Of all the law teachers and lawyers I learnt the law from, Boss Mustapha was unique in his law practice where I cut my teeth. His office was then the best law chamber in Gongola state; a place where I began my career and learnt skills. Boss Mustapha was so humble in all his court appearances with me as a pupil counsel during my tutelage in his office in Mustapha and Associates on 3rd floor of Bornoma House, Muhammadu Mustapha Way, Jimeta -Yola.
I recall today with nostalgia that any time he stood up to announce his appearance before a judge in court, Boss uttered certain words no other lawyer I know of said in court. Boss gave respect to all judges whether Area Court judge, Magistrate, Shari’a Court of Appeal judges, before Justice Buba Ardo the then Chief Judge or at the Court of Appeal in Jos. wherever I accompanied him as intern, Boss would always announce appearance as follows –
“With humility and respect my lord, my name is Boss Mustapha”.
Any time he stood up to move a motion, oppose one or argue a point of law, Boss repeats “with humility and respect my lord” and then he continued. Before any adjournment, Boss would have uttered these words severally even though as at the time I was in his Chambers, he was the Chairman of NBA Gongola state.
Boss also used hand gestures respectfully as he spoke, a nonverbal behavior that attract a judge’s attention and, I think, sympathy.
I internalised this. I remember when I was with him, any time counsel went to court to move simple application for bail in court and was denied, Boss would ask me to go back to the same court at the next adjourned date, and with the same facts, before the same judge I secured the bail. I did that of course starting with the same words Boss often started with, “with humility and respect my lord my name is Sadiq Ibrahim”. And would repeat these words severally with gesticulations and returned to the office with the accused. Bail granted.
I went to the House of Representatives with this attitude. I always addressed Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara with the words “with humility and respect, Mr. Speaker I rise to move the motion on…” With this, I secured many things for Fufore/Song as I can’t remember a day I raised my hand to speak without Dogara saying “Hon. Sadiq please”. To his credit, Hon. Dogara even added “please” to my name. Since then I have learnt to also add “please” while addressing a person with whom I am co-equal or even my juniors.
I remember one of my neighbors in the sitting arrangement in the House of Representatives chamber ‘dake zolaya na’ [that always teases me]. Anytime I was opportune to speak, my neighbor would whisper to sitting neighbors, often to my hearing, that “Sadiq don bai zaɓi Dogara ba shege yana tuba da wayo” [Sadiq didn’t vote for Dogara but he is stylishly seeking forgiveness] as any time I spoke, I began with “Mr. Speaker with humility and respect my name is Sadiq Ibrahim, I represent Fufore/Song Constituency, I am from the land of beauty, Adamawa”.
Of course ‘ban yi Dogara ba’, [I didn’t vote for Dogara] but for him, my face was one of the most visible on national television among members of the 8th Assembly. And of course I was Boss Mustapha’s most favorite among the Pupil Counsel in his Chambers in Yola where I was an intern. He exposed me to many court appearances at young age for which I shall remain eternally grateful.
Being respectful, speaking with respect and being humble endears one to the hearts of teachers, elders and leaders. It is not sycophantic especially if one can make one’s point in court forcefully but respectfully with all the powers of the law that one can muster.
Even though I didn’t vote for Dogara despite his entreaties to me before the speakership election in which I voted for Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, I ended my tenure in the House of Representatives as the Chairman House Committee on Human Rights in addition to being a member of the ECOWAS parliament.
My law practice in court was short, But I can’t remember when I went to court and failed to bring positive results. Attitude.
Putting the character and integrity of a judge to question by a non lawyer is bad enough. When lawyers, and senior ones for that matter, malign the integrity of a judge, it is sacrilegious. It is very sad that I watch lawyers on television and on social media impugning and insulting the integrity of our judges and even Supreme Court justices. We have lost our values as lawyers since clients are tacitly nodding their heads in approval after putting the character of our judges and justices to suspicion on TV screen, possibly after nocturnal meetings with clients where insultive scripts are rehearsed.
Following this sober observation, I respectfully advise lawyers especially my learned seniors who make veiled reference to the integrity of our Judges and Justices in social media that the Judges and Justices whose characters they impugn are human just like all of us. Showing disrespect to a man or woman before whom you would go and seek for justice for your client and whom you told the whole world that you have no confidence in him, may make him habour some prejudice. He is human. As such he may be judgemental, biased or he may even be hostile and tell you so in his judgement with or without writing so in plain words. He/she is human.
Respect is everything. Some lawyers lose a case because of their attitude. I won many for attitude I learnt from Boss and have won friendship in my dealings lately with many people because of Hon. Dogara. Being belligerent has never helped anybody in any way. And will not help a lawyer especially if his or her chances of winning a case is 50:50.
- Dasin is a former House of Representatives member from Adamawa State
