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We Shall Not Forget Yunus Ustaz Usman,SAN

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By Gloria Mabeiam Ballason Esq

It was only eleven days into the year 2024 when seven senior advocates sued the National Judicial Council, Kogi State Judicial Service Commission, Governor of Kogi State and the Attorney General of the state.

The Suit, FHC/Abj/CS/05/2024, sought a declaration that the choice of Mrs. Amina Bello, the then Governor’s wife, was not based on merit but political and ethnic influence. It therefore sought a mandatory order restraining the appointment of new judicial officers until there was compliance with the laws that mandated merit, competence, sound knowledge of the Law, fairness and equity.

The crusade was led by Yunus Ustaz Usman,
who was called to the Nigerian Bar on 30 July, 1983- a legal career that would see him rise to the pinnacle as Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the fifth person in Northern Nigeria to attain the rank.

Mr. Usman led six other learned silks including Messrs Jibrin Okutepa, Patrick Okolo, Abdullahi Haruna, Reuben Atabo, Shuaibu Aruma and Johnson Usman. It was a departure from commentaries and cries for transparency in the process of appointment of Judges in Nigeria as the top brass lawyers moved talk to walk by inviting the Court to define who to wall in and wall out of the hallowed height of presiding and deciding the affairs and fate of men.

My earliest close interaction with Yunus Ustaz Usman SAN was when Olumuyiwa O. Olowokure Esq, former chairman of the Kaduna Bar, requested that I serve in a Law week committee he was presiding over. O.O. was not the kind of person you turned down. He and the erstwhile Director of Public Prosecutions, Gamaliel Byang Kore Esq, were my first guests on my law radio show and had both graciously accepted to serve on the Medico-Legal Board at House of Justice. Sadly, they both passed away few years apart.

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Usman, SAN went over and beyond our committee’s request and solely sponsored the visit to the orphanage and attended the event in person after Jumat prayers. Holding one of the babies, he encouraged the forlorn orphans to keep faith and offered to be their earthly father reminding them that their future was secured as God was already their heavenly father. You know, it is one thing to give gifts but to offer one’s self to bear the weight of strangers, is a higher form of humanity.

Usman SAN, lived in that higher realm with his reputable philanthropy of providing scholarship to indigent students, feeding the hungry, donating to causes and often being a top contributor in cash and knowledge to the Nigerian Bar particularly the Kaduna Branch where he was the Leader.

Speaking of leadership, he moved it from adjective to verb. It was the point of my more personal connect with him:

Sometime in 2018, Professor Ernest Ojukwu, SAN joined the race to lead Africa’s biggest legal bar. It coincided with a time when Nigerians who voted President Muhammadu Buhari had resigned from the initial messianic esteem they held him to. There was hence the need to mitigate the leadership deficit by having a Nigerian Bar that would not only be alive to its core mandate of promoting the rule of law but could save whatever was left of Nigeria’s free fall.

Of the three candidates: Professor Ernest Maduabuchi Ojukwu SAN, Arthur Obi Okafor SAN and Paul Usoro SAN, my choice was the silked professor. He was not only the Deputy Director General of Agbani campus of the Nigerian Law School where he had taught me, but his record with clinical legal education, drive for innovation, aversion for convention and commitment to judicial reforms had sufficiently won me over.

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Prof. Ojukwu was also Mr. Usman’s choice but a bloc of the leadership rooted for a different candidate. Although he was the leader of the Kaduna Bar, he was never one to browbeat or overawe lawyers into a decision. He understood agency and respected it.

Usman led Ojukwu’s campaign along with other senior lawyers in Kaduna state like Oladipo Tolani, SAN, Femi Morohundiya (now deceased) and Mark Jacob Nzamah Esq, a former Attorney General of the state. He didn’t stop there; he directed the use of my House of Justice office as the state campaign office and situation room, attended meetings and funded the activities of our candidate’s campaigns – a testament to his humility, ability to be his own man and to disagree without being disagreeable.

During the reign of Nasir Elrufai as ‘Emperor of Kaduna state’, I was perpetually in a legal odyssey advocating and litigating against the myriad abuse of power and violations of rights by the Governor. Usman SAN would often encourage me to keep the fight on with sustained courage and hope. As further support, he went on to submit my curriculum vitae to the Independent National Electoral Commission so I could be included in their legal team and although I was not retained, the magnanimity of this amiable leader tugged at my heartstrings.

