• By Valentine Obienyem
Our friend, Barr. Afamefuna O. Okeke, turns 52 today. He belongs to that rare fellowship of men who seem to have humanity etched into their very DNA – men who remind us, through the quiet eloquence of their lives, that true greatness lies in character and service.
A legal practitioner of distinction, Afam was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2003 after his law degree at Ambrose Alli University and his BL from the Nigerian Law School, Abuja. He began his career at the prestigious firms of J-K Gadzama LLP and Falana & Falana Chambers before moving to Pinnacle Law Firm in 2009, where he now serves as General Counsel. His trajectory in the legal profession has been marked by a factor worth emulating: remaining focused at all times. As pioneer Chairman of the Young Lawyers Forum (2008–2010) and later Chairman of the NBA Abuja Branch (Unity Bar) from 2022–2024, his leadership combined firmness with inclusivity, innovation with humanity. To watch him then was to recall Marcus Aurelius’ counsel: “Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.”
But the essence of Afam cannot be captured merely by offices held or accolades received. Recognition from the NBA, FIDA, AfBA, and the NBA Women Forum is but outward garlands. The deeper legacy is found in the countless young lawyers he has mentored, the charitable causes he supports, and the approachable warmth with which he relates with everyone who crosses his path.
What makes Afam even more remarkable is his cheerfulness. He carries within him a bubbling vitality, a humour that, like sunlight, illumines whatever space he enters. His wit, sharp but never cruel, reminds us of Nietzsche’s observation that “the surest sign of a good character is a cheerful disposition.”
Like many men of his generation, Afam is – if one may put it so – an angry man, though his anger sits curiously beside his cheerfulness, mirroring the contradictions that our country itself has become. Yet it is not the bitter, corrosive rage that consumes and deforms; rather, it is a noble indignation, born of a clear-eyed recognition of what Nigeria might have been and what, through repeated betrayals of leadership, it has become.
He dreams of a society – whether in the larger body politic or in professional guilds such as the NBA – where justice is a living practice; where merit, not patronage, opens doors; and where leadership is measured not by the quiet dignity of service. In this sense, Afam embodies the paradox of the hopeful realist: he sees the rot clearly, yet he insists on believing, working, and calling others to believe that a better order is still possible.
I have had the privilege of knowing him closely since our days at the Nigerian Law School and during our courtroom attachments. Even then, one could discern the poise, intellect, and moral centre that have defined his life’s journey. Time has not eroded these qualities; it has only deepened them, adding to them the polish of experience, the refinement of responsibility, and the serenity that comes from a life lived in alignment with principle. In every stage of his career and personal life, these early traits have matured into virtues that inspire confidence, loyalty, and admiration in all who encounter him.
In Afam, I see what philosophers call the “Higher Man” – the man who rises above vanity, self-interest, and petty ambition to live for others. He is steady. He is principled. He is humane.
At fifty-two, Afam is not merely older; he is fuller – wiser in judgment, richer in experience, and deeper in the values that endure. Today, therefore, we do not simply mark the passage of years; we celebrate a life that continues to inspire, uplift, and guide those privileged to know him.
Happy Birthday, Afam. May the years ahead be even more fruitful, and may your laughter continue to echo as a song of hope in the hearts of many.
