My Law School set, NLS Class of 2003, had two of our Call Mates, elevated to the Federal High Court Bench.
They are Justice Salim Olasupo Ibrahim and Justice Hauwa Joseph Yilwa.
Now, the incumbent CJN’s son Ariwoola Olukayode Jnr., Esq too was elevated and now known as My Lord.
I have read all manner of innuendos about his elevation. The optics may be bad in the jaundiced eyes of those who have failed, to critically reason and ask questions.
How are children of Judges made Judges faring? Can we compare them to their brother Judges and also get testimonials from lawyers and litigants that had and are appearing before them?
Back to My Lord Justice Ariwoola Olukayode.
Let me ask, is he qualified or not?
Did he get it on merit?
When the National Judicial Council (NJC), shortlisted and was in the public domain for weeks, did any of you write petition against him?
Should he be denied elevation because his father is the CJN?
Or is it no longer a thing of joy for children to toe the line their fathers had drawn for them? Meanwhile, his school mates are speaking out, testifying of his outstanding performance in school.
Speaking under the auspices of the Alumni Association of Ikolaba Grammar School, Agodi, Ibadan in Oyo State (2000 set), in a statement on Tuesday stated, “Ariwoola Jr. has always been a high flyer, scoring A1 in all subjects in the final exam at the Junior Secondary School.
The association said, “He was a determined and brilliant student during our secondary school days. We recalled when we sat the Basic Education Certificate Examination, a JSS 3 examination to be promoted to Senior Secondary School, young Ariwoola scored A1 in all subjects.”
“In those days, students with the best results were considered for the Science class and those with the worst results were considered for the Art class. But to our utmost surprise, Ariwoola Jr. opted for the Art class. Surprised by this decision, we asked why he preferred Art to Science class, but his reply was, my dad is a lawyer, and I want to become a lawyer like my dad.
