Basheerah Ahmed is a young lawyer based in Ilorin the Kwara State capital. She bagged her LL.B from the University of Ilorin in 2006. She proceeded to the Nigerian Law School and was called to the Bar in 2012. Subsequently, she bagged her National Youth certificate (NYSC) in 2014 and started her pupilage programme with Infinity Associate & Co. in 2015. The following year, she joined Ilyasu Saka & Co. She’s however a counsel at Galadima Chambers, owned by Tunde Abdul-Gegele. She shares with ABIODUN BOLUJOKO, her unforgettable day experience in court. Excerpts:
I’ve had many interesting and dramatic moments in court but the one that is difficult to forget was the day a judge told me ‘go and read more’
On this fateful day in 2014, I appeared before Justice Garba at the State High Court, Ilorin where I was to adopt a written address on behalf of the defendant.
Going by the process of this address, the term, ‘I seek the leave of the court to adopt the final address’ is mostly used as part of the argument and in support of the case. But after I had said that, mistakenly added, ‘to further buttress my…’ before I could end my speech, the Judge suddenly cut in and asked me when I was called to Bar, I told him and he said, ‘young woman, you are already two years at the Bar go and read more’.
His remarks made me feel so weak, embarrassed and disappointed in myself, but after the case, my colleagues who noticed that something has gone wrong with my mood, came around to encourage me telling me it is an experience and is part of practice.
