Embarrassed when judge dispensed my case because I didn’t recognise my client – Zulqarnain

Barrister Ajedayo Zulqarnain graduated from the University of Ilorin in 2016 and proceeded to Nigerian Law School Abuja Campus in 2016/2017. He was called to bar in 2017 and had his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Anambra State with Redemption Attorney and came back to Ilorin to continue his passion for ligation with S.T Abubakar but later joined Adekunle Bamidele and Co. in 2019 where he has been practicing. In this interview with ACTING EDITOR, MUMINI ABDULKAREEM, he talks about his most dramatic day in court. Excerpts:
I recall sometime in 2017 when I was in service in Anambra State. The principal partner of my office sent me to court to obtain a judgement in respect of a case. I was sent the name of the suit and suit number to proceed to court even without coming to office first. On getting to court I discovered the court will seat by 10:00am and the client was yet to arrive. I decided to go to the adjacent court that was sitting then so as to learn the practices and procedures instead of just sitting idle doing nothing. About forty minutes later while still in the adjacent court, my instinct told me that I should check on the court that I was ordinarily meant to be to obtain the judgement. But on getting there, I suddenly discovered that the judge was already seated ahead of the scheduled 10:00am. While coming in, they were about to finish the case and the judge was interacting with a client in the witness box. By the time the judge finished, they called about three other cases without any mention of my own. I stood up to ask the judge that I am in for a particular suit which I mentioned the number and said I am sorry that it appeared the court have dispensed all the cases listed for the day. The judge then asked whether I didn’t see the person he was addressing in the court as at the time I came in that he supposed that was the client I came for. I said I didn’t know him, that my boss only sent me to handle the matter and that the client will look for me on getting to court. Since that day, I felt embarrassed at the point the judge was telling me that. I felt I have not been dutiful enough in what I needed to do and I have not been quite observant enough to ask from the gallery where the client is and who is the particular client? Since that time, I have learnt to be more diligent and dutiful and ever since my practice has always been that once I get to court I go straight to the registry, ask for the course list whether my matter is listed or not regardless of what I have been told in the office to reconfirm from the court that my matter is actually on the list to avoid embarrassment again. Secondly, now I also ensure that before I enter the court, I ensure that I get to know the witness I have come to represent. If he is not in court, I make sure before court sits, I ask from the gallery who the particular witness is.