DIARY OF AN ADVOCATE- EPISODE 13: (ON CAESAR’S FACE) by Ebi Robert

Isn’t it obvious? How could we have won? Such a profound magic can only be performed on a weak side, and the Ayebanua’s team was not one of such. The result was mentioned and we lost. But it was a well deserved victory to me, because at least, I was able to prove myself once again. 

The dinner night continued as usual with many events taking place. The match had begun before the dinner night of LAWSAN. It’s the culture of Law students to always hold dinner night every academic session. 

After the match, I wasn’t really bothered about mooting. I just embraced everything around me, putting in every amount of seriousness into my academic work, hoping to do better. Initially, I was wondering how I could handle academics and mooting together. That had been the problem encountered by most law students, as far as striking a balance between academics and mooting is concerned. But I was calm seeing that the activities never affected me. My grades were relatively fine, so I continued with it. 

One day, I was walking down the school pathway leading to Block B of the faculty, when I approached the faculty’s notice board and found my name listed as a member of the Faculty Moot and Mock Trial Committee. This was unlike me, I mean viewing the notice board often. The Moot and Mock Trial committee was one of the important, if not the most important committee in the faculty. This is because, lawyers are advocates and it is the committee’s duty to organize moot and mock trial competitions.

 I was delighted to have been counted worthy by the then president of the faculty to be part of the committee. With the appointment, I was sure my days of competing at the faculty level for the inter-chamber moot had ended. It was the ethics that organizers of such competitions are not permitted to appear in any of the moot. It meant only one thing; the previous inter-chamber moot court competition was the first and last I would ever experience at the chamber level.

I was to work under the then student Attorney General, one Jeremiah Suowari. He was an articulate young man near his late thirty’s. I met him and we spoke. We later planned on organizing the chamber competition for the academic session which we eventually did. I drafted the case facts, featuring aspects from company law, Legal method, Legal system, Environmental Law, Petroleum law and the Law of Tort, thereby introducing issues on almost all the levels in the school. The drafted facts were perused by the chairman of the committee as well as the Vice President at that time, Eniye Igbanibo. Eniye had been elected the Vice President with much capacity than it was before. 

Under their watch, the competition was held with winners emerging. As a result of the competition, we observed advocates like, Ebizi Eradiri, Ovie, Angasse Rebecca, Kprake Joshua, etc. I had not only started drafting case facts, I had started coaching as well. Ebizi Eradiri, Joseph Ayebanua and Kprake Joshua had made it as best three advocates and they were picked to represent the Niger Delta University against the Rivers State University of Science and Technology team, on our invitation. The match was held at the banquet wall as usual with no victor emerging. I was happy after all, that, for the first time under our watch, a school was hosted for a moot match. Although the best was expected, the match was a good one to start with. 

Not long after, I was intimated by the school president about an invitation of a moot court competition at the University of Benin. Hula! This was the first of its kind. But the invitation had come at a time when exams were so close, so being our first competition a good team was a sure bet. After consultation, the following persons were selected:

·         Ebi Ambrose

·         Azi Inimotimi

·         John Chris

·         Leonard Epidi

And with me, we were five in numbers. We were to write for and against the issues raised in the hypothetical case facts which we did. The bulk of the workload was on me and it was quite frustrating. I had to endure it all because I wanted the best of myself to come to fruition. I was under pressure, but I had no choice. There was no money for transportation from the school’s account, so we had to work it out ourselves. 

Ebi Ambrose had backed out. He complained that we were to fund ourselves, which ought not to be. But I encouraged him that the school had promised refunding us our money when we return. Yet he refused, saying he wouldn’t go for the journey anymore. I had to borrow some money for the journey. With the absence of Ebi Ambrose, I had to scout for a replacement but it was just so late and time was limited. Going with only four team members was not a problem, only that we would be short of witnesses if we had made it to the finals. So I had to speak with my close friend by then and also one David Alwert, the tall handsome dude. We were about to leave for Benin in the morning when Ebi Ambrose called that same morning that he had changed his mind. It was delighting to have him come back. Sure, life returned to the team and with the five of us set, the journey began.

