power — in the lawyers.'
I am grateful to the Adimbola Ojedokun led executive of the branch of NBA and the Chairman of the law week committee Rotimi Ogunleye and a host of other members of the branch who turned out enmass to join in the branch week long activities of building the nation.

Ikechukwu Maximus Ugwuoke, a leading aspirant for the office of National Welfare of the Nigeria Bar Associaton has identified lack of routine health checks by lawyers as one of the major causes of untimely death for lawyers. He made this observation in his commendation message to the Lagos branch of the NBA that held their monthly meeting yesterday which he participated in. In his message Ugwuoke said:
"It was my great pleasure to have participated in Lagos Branch meeting of the NBA held on 9th of May 2022. The Ikechukwu Uwana led executive of the branch was in control all through the meeting which was punctuated with incisive lectures. The health check on members during the meeting which I also witnessed portrays the premium and level of attachment the branch has for the health of her members, a gesture from welfare committee of the branch which indeed excited me for being in line with the NBA of my dream. I charge other branches of the bar to emulate such program of health checks for members during the Branch meeting which is part of the vision I have the bar. This is imperative as Lawyers are prone to some illnesses resulting from the stress associated with the profession and yet they are always too busy to subject themselves to routine health checks. This has resulted to avoidable untimely death of some members of the profession.
The atmosphere of conviviality and fraternal deco that enveloped the curtail party which followed the end of the meeting was impressive and this afforded me the opportunity to meet, connect and network with friends and colleagues at the meeting. I thank the branch for such privilege I had during the meeting.

Frontline aspirant to the office of National Welfare Secretary of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Ikechukwu Maximus Ugwuoke has commended the NBA Ikeja Branch for the qualities that make them the Tiger Bar.
Ugwuoke made the observation in his greeting to the Branch during their monthly meeting held yesterday. In his words,
"I thank the Ikeja Branch of the NBA ably led by Bartholomew Aguegbodo Esq for the opportunity given to me to address the members of the branch and interact with them during their monthly meeting held on 9th May 2022 at the branch Secretariat Ikeja. I seized the opportunity to inform the members of the branch that I have successfully submitted my nomination form for the office of National Welfare Secretary of the NBA. I also informed them that what informed my decision to take the step was the good vision I have for the bar which has made some members of the bar to refer to me as Maximus for Maximum Welfare, and which vision I will be sharing with them when the right time for campaign comes.
I was particularly touched by the case of police brutality and ordeal of a lawyer from Oji River Branch of NBA in Ikeja which formed part of the chairman's remarks during the meeting . My concern for the report was not only because the Oji River bar is a child of the Enugu Bar where I come from but also because I am a lawyer of human right breed who apart from being a support Lawyer to an international Human Rights NGO, Avocats Sans Frontieres France (ASFF) a.k.a Lawyers without Borders, I am also serving my branch as alternate chairman of the human rights committee. I commend the Chairman of Ikeja Branch for the steps they are taking in the circumstance.
The issue of brutality on lawyers in the course of their work by security agents calls for a common concern to all and I have a vision of how we can put this to a stop as part of my manifesto which I will be unveiling at the appropriate time.
I was impressed by the massive turn out of members at the meeting, the rich magazine-like package of the minutes of their meetings, the orderly recording of attendance according to call categories of members, the issues discussed during the meetings and the general conduct of her members which indeed qualified the Ikeja branch as the Tiger Bar."

I wish to extend my heartfelt greeting to all workers in Nigeria particularly Nigerian Lawyers . Lawyers in Nigeria are special breed carved out as ministers in the temple of Justice. Elbert Hubbard, American writer
(1856-1915) once said "One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary
men. No machine can dothe work of one extraordinary man". To this I add that the members of the Nigeria bar are extraordinary gentlemen and no machine can do the works they do in their practice areas. In their daily strives to meet the demands of the profession, I urge them to be conscious of their health and the stress associated with their works. The health and happiness of all Nigerian lawyers are topnotch in the Hakuna Matata regime of the NBA of my dream and this is encapsulated in the trending mantra and slogan ' Maximus for Maximum Welfare' which I stand for. Welcome to the month of May and happy workers' day.

Ikechukwu Maximus Ugwuoke Esq
(a.k.a Hakuna Matata)
Fmr Social Sec. NBA Enugu Branch.

