Re: Why Philanthropy Stops At Building A Court House
It was Robert Green that said in his book titled ‘The 48 laws of power’ that “when you show yourself to the world and display your talents, you naturally stir all kinds of resentment, envy, and other manifestations of insecurity…”.
This statement was again validated following the donation of a court house to the Ikere people by their own son, Chief Oluwole Oladapo Olanipekun(SAN) .
The ‘extraordinary’ event which took place at Ikere-Ekiti in Ekiti State on 19th January, 2023 saw one of the illustrious sons of Ikere, a philanthropist to the core, Chief Oluwole Oladapo Olanipekun(SAN) hand over a newly constructed courthouse built by him as part of his philanthropical deeds, an act kindness that is usual with the donor.
The last thing on the donor’s mind would have been to get accolades from the public as giving back to his home was more of paying his ‘debts’ or ‘dues’ to a community that bred him but some mischief makers have gone on making a mountain out of an ant hill which was never imagined and right in the midst of this foul cry is an attempt to tarnish the image of the Chief Judge who magnanimously approved the construction of the building for the swift delivering of justice in Ikere.
Chief Olanipekun in his speech rightly said that the construction of the building was done with the consent of the state’s Chief Judge. The writer’s grievances actually stirred from there.
That why will the Chief Judge approve such a request for an individual who happened to be a lawyer? He passionately argued that directly or indirectly, the donor has bought his way into the hearts of every judge that will every sit in that court(or so it seems) which invariably means the public will now be denied justice in that court, and maybe in the whole state(if I may help him) once the name of the donor is mentioned in any suit in that court.It is best for anyone not to write based on the impulses of his emotion because most of the time our feelings betray us.
A look at the neatly written piece will reveal the assumption properly packed in a cup and being served to unsuspecting public. The writer has painstakingly painted a picture of the presentation of a ‘Greek’s gift’ to the Chief Judge from a building that was commissioned by the State governor and handed over to the state.
I am worried the writer is not aware that neither the office of the Chief Judge is a traditional stool that has to be occupied by the present Chief Judge forever nor does the property of the state belong to him.
The writer also reveled in accusing the Chief Judge for assenting to a project like that that could in his opinion dent the good image of the judiciary thereby making the public lose trust in the state’s judiciary, the hope of the common man.
He predicted that such an act will be followed with myriad of appeal emanating from judgments delivered at the Ikere court! Well, to say the least. It is either the writer or whosoever is bankrolling him is not conversant with history or maybe this whole shenanigan
“was all born of greed” and bitterness as he states that this act of ‘donation’ should be the first and the last in Nigeria. It will interest the writer and the general public to know that His Excellency, Governor Nyson Wike singlehandedly built the Court of Appeal, National Industrial Court and the Federal High Court and bought vehicles for the judges and justices in those courts in Rivers state.
Not one of those Judges or Justices were dragged before the National Judicial Council for allowing such infrastructural developments in the judicial sector in their state, Yusuf Alli singlehandedly renovated the old High Court building in Ilorin and heaven did not fall.
For the records, almost all the magistrate courts in Ekiti state were donated by the various communities where such courts were located and not one cry of injustice has been heard from Rivers and Kwara states because of Wike and Yusuf’s donation or in the various Ekiti communities. I understand that dark minds never see good in even benevolent acts, I am only worried that the writer is trying so hard to rope in other fellows better than himself into his sinking ship.
The writer admits that the “Nigerian justice system has problems of both capital and recurrent kinds” but he is unnecessarily bothered that just an individual that have seen the plight of his community and the need of a conducive judicial environment for the swift dispensation of justice while not waiting for all the bureaucracy that attends the establishment of the ‘Trust Fund’ he suggested has become the culprit.
His argument is that henceforth, anyone that embezzles money will suddenly come up and make donations to the states. I believe the writer’s grievance is more than what transpired at Ikere on the 19th of January. It will be better if he comes clean and accuse the donor of embezzlement of public funds with proof.
While I plead with the donor, Chief Olanipekun and my Lord not to allow petty talks as this discourage them from doing more for the state especially at such a time as this, I can only wish the writer what he wishes the good people of Ikere- that when it is time for him to eat the fruits of his labour, his children be driven far from home.
Olakanmi S Falade Esq Former NBA Chairman Ado Ekiti.