We arrived at the University of Benin at the evening hours of the day and were lodged at our respective hotels. There we met John O’ Jhon of the Obafemi Awolowo University, also known as the beast. More will be spoken about him later. 

Epidi Leonard recognized him and they had a beautiful hand shake and pleasantries. They had both met at South Africa for the Prof. Manfred Lach Space Moot Court Competition. I was to appear as the lead counsel alongside Epidi Leonard after the lot cast fell on I and Epidi as lead and supporting counsel respectively. The responsibility was a big one but well appreciated because I was arguing beautifully well. I enjoyed the pace because above all things, the invitation were a short one, and with the limited time we had we were able to do our best. Soon, the crew from UNIBEN visited our hostel, and got us interviewed. It was indeed great because I had gone National, something I never dreamt of. Representing my school at the national level was a great achievement at least. My team mates were okay with my performance because indeed I was doing fine. 

Later in the evening, all the school representatives gathered for the casting of lot. There were the likes of the Nnamdi Azikwe University, University of Benin, University of Nigeria, Nssuka, Imo State University, Obafemi Awolowo University, the University of Science and Technology, University of Lagos, etc. The teams’ members met and introduced themselves. The lot was cast and we were to face the University of Lagos. Unilag were shocked at their opponents. They were like: Niger Delta University? What institution is that by the way? I particularly heard one said: “They are a walkover”. I was challenged by that statement and wanted to prove them wrong by all means. The OAU team had no opponent at first, so they were to appear Ex parte save if the Imo State University arrived in the morning. The Imo State University team had failed coming on the day of arrival.

We went back to the hostel and started rehearsing until the day came. We got set for the event and a bus conveyed us to the venue. The judges were supposed to be two in numbers. I guess one was the senior, I mean the one who appeared as the major one. The fat looking judge looked so dark. He was like one who really did not care much. But that was not my business; I had an argument to present. That was the task that occupied my mind. 

Later, the University of Lagos team started their argument. They did excellently well and I was in a way intimidated. But I had to gather myself; because that was the last thing I needed then. I already had a bad preparation and so there was no need worsening the issue. I composed myself when it was our time and started speaking. 

I got to realize that indeed attacks can be so real. I don’t know what happened exactly. I don’t know whether to call it frustration or something else unexplainable. I was just stammering unnecessarily while talking.  It was frustrating, that I was sure something was wrong somewhere. I was kind of cold too and so unstable. It was that bad, very bad. I guess I prayed while arguing at a point and after a while I got my balance back and started speaking well. Time was already not on our side. Soon I observed that the judge was not even listening. While I was talking, he had invited a student from the Unilag team to start taking shot of himself and others. He really did not care. It was just as if he ever liked my face, or perhaps I was just making noise to him. A judge needed to concentrate while an argument was going on, but that was far from it. It was so frustrating, considering that after all the hard work, one man is not even concerned about your effort but the pictures he was taking. Worse still was when he refused me using my own team’s time. It was then I knew, “E don Be”.

We were done arguing already and so ever ready for the results. Unilag had scored 75% and NDU, ….

STAR ADVOCATE OF THE EPISODE- AUGUSTUS CAESAR

Augustus Caesar is a late advocate of the University of Benin. I never saw him argue, neither did I see him face to face, but while in Benin, I saw something like his portrait and when I asked, I was told about one ‘once upon a time advocate’ who made Nigeria proud at the Philip Jess up Moot Court Competition.  Caesar was only 19 years old when he died.

Below are some of my words of eulogy to the great Orator:

“From the Isles of the south, I heard of voices of Caesar in an Inn, breaking the gavels and bending the benches. Although, the earth made her claim, like it shall on our hairy dust, but the fluent voice of Augustus bought, and bravery of thine orator, persist we must.”

[Suspense- In next episode, readers will get to know who won the match]

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