Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu, on Sunday decried the greed for money among the citizens as well as early rush for campaign for 2023 poll by some politicians when the incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari, is yet to even spend one year of his second term in office, declaring that Nigeria as a country needed prayers and be closer to God to move on.
Oba Akiolu showed his displeasure while speaking at the Thanksgiving Reception for one of the country’s foremost lawyers, Ebun- Olu Adegboruwa, who recently bagged the title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
This was as the monarch and other prominent Nigerians in attendance, including judges, traditional rulers and white cap chiefs, clerics, among others eulogised Adegboruwa, describing him as a thorough bred, very hardworking and dedicated, as well as God fearing individual, even as they prayed for his continued rise in the profession.
Oba Akiolu, while noting that it had been prayers that had been making Nigeria to survive all this while, said the greed in the country for money was too much not minding what the Holy book had enjoined on the people of the world.
“What is making this country survive is prayers, we need to be very very close to God and hand to him all our problems. The greed in the country now is too much irrespective of the fact that in the Holy Quran, there is a chapter which says ‘which of the favours of the Almighty Allah will you deny.’
“The person who God almighty put as no1 citizen of this country has not completed one year, everybody has started shouting 2023. Future belongs to Almighty Allah. God almighty will keep this country together, let us pray for success, for listening hear for our no1 man, all will be well with us.
“Future belongs to Almighty Allah. God almighty will keep this country together, let us pray for success, for listening hear for our no1 man, all will be well with us,” he said.
“All of us in this country, let us close ranks, the greed for money money money is to much,” he reiterated.
Speaking on the celebrant, Oba Akiolu, who recalled that he met him several years back on issues that had to do with God giving inheritance of Lagos, described Adegboruwa as someone he respects a lot being very well informed and a God-fearing individual who trained under the late Lagos lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, who he also described as an erudite, highly disciplined and God fearing.
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The oba, while praying for more successes for the celebrant and his wife, urged Adegboruwa, who is also a pastor to continue the way of God, saying he shall be well with him.
Chairman of the occasion, Tayo Oyetubo, who said the occasion was planned to rejoice with Adegboruwa on his achievements, described him as very hard working, dedicated and stubborn, saying being stubborn was not misplaced as one who trained under late Fawehinmi.
Oyetubo, who said he equally trained together with Adegboruwa under late Lagos lawyer, however, recalled that the road was no doubt bumpy.
“I am happy we are together today. He didn’t grew up with silver spoon in his mouth, he fought his way through.
“In the process of becoming a Senior Advocate, many applied but few are chosen. God knew you would be elevated. I congratule you having attained a high level in the legal profession,” Oyetubo said, even as he charged him that he must ensure that he does not allow his role as an activist to diminish.
“Your role as an activist must not diminish, it must accentuate. People will come to you, you must accept. When people are persecuted and some are refusing to accept the challenge, you must accept,” he charged.
Various other speakers, including judges, his colleagues and seniors such as Hon. Justice Morenike Obaniran, Pastor Ade Adedeji, Mrs. Labake Okunowo, Mohammed Fawehinmi, son of late Gani Fawehinmi, paid glowing tributes to the celebrant, who they said deserved the honour convered on him as Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
Mohammed Fawehinmi later presented him a gift on behalf of 254 lawyers who trained in the chamber of his late father while he was alive.
Speaking in an exclusive chat with the Tribune Online, the celebrant, Adegboruwa, described the award as an opportunity to rededicate himself to the service of motherland and make it better, even as he expressed his joy while thanking the Chief Justice of Nigeria, among others.
“It is an opportunity to serve, it is an opportunity to use law to better the society. It is an opportunity to be able to speak truth to power and also to lift up those who are suffering, who have no access to justice.
“It is an opportunity for us members of the legal profession to continue to use law for the good of the society and the less privileged. I am very happy,” he said.
Speaking further, the legal icon expressed sadness over the state of affairs in the country’s legal profession, describing it as unfortunate.
According to him, the situation now is such that justice is slow as the judges were overworked, while court orders were not obeyed, saying it looked like the judiciary was under siege as judges are crying and every time, the Chief Justice had to go cap in hand to beg for money from the executive.
“Well, it is quite unfortunate things are not the way they should be in the sense that justice is slow, the judges are overworked, court orders are not obeyed. It looks like the judiciary is under siege, judges are crying, every time the Chief Justice is saying they are going cap in hand to beg for money from the executive,” he said.
“He who pays the piper dictates the tune, so judged are cowed, they are intimidated, but I believe that one day we would get out of it,” he added.
and then