Y. C. Maikyau, SAN is a legal luminary that has distinguished himself, not just as an advocate but also as a human person. He is a fine gentleman; the true picture of refinement, a stickler to the rules and ethics of the profession and a mentor par excellence to younger colleagues – he is particularly interested in the welfare and personal development of everyone around him. As an *advocate* the learned silk has handled several notable cases that have expounded and expanded the Nigerian jurisprudence.
With such track record of good conduct, both in and out of the courtroom, it is such a shame that certain persons have chosen to resort to crude methods, by going as low as recruiting mercenaries to interfere with elections meant for lawyers, *through* frivolous petitions. The latest mercenary is the pariah, Mr. Kayode Bello (based on information available online); an expelled law school student who is notorious for his troublesomeness and inability to abide by set down rules or get along with others. He is known to have had issues with his school (the University of Ibadan), the law firm he was posted to during his externship, his fellow students at the Nigerian Law School and then the management of the Nigerian Law School. It is thus disheartening that such an individual would be hired by detractors and petty propagandists to do their dirty work – a juvenile smear campaign.
The Petitioner, in his Petition, tried so hard without success to hang misconduct on the neck of the learned silk, who was merely discharging his sacred duty to his client (the Council of Legal Education), the court and our noble profession. While I do not deem it necessary to join issues with a non-lawyer, I am minded to point out to the petty detractors that a character built over years cannot crash like a house of cards. Mr. Maikyau’s achievements so far have been based on merit and his good conduct is well established *within the context of the grace of God, which remains Mr. Maikyau’s source of confidence*.The attempt at casting aspersions *on* his person is, at best, an attempt to place something on nothing and expect it to stand! It will definitely crash and shatter into nothingness.
All things considered, I am glad and quite thankful that the ill-fated Petition did not accuse YC of swindling his clients or his colleagues; snatching his colleagues’ briefs through crude means; getting paid for work done alongside other colleagues and refusing to give them (colleagues) their due share; *demanding payment for work not done and*, such like unethical and infamous conducts.
Y. C Maikyau, SAN expressed interest to run for the office of President of the Nigerian Bar Association, after prayers and wide consultations with friends and colleagues across the country, who gave him their blessings. No vapid accusation or petition from tactless propagandists can stop us from standing with the man who always stands tall and true.
Henry Barnabas Ehi,ACIArb (UK) is Legal Practitioner and Arbitrator based in Abuja.
