Why I resumed private practice immediately after cabinet dissolution – Jawondo

Former Kwara State Commissioner for Justices and Attorney-General, Barrister Salman Jawondo in this interview with ACTING EDITOR, MUMINI ABDULKAREEM talks about his experience in government, what’s next for him after the dissolution of the cabinet and achievements in office while his tenure lasted. Excerpts:
How can you describe your experience while your tenure lasted?
My experience in government has shown that there is a world of difference between private practice and public service. You know in private practice especially if you’re the boss, you give directives, but it’s not like that in civil service. The chain of communication from commissioner to permanent secretaries to the directors to other levels and back is not the same thing as we have in private setting. So that itself constitute to delay on government activities.
So how did you receive the news of your sack?
For me, I don’t think there is anything special about it because all along I’ve always said that any appointee of a Governor has a derivative mandate, derived from the mandate of the governor. So anytime the governor feels like, he can dispense the appointee, so it is not…and don’t forget I’m a Home-based person with my private office. Moreover, the nature of my appointment is in line with my profession. So for me, nothing has changed much except that rather than going to court for government, I will be doing so privately by going back to my private clients.
What do you think you were unable to achieve, that you regret not doing while in office?
Honestly I do not regret anything. The only thing is that I think is that…if I have any regrets, it is about the perception of public service by our people, it isn’t good enough. The perception by our people is that anybody in government service must be there to be making money. That is just it but I believe with time, people will come to reality that public service is to the people and not avenue to make money. Some of them when they come and you’re not able to solve their problem; they feel like you don’t want to help them.
Were you under any pressure from the governor or constituent?
I was never under any pressure to do anything that is against my oath of office and the service to the state. I was never under any pressure. As for the expectations from my constituents, not everybody believe that public office is synonymous with money making, that is a wrong notion. So if there is any pressure, is only with respect to some people who think that you’re manufacturing money, which is not correct. Even at that, I try as much as possible to make them understand that is not so, we need to change the orientation of our people about what public service is all about.
Now that the cabinet has been dissolved, what’s next for you?
You’re in my office now, isn’t it? So I’m back to my office, that’s what is next. In fact the very day I handed over which was on Monday, I resumed to my office. What is next is to face my private practice which is my business and already I have something I’m working on. By the grave of God, I’m looking forward to resuming my court appearance as a private person.
What plans were on the table before the Governor’s dissolution for you in the ministry of justice?
One of those things I was going to do was to make civil service business oriented without jumping the chain of doing things and that was why we set time limit to prepare a paper to about 24 hours. For the staff and workers at the justice ministry, I have enjoyed maximum cooperation from them. What I was able to deduce from my experience with the staff was that civil service is what a leader or a political office holder wants it to be, the workers are what you want to make out of them.
What was your saddest and happiest days while in office?
I think my happiest day is… I mean one achievement that was made in the history of the state is that this is the first time a lawyer from the Ministry of Justice will be conferred with the rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). Before our emergence, no lawyer dare does that because in the first instance most of those who are there are also struggling for cases to meet the requirements of SAN. This shows the attitude of this government to change the narrative that if you have potentials the sky is your limit. I want to encourage others to also put in their best because the ultimate thing for lawyers especially for those in practice is to attain that rank. Before I became AG, I have applied before and met all the requirements and I didn’t need any case from the government before I can put in my application. It was also during our tenure that three lawyers were appointed Permanent secretaries. I can’t really say I have any sad day because the people there are very wonderful and very cooperative except that sometimes in a situation like this you have some low moments especially those of us from the private business background that sometimes expect things to be done with certain speed because lawyers are first and foremost businessmen. So when you want it done the way it’s being done in private practice and you discovered it’s not forthcoming, sometimes you get a bit down, but the moment you realise you’re dealing in the civil service that has protocols here and there, you have to adjust.
Will you be willing to serve again when call upon?
I don’t have any comment on that.
What will you describe as your achievements while in office?
We paid so many outstanding arrears to improve lawyers welfare in the ministry which were owed before we came, including the resumption of payment of practicing fees for lawyers which will make them eligible to practice. Also, the renovations of the courts are still ongoing across the state. Before, the ministry of justice has always been concerned about just producing one permanent secretary who is the Solicitor General of the state and I’m sure that one is also left because they cannot appoint a non-lawyer to that post. So for the first time, the Ministry of Justice produced three permanent secretaries, the Solicitor-General, the permanent secretary in cabinet and that of Ministry of Sport which is quite unprecedented. Now if you go to the library of the Ministry of Justice, you’ll see a standard library with updated laws which is very key to legal practice. The library is more conducive now and we’ve both e-law report and hard copies of law report, there is also a functioning photocopier for efficiency in the system. When we came in, we have to inject a private business approach which has worked for the system. Recently, Kwara State won about $9.6 million grant. That feat was achieved through the collaborative efforts of Ministry of Finance, Kwara Inland Revenue Service and Ministry of Justice because we have to amend our laws to achieve a very stable frequency in our routine so as to meet the guidelines and requirement for that grant. It was all about transparency as our laws must meet up with world standard, so we have to amend some, walk round others and enact new ones. That to me is a very laudable achievement because if we have not done that, you know that’s an extra money especially given this Covid era that revenue both from Abuja and internally are going down because of effect of Covid-19. It is taking advantage of what is available in the area of digitalisation of the Kwara State Judiciary and Ministry of Justice, we were almost done with the hosting of laws of Kwara state on the website for people to have access which will also serve as a source of revenue, but that is still an ongoing project and the permanent secretary will continue to monitor it pending the appointment of another commissioner. We were also able to maintain some level of cordial relationship between the bench and the bar which is very important in the running of the state. About 5 judges were recently appointed with minimum requirements vehicles, housing. Also if you go to the High Court, you will see renovation going on at the headquarters here and outside Ilorin in places like Baruten, Kaiama and Omu Aran, we have court renovations in these places also. It’s been quite an experience running of the state. About 5 judges were recently appointed with minimum requirements vehicles, housing. Also if you go to the High Court, you will see renovation going on at the headquarters here and outside Ilorin in places like Baruten, Kaiama and Omu Aran, we have court renovations in these places also. It’s been quite an experience.
What’s your word for Kwarans?
To cooperate with the Governor and try as much as possible to see the line of his thinking and the way he governs which shows the determination to change the narratives that public office is not about sharing money but about delivering service to the people and doing what is beneficial to them like provision of facilities and amenities like roads, hospitals, etc which will benefit everybody including those holding public office and the unborn generation. What his opponents say is that he’s not giving out money.