My very first court appearance as a lawyer was before Justice Niki Tobi. It was at the Port Harcourt High Court during my NYSC programme in 1988. I was moving a motion. I had prepared. Or so I thought. I had read the cases in support of my motion. Well, not quite. I had read the ratio decidendi, but not not the entire facts of the cases. I got to court on time. I was excited. I was nervous. Eventually, my case was called. I announced my appearance and proceeded to move my motion. I cited one of the cases in support of my motion, exuberantly referencing the decision in that case. At that point, Justice Niki Tobi interrupted. ‘What are the facts of that case, counsel?”, he asked. I froze. I did not know. I hadn’t read it. I wasn’t expecting the question. He spent the next 5 minutes berating me and my generation for lack of depth and thoroughness. He spent another 5 minutes lecturing and advising me on how to become a good lawyer. That lesson has remained with me till this day. And I thank him for it. Justice Tobi was the best. May his soul rest in peace.

Steve Nwagbo