I stumbled on the new Guideline for the Conferment of the Rank of SAN 2017 and I first said to myself, how is this your business? Then I reasoned, I might be joining the league of applicants soon. The voice of dissuasion said to me, when the time comes, you would find out. The inner voice that seeks knowledge said, just read the damn thing for knowledge sake. Na so I carry my two left leg go read.
Yes, I read the something back to back even though I am not qualified yet. Well I would become a SAN one day so its not out of place for me to start expressing my grouse on behalf of my fellow already qualified applicants.
So there are two “Killer” Provisions in the Guidelines for the Conferment of the Rank of SAN 2017, who else has seen it?
# Killer Provision Number 1
Paragraph 9(3) of the Guideline provides that every candidate shall pay a non-refundable processing fee in the sum of N600,000 (six hundred thousand naira only) or such other sum as may be determined by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee.
600 nonrefundable thousand naira! I viewed this from every and many angles. I decided to just sample views, my first stop was my Oga’s table. “sir, have you read the new silk guideline? (I knew he had. Someone that has been applying since before I finished WAEC) my Oga went philosophical. But at the end of it all, in simple word he said “it is highly unreasonable” I then decided to consult my Oga’s friend. That one has money well well but his head is normal most times. He just said, “the profession is for the elites” you want silk, go make money!”. He just dropped it like that, no emotion, no expression. I am not sure he was being sarcastic or serious. This one took every words of anger from me. All I can say is that I would one day become a SAN and no forces on earth, including money and the likes can frustrate this. And to think that my salary is still not enough for only me… O ma se o!
# Killer Provision Number 2
Paragraph 14 (5)(a) of the guideline provides that every candidate shall provide particulars of 20 final judgments of the High Court or Superior Court of Records with CTC of Judgment, CTC of Records or Proceedings, CTC of the processes signed and filed by the candidate and letters of instructions from Client(s) as well as a letter from the Head of Court or Judge that delivered the Judgment, confirming/verifying the applicant as counsel that conducted the case from trial stage to judgment.
Observations
20 Judgments – So now, you must sign the writ, appear from the beginning till judgment before you count 1. Ok now let the seniors who wish to become SAN sack all the juniors and get busy. LPPC please just add evidence of personally filing all court processes in the suit to this condition so that the litigation clerk can also be sacked. It’s just 20 cases by the way.
Letters from judges and Litigants – what purpose would this one serve? I am trying hard to understand. So you would approach 20 judges to collect letter from them in addition to obtaining CTC of Records of Proceedings. Then you would then collect letter of instruction from litigants. What for? To show that the litigant paid you money? Or that you didn’t manufacture the case and took it from the filing stage to judgment?.
Why are we like this in this part of the world? Must we make things cumbersome for free? I once told a friend about how we use wheel barrow to carry my Oga’s compilation to submit and he was laughing. Really do they review all of these and in any event, if you have placed a bet of N600k why make it difficult again for your fellow elites.
I am going to see Pa Gomez and Grand ma Hirat! They need fresh blood to renew this fight!
#abolishSAN!
Ayam coming!
The Guideline[embeddoc url=”https://www.dnllegalandstyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Official_Gazette_21.pdf” download=”all”]
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