Of the kindness I received from him, perhaps none would endure as the gift of his daughter, my gorgeous friend, Nana, whose heart is as generous and kind like her father’s. I hope that along with her big brother, Abdulmutallab and her sister Sadiya all of whom are lawyers, they are able to carry forward the justice ideals their father stood for.

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Yunus Ustaz Usman SAN died on 11 September, 2024 – 9 months after the date they filed the case against the politicization of not only his home state’s judiciary but Nigeria’s as a whole. For those who knew him, judicial integrity was often his recurring subject of discourse. He understood that true freedom requires the rule of law and a judicial system in which the rights of some are not secured by the denial of rights to others. In his honour, the Nigerian Bench and Bar must recommit to ensuring justice satisfies the appearance of justice and judicial integrity becomes a state interest of the highest order.

Thank you Yunus Ustaz Usman, SAN for your time, service and leadership. Although the earth is poorer with your passing, history’s vault is richer with your legacy and we shall not forget you.

_*Gloria Mabeiam Ballason Esq is the Principal Partner MIVE LEGALS and the C.E.O. of House of Justice. She may be reached at gloriaballason@houseofjusticeng.com*_

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LP Chairmanship Crisis: Abure Can Still Seek For Re-Election – Ogene

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Honourable Afam Ogene, the leader of the Labour Party caucus in the House of Representatives, has voiced concerns over the alleged interference by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), claiming it is backing Julius Abure to deepen divisions within the opposition.

Julius Abure, who has faced immense pressure over his contested position as National Chairman, now finds himself at the heart of a political storm. While the Supreme Court nullified the Court of Appeal’s earlier recognition of Abure, the resulting confusion has only widened the rift within the party.

Speaking during a televised interview on Wednesday, Honourable Afam Ogene made it clear that, despite being removed from office following the Supreme Court’s decision, Julius Abure still has the opportunity to contest again for the role of National Chairman provided he follows the appropriate electoral procedures.

“His removal doesn’t equate to an expulsion from the party,” Ogene remarked. “If he wishes to return as chairman, he is free to do so, but it must be done in line with the Labour Party’s constitutional framework beginning from the ward level up to the national.”

Ogene accused the ruling for strategically supporting Abure in order to sow discord within the Labour Party, a move he believes is calculated to destabilise the opposition ahead of future elections.

“The All Progressives Congress is not a neutral observer here. There’s strong evidence pointing to their involvement in this internal crisis, aimed at weakening our structure from within,” Ogene stated, without mincing words.

The key Labour Party figures, on Wednesday, including its 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti, supported the formation of a caretaker committee. The committee, chaired by former Finance Minister Senator Nenadi Usman, is expected to take over the reins of the party and guide it through this challenging period.

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The formation of the committee was announced during the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.

The high-profile gathering included prominent party stakeholders such as Obi’s running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, various senators, and Labour Party members of the House of Representatives.

Despite Abure’s faction still occupying the party’s national headquarters, Ogene assured that this would soon change. He confirmed that steps are already underway to reclaim the secretariat through legal and peaceful means, affirming the Labour Party’s commitment to due process.

“In a matter of days, the legitimate leadership will take control of the party’s secretariat. There’s no need for chaos—we’re acting within the law,” Ogene stated confidently.

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China begins new 84% tariffs on U.S. imports

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China officially commenced the implementation of its planned retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods on Thursday, imposing an additional 84 per cent duty on imports from the U.S.

The move came after Washington escalated its trade pressure, with U.S. President Donald Trump announcing on Wednesday a new plan to raise tariffs on Chinese imports even further to 125 per cent.

Chinese officials have however rejected the U.S. approach, accusing Washington of blackmail and pledging to resist pressure in the ongoing trade dispute.

As tensions rise with the U.S, China is reaching out to other partners.

On Tuesday, Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao had a phone call with EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič to discuss issues including enhancing China-EU economic ties.

According to a Chinese statement, Wang criticised the U.S. tariff strategy as harmful to global trade and urged cooperation to uphold the rules-based multilateral system.

