Abida Israel Opah

[Abida Israel Opah @AbidaIsrael001]

@MuyiwaAkinboro That's our incoming President of the Nigerian Bar AssociationAare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN.

[Abida Israel Opah @AbidaIsrael001]

@aaronematos @MrsBBold Young Lawyers are Bold enough to vote against her on the 18th of July, 2026. I don't want to wake up to see that Bar Practising Fee has been increased to 50k🤣🤣

[Abida Israel Opah @AbidaIsrael001]

@deedatAhmadd @MuyiwaAkinboro @Mrmaximilan10 @LordJadeEsq Our incoming President, Aare Olumuyiwa AkinboroSAN. We love you, sir.

[Abida Israel Opah @AbidaIsrael001]

@MuyiwaAkinboro That is the gentle lion of the Bar. Our incoming President, Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN. We love you, sir.

[Abida Israel Opah @AbidaIsrael001]

@ChidiOdinkalu @NigBarAssoc @OmoyemiAkangbe @MuyiwaAkinboro @MrsBBold As a young Lawyer, my vote and those of my friends are for Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN. He is the only candidate that has what it takes to rebuild the NBA. His manifesto bespeaks of his vision for the NBA and the overall welfare of Young Lawyers.

[Abida Israel Opah @AbidaIsrael001]

@MuyiwaAkinboro Thank you, our incoming President, Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN.

[Abida Israel Opah @AbidaIsrael001]

Of a truth, if there were no bad people, there won't be good Lawyers.

[Abida Israel Opah @AbidaIsrael001]

A Lawyer does not need to know the source from which his Professional Fee is paid. Does it even make sense that I, as a Lawyer, will have to ask my Client, 'where or how did you get the money you are paying me for my Professional service to you?' C'mmon, no Professional or service provider of any kind would ask this question. Even members of St Vincent D Paul Society will not ask such embarrassing and unnecessary question.

No matter the source of your money, dear Client, even if it is gotten from the valley of sin, insofar as you are paying me for my Professional Fee as a Lawyer, that portion properly called my Professional Fee is sanctified, cleansed and purified from all impurities thereof.

#LitigationLawyer
#TrialAdvocate
#DVoiceofDVoiceless

[Abida Israel Opah @AbidaIsrael001]

The lifespan of an interim injunction is as short as a 21st Century lady's skirt. It is just 7 days, your Lordship. Although, by the rules of this Honourable Court, the Court has the discretion to extend the lifespan of an interim injunction before the abatement of the Order. But this discretion is to be exercised judicially and judiciously - in line with laid down rules. My Lord, in the light of the facts of this case, granting further application for extention of this interim injunction is against the contemplation of Order 30 Rule 3(2) of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory Civil Procedure Rules 2021. Besides, your Lordship, the reliefs sought by the Claimant in his interlocutory application touches on the substance of the substantive suit, and such cannot be granted. Consequently, I urge your Lordship, to discountenance the Claimant/Applicant's application. I so submit, your Lordship.'

Judge: Abida, your submission that the reliefs sought by the Claimant/Applicant touches on the merit of the case, should be contained in your counter-affidavit.

I: We take the hint of the Court. Thank you, your Lordship.

After this, the matter was adjourned for Ruling on pending Motion.

Though, my matter had been taken, I sat back in Court. After a while, the Judge called me out.

Judge: Abida, why are you still in Court?

I: (standing up) My Lord, just to learn from the wisdom of this Court.

Judge: Oh, great! How many years post-call are you?

I: My Lord, I am 3 months post-call.

Judge: (visibly astonished) Are you sure?

I: Yes, my noble Lord, I was called on the 9th of July, 2025.

Judge: I am asking because you are doing well. Your Courtroom etiquette and earlier arguments before this Court don't look like those of a baby Lawyer.

I: Thank you, my noble Lord.

Judge: Keep it up.

I: Thank you, your Lordship.

#TrialAdvocate
#DVoiceofDVoiceless

[Abida Israel Opah @AbidaIsrael001]

'Abida, why are you still in Court?' The Judge asked. My Lord...'

Each time I appear before Justice I. Mohammed of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Gwagwalada, the memories of my debut appearance before him keeps welling up in my mind. On my way home that very fateful evening, after the hurlyburly of that day, the entreaty came that I should go to Gwagwalada the next day for a matter. The case was between the then embattled Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan V Sandra Duru (Prof. Mgbeke) & Anor. We are Counsel to the 1st Defendant (Sandra Duru). This was impromptu. Except that I was informed that the matter was on defamation, I knew nothing about the facts of the case or what the business of the Court was for that day. And in my office, you can't go to Court, either alone or in concert, without having firm grasp and grip of the facts of the matter you are going for. You must have participated in the case review. You must have done due diligence. But like I said earlier, this was impromptu, and I was simply told that I should just inform the Court that we were briefed the previous day and then ask the Court for a date to enable us file necessary processes.

In my mind, I was convinced that the job was simple, 'just tell my Lord that we were briefed yesterday and then ask for a date to enable us put in our necessary processes'. Noteworthy is the fact that I had never been to Gwagwalada, and so I couldn't second-guess how far it was and how many minutes' drive it was too, from where I was. Yes. In few hours after the entreaty, it was already dawn. So, I set out for Gwagwalada. The clock ticked very fast. And normally, Court starts sitting by 9am. I was definitely going to be late. Gwagwalada was farther than I thought. By 9am, I was still on the way, and this made me unsettled. I looked at the Bolt driver with morbid anxiety. 'The Barr, don't worry, we will get to the Court before 9:15am', the Bolt driver said, in a bid to douse my curiosity.

As guaranteed by the Bolt driver, we arrived the premises of the Court by 9:10am. I quickly came down and darted upstairs to the Court. On getting to the Court, everywhere was already full and proceeding had begun. I quickly seated myself in the small space I found in one of the middle pews. 'Is that Natasha's case?', I said mouthingly to one of the Registrars who were seated in Court. He could not understand me and so, he stood up and approached me. Again, I asked him, 'Is that Natasha's case?' He said yes. And I informed him that I was for the 1st Defendant. He nodded and went back to resume his seat. All this while, two learned Senior Advocates of Nigeria have been having a fierce legal jigsaw. One of them was for Senator Natasha and the other was for the 2nd Defendant (Meta Platform).

How do I announce my appearance when two Senior Advocates are making submissions, without appearing interruptive, of the proceeding? I summoned the courage, stood up, and began thusly;

'I am sorry, my noble Lord, I am I.O. Abida, for the 1st Defendant in this case. I am really sorry, your Lordship, I was actually held up by the heavy gridlock along the Gwarinpa Expressway. It is not in my idiosyncrasy to attend Court proceedings belatedly. May your Lordship, be pleased.' The Judge nodded as I resumed my seat.

The learned Senior Advocates continued their arguments and when they were done, the Judge looked at me and said, 'yes, Counsel.' When a Judge refers to you and says 'yes, Counsel', he is simply saying what do you have to say? 'I thought I was just coming to inform the Court that we were briefed yesterday and then ask for a date', I said to myself. But, nope. I was wrong. Luckily, when the learned Silks were making submissions, I listened and got what they were arguing about - extension of interim injunction. And so, I rose up and made my own argument/submission thusly;
'My Lord, I am strongly opposed to Claimant's application for further extention of interim injunction. (Tbc).

[Abida Israel Opah @AbidaIsrael001]

@deedatAhmadd @MuyiwaAkinboro Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN. On your Mandate, we shall strongly stand!