"The challenge of a young lawyer anywhere should be a thing of concern to all"- Maximus Ugwuoke Lauds Afam Osigwe SAN, Mogbo SAN.
Ikechukwu Maximus Ugwuoke , front line aspirant to the office of National Welfare Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has noted that the challenges that young lawyers face in legal practice are facts known to virtually all senior lawyers in Nigeria many of who passed through same challenges in their early days of practice.
He regretted that it is unfortunate that many successful senior lawyers tend to either forget to render assistance to young lawyers or concentrate only on the welfare of the young lawyers that are working under them. He surmised that this should not be so. He made this observation while reacting to the opening of application for Afam Osigwe SAN Courtroom Mail Prize For Young Lawyers. According to Ugwuoke, “The challenge of one young lawyer anywhere should be a thing of concern to all. The young lawyers of today are the Senior Lawyers of tomorrow and their welfare need to be taken care of so that they can realize their aspirations. Many young lawyers face situational challenges that make them vie off the track in a bid to survive.
The kind of foundations laid for young lawyers will determine the kind of Senior Lawyers they would grow to become. Senior Lawyers in Nigeria by the special privilege they enjoy in the bar are highly priced in the profession. By that privilege they handle most juicy briefs that make them financially viable. We know the legal profession is like a wine, it gets better as it gets older. It would not be a bad idea for Successful Senior lawyers and member of the inner bar to set up a trust fund for the welfare of young lawyers.
They could set out a specific sum of money that every successful senior is expected to be contributing to the trust fund annually as part of their support for the growth of the younger ones. Funds from such Trust funds could be used to pay monthly stipends to all young lawyers of less than 7 years post call irrespective of their place of practice. This gesture will go a long way in cushioning the effects of the hardship young lawyers are subjected to. Some professions like the medical profession have a system that rewards their new entrants during their houseman-ship programmes and internship programs.
No doubts some senior advocates and senior lawyers are doing their best for young lawyers and that is quite commendable. I was delighted to learn of the recent opening of application for Afam Osigwe SAN Courtroom Mail Prize for Young Lawyers.
I am also aware that earlier this year a member of the inner bar in Enugu, Mogbo SAN paid the practicing fees for all young lawyers from all the branches of NBA in Enugu State. Such gestures are highly encouraging to young lawyers. More of such gestures are expected from very senior members of the bar and more especially the Senior Advocates of Nigeria towards encouraging the young lawyers", he said.

I join the legal community and the rest of the world to commiserate with the family of Dr Monday Onyekachi Ubani, a renowned human rights activist, a past 2nd Vice President of Nigerian Bar Association and the current Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) over the death of his father Pa Ubani who died a centenarian at a ripe age of 101 on 3rd January, 2022. As the remains of pa Ubani is being laid to rest today, the 21st April 2022, I pray for the repose of his soul and for God's strength upon the family to bear the loss.
I also welcome the members of the legal community that will be attending the burial from all over the country to the Eastern zone of the NBA and pray for God's protection upon them as they return.

A frontline aspirant of national position of Nigerian Bar Association, Ikechukwu Maximus Ugwuoke has commended the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) for adopting a new scale of fees for Ghanaian Lawyers and urge the current leadership of the Nigeria Bar Assocation (NBA) ably led by Olumide Akpata to follow suit without further delay in adopting a new scale of fees for the NBA.
Ugwuoke made this appeal in his reaction to the recent news report of the adoption of new scale of fees by Ghanaian Bar Association.
In his words; “I am aware that the the NBA President set up a committee in March 2021 with a mandate to devise feasible ways of improving the poor remuneration of Nigerian lawyers. The committee was tasked among others, with the responsibility of designing an enforceable framework, under which lawyers will charge the right fees for their legal services using acceptable metrics.
“I am also aware that early this year, the said committee had submitted their recommendations to the President of the NBA who had promised to submit the recommendation of the said committee to the National Executive Committee of NBA. And this was the last we have heard of this issue.
“I am particularly happy that the President of the NBA had noted that Standardisation of fees and poor remuneration of legal practitioners in Nigeria are probably two of the most controversial issues that successive administrations of the NBA have faced, but not necessarily addressed holistically.
“Consequently I urge his administration to do all it can to address these issues decisively at this time in spite of the limited left of their tenure so that the good efforts they had put into this all-important issue of welfare of Nigerian lawyers would not have been in vain. His administration has done well in so many areas and their decisive action on this would be maximizing the welfare of Nigerian lawyers and be adding more feathers to the cap of his administration..
” Nigerian Lawyers are not immune to the hard economic realities bedeviling our dear country. Lack of standardization of fees and poor remunerations for legal services have continued to rob lawyers in Nigeria the opportunity of earning befitting fees from their legal services . The young lawyers are the worst hit.
“The members of the bar have been waiting for the NBA to act on these issues in spite of it’s complexities.
“The recent adoption of new scale of fees by the Ghanian Bar Assocation should be a source of encouragement to NBA that this milestone is also achievable with the Nigeria Bar Assocation.” he said.