It added that China and the EU agreed to start talks on market access and improving the business environment for companies.

China has remained one of the EU’s most important trading partners.

In 2024, it was the bloc’s third-largest export destination and its top source of imports.

However, the EU continued to run a significant trade deficit with China, which last year stood at around 300 billion euros (329 billion dollars).

Meanwhile, tariffs for some other countries have been temporarily suspended.

So far, Beijing has not responded to the latest U.S. measures. (dpa/NAN)

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Japa Syndrome: Invest On The Youths Before It’s Too Late – Adesina

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In recent years, a significant trend has emerged in Nigeria and across the African continent the mass emigration of young professionals, commonly referred to as the ‘Japa’ phenomenon.

This surge in migration, largely driven by the pursuit of better opportunities abroad, has been described as a “huge loss” for both Nigeria and Africa at large.

Speaking in a televised interview, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) highlighted the critical need for meaningful investment in Africa’s youth to transform what should be a demographic advantage into economic growth.

Africa boasts over 465 million young people between the ages of 15 and 35 a figure that should be a source of strength. According to Adesina, this youthful population represents a potential powerhouse for development if harnessed correctly. “Our youth bulge should be our greatest asset,” he stressed.

But without adequate investment in human capital development, education, and job creation, this population could become a burden rather than a benefit.

Instead of creating an environment that fosters innovation and entrepreneurship, many governments have defaulted to short-term empowerment schemes that lack substance. “Young people don’t need token gestures. They need real capital to bring their ideas to life,” Adesina emphasised.

The former Nigerian Minister of Agriculture was firm in his stance that African youth are not looking for handouts. What they truly need is access to funding, support structures, and confidence in their abilities. Many of these young individuals already possess the skills, ideas, and entrepreneurial spirit necessary to build thriving businesses. But without financial backing, these ideas remain dormant.

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“What is required is not a monthly stipend or a one-off grant,” he argued. “What they need is venture capital, support to scale, and a system willing to take risks on them.”

Traditional banking systems across Africa, Adesina noted, are simply not designed with young entrepreneurs in mind.

“The current financial model fails our youth,” said Adesina candidly. With limited access to credit, high interest rates, and a lack of tailored financial products, African youth often find themselves locked out of the very systems that should be supporting them. “We should not be surprised they’re leaving,” he continued. “We’ve not created the conditions for them to thrive here.”

The mass migration of talent the so-called ‘Japa’ trend represents a transfer of potential economic value from Africa to the developed world. “You’re turning your demographic dividend into someone else’s advantage,” Adesina warned.

The African Development Bank has taken strategic steps to address these challenges by launching the Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank, a bold initiative designed to bridge the financial gap for young innovators.

The bank recently approved $100 million to establish the Nigerian Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank, aiming to mobilise $2 billion in investment for more than 38,000 youth-led businesses across the continent. The goal is simple but ambitious: to transform Africa’s youth from job seekers into job creators.

This initiative underscores the AfDB’s commitment to long-term economic development through sustainable, youth-focused strategies. “If we don’t invest in them now,” Adesina cautioned, “who will pay the taxes in the future? Who will fuel economic growth?”

Africa cannot afford to neglect its youth. The continent must stop exporting its potential and start nurturing it. The loss of talent through migration not only weakens local economies but also undermines Africa’s ability to shape its future.

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“We must believe in our youth,” he insisted. “Their future doesn’t lie in Europe, America, or Asia. It lies here in Africa – but only if we create the right conditions.”

Adesina drew parallels with countries like China and India, whose massive populations have been harnessed for economic transformation. Africa, he believes, can follow suit, but only if it focuses on skills development, job creation, and social protection.

With rising global trade barriers and a shift toward inward consumption, Africa must start treating its own population as a key driver of GDP. “Young people with jobs and income will spend. That consumption fuels local businesses and strengthens the economy.”

While the ‘Japa’ trend continues to grow, there remains a window of opportunity. By reversing the brain drain and channelling resources into Africa’s burgeoning youth population, the continent can turn this exodus into a comeback story. It’s time to turn Africa’s youth bulge into a beacon of prosperity, not a missed opportunity

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