Internet Bar Interview

Internet Bar Interview


Online Reference: http://www.internetbar.org/PrintArticle33.html


November 2, 2005

Interview with Publisher of the Squib Magazine whose motto is "The Heavens will not fall" on the 17th October 2005 – It’s Explosive - Lets hear from Mr. Adesina Ogunlana

Q1. Please tell us how Squib Magazine began?

A1. It started as a result of my personal reaction to the deep level of corruption and misconduct both in the legal profession and Lagos State Judiciary. When I started practicing in 1996 by the end of 1999 I was disturbed enough to start writing articles on a weekly basis copies of which I gave out to fellow legal practitioners in the court complaining about one thing or the other that was wrong in the system.

The very first article was on one JUDGE .M……. now dismissed. Despite the fact of his dismissal, he continued to sit. The Bar kept quiet. I distributed it and people thought it was a daring thing to do. After about two weeks of such effort I was advised by Ayoola Jacobs to turn my pamphleteering into a proper magazine. The funny thing is that my article then used to be called the Learned Squib. So when I began the magazine, I named it the SQUIB. The Squib is an old English word for “fireworks” and we adopted a fighting motto” the heavens will not fall”. As journalists say “publish and be damned.

”Mr Ogunlana gives me (10) complimentary copies of this week’s Squib Magazine.I became very excited and he continues by telling me the story about how the Squib magazine started. He was selling the magazine for N 20.00 a copy with only 4 pages when he first started. He then increased the cover price to N 50.00 with 16 pages. People were complaining and somebody wanted to buy 3 of the magazines at N 50. Whilst in the Ministry, Mrs Toun Disu (the Secretary of the Internetbar.org organizing committee) bought 1 magazine for N 200 and the immediate Solicitor General bought 1 magazine at N 500. He said that really energized him.

Q2. How is the Squib Magazine funded?

A2. The Squib Magazine is funded by the Publisher. In the early days I sued to borrow to publish. However, in the last 4 years I have not had to. I received about N 15,000 donation by well meaning lawyers. I went for a loan and they said don’t pay us back, that’s our contribution. Our colleagues think that it is profitable and that’s why I have kept at it. But it is not. We don’t attract advertisements and until recently we were seen as anti establishment. It is expensive to run because we also monitor judges on a daily basis.

With a staff strength of 10 people we don’t break even. I’ve never been paid as editor neither are the deputy editors. It is only the monitors, correspondents and cartoonists that are paid.

Q3. What is the readership strength of the Squib?

A3. It can not be less than 5,000. Even though the number published is less than 500 we actually have about 1 magazine to about 10 to 15 people. I know that non lawyers read it, children, wives of non lawyers. Mrs Toun Disu’s son, Akinola always reads it for the cartoons. Akinola is 10 years old. It is also read outside Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Makurdi. When we meet quarterly during NBA meetings I usually get requests to sell to vendors outside Lagos.

Q4. What has been your greatest challenge in publishing SQUIB?

A4.Finance and Time. Finance in the sense that I don’t think that I have spent less than N 5,000,000 and I am just 9 years at the bar. Last year we calculated that we spent N 584,000 on lithography and every week I spend no less than N 33,000 to N 36 000 to get the magazine produced, marketed, pay salaries .We pay about N 70,000 every month to our people. It is especially difficult at the end of the month. I have to dip into the Chambers for the money. My workers receive three levels of salary- basic, daily transportation and bonus if they attain their targets.Time is also a great challenge because it’s part time. I am a lawyer and I go to court every day. I am the main writer. For the past 4 weeks I have been sleeping every weekend in the office and it has affected my church going. Despite the fact we control 50% of production, we do the editing, formatting in house. In contrast with the past when we did everything except the editing outside.Those are the two greatest challenges. It has affected my family and personal life. I can’t go to parties or weddings or socialize .

However; on the other side getting stories is easier now. People trust us, they know that we have the courage to stand by our conviction and we protect our sources. They now call us, so that aspect is easy. It is just the time, turning the story into publication. We call a spade a spade. Some say it isn’t nice calling a judge a thief. But the magazine says it as it is. We libel people every week but we are yet to be sued because we have a defence of justification. That is our greatest joy, we have never been sued.

Q5. How do you assess the performance of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice and Attorney General of Lagos State?

A5. It has been transformed under the incumbent Attorney General, Professor Yemi Osibajo. It is easily the largest Chambers in Nigeria with 280 Lawyers. They have people friendly organs like the Citizens Mediation centre, Office of Public Defender and for the first time in many years we have an Attorney General who goes to court especially in Criminal Prosecution. They have won many cases against the Federal Government in taxation, land charges, etc. The lawyers have become more professional. The Ministry has done well in introducing the 2004 Civil Procedure Rules which has as its objective fast tracking the justice delivery system.Q6. Where do you feel improvements can be made in the administration of Justice and Judiciary in Lagos State?A6. I think that the generality of workers are marginalized. The approach has been elitist. There have been three strikes by JUSAN (Judiciary Staff Association of Nigeria).They paralysed the court because they protested that the non judicial staff have been marginalized. They are susceptible to bribery and corruption because of their low income. If the welfare of the staff is improved upon, we will see better performance .Another thing is that the electronic recording device should be installed in our courts. Judges record in long hand and it is ridiculous. It is more important than cars. 16 million people live in Lagos State. There are 50 High Court Judges, 105 Magistrates. It is probably the biggest Judiciary in Africa. For years they’ve been making promises but they have not done it. The judges will be happier if you could eliminate long hand writing and it eliminates corruption in the judicial process. As of now it is what the judge writes down that is the record of the court not what you say or canvassed.

Q7. What do you mean by Non Judicial Staff?

A7. Workers who are not Judges. 99% of them are not lawyers. I mean the clerks, bailiffs, registrars, administrators.Q8. Do you mean that Registrars are not Lawyers?A8.Yes, both in the High Court and Magistrate Court. Only the Chief Registrar who is the Sheriff and Deputy Shefiffs are Magistrates.A lawyer would probably see it as an insult to be a Registrar. Many of the Registrars are not graduates; they can just speak English but don’t appreciate the legal issues.

Q9. How do you spend your spare time and unwind?

A9. I unwind by working. I used to read lots of books and magazines. Nowadays I buy newspapers late in the night and when I have money I force myself to watch DSTV so that my N 300 a day will not be wasted. I enjoy exposing people when they are corrupt. I have been attacked in my office, threatened that I would die in 8 days if I don’t apologise - the mother of one of the victims threatened me. As a result of one of the stories a Magistrate was removed from office. I am still alive. We had threats from authorities. My workers have been beaten up 5 times but they are always released. I have been taken to Police Stations on allegations that I am managing and selling a banned magazine.

Q10. A banned Magazine?

A10. Yes, CHIEF JUDGE OF LAGOS then brought out a notice that Squib should not be sold in the premise of the Lagos State Courts - that it was an illegality. My workers were beaten, I was beaten, lawyers reading the Squib were beaten on November 28 2001. We refused and continued until they were tired. It helped in promoting the magazine because people were curious.After they failed they tried to disbar me from the legal profession. The Chief Judge then wrote a Petition to the Disciplinary Committee of the National Body of the Bar Association and the matter was referred to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee for trial. I went there on October 14 2003 with my Lawyer Chief G.O.K Ajayi (Senior Advocate of Nigeria), Mr Bisi Ademuwagun (Chairman of my Branch), Adekunle Ojo (the present Chairman of the Branch), Mr Ajibola (a legal practitioner) and 4 other lawyers. I had 7 lawyers. The charge was that I was insulting Judges of the High Court of Lagos. I was proud because other lawyers were charged with theft and other terrible allegations.

Q12. What happened during the trial?

A12.There was no due process. They didn’t tell me my offence. They said that the charge was insulting judges of Lagos High Court. They didn’t mention the judges. The Petitioner never came and I have not heard from them since. Under the Legal Practitioners Rules, the Complainant must come because it is a trial. They said that I should wait till I receive a summons. The Petitioner has since left office.He goes back to the question of challenges he faced."Some old lawyers called me aside. One of them said to me "Nigeria is a difficult place". I thanked him and said I am ready to die. The situation is bad and it needs a radical solution. My joy is that I have successfully established a platform outside the NBA. It is evidence that one man can make a difference. People wanted to stop their their kids from reading law because the image had been so battered. Now people write petitions to Squib and we investigate the matter. We need something outside the system to clean it. Someone criticised me and I published it. I am not Squib. It has helped the Authorities to know what is going on. The Chief Judge collects it. This is an autonomous bourgeoisie revolution. It is better than a peasant revolution where Lawyers and Judges are assassinated.My only fear is continuity. Most Lawyers are not agitators. They are not radicalized enough and those radicalized enough don’t have the ability. If I am sick or leave the country it will be difficult for Squib to continue. That is my fear. I should have disciples by now. I am trying to form a club - Integrity Club - Lawyers League For Integrity (LLI) – a fan club.

Q13. What if you received financial support from the Internetbar.org.

A13. I don’t like external funding. Mary Slessor came to Calabar, Richard Lander, these missionaries came to our country because they believed in something and were supported by their mission. If I am a Nigerian why don’t I spend my resources - put your money where your mouth is.After Jesus Christ, Paul the evangelist used his nil resources (he was also a lawyer)