Ridwan Oniwiridi is an Ilorin born and based legal practitioner, he is an alumnus of the University of Ilorin where he bagged his degree in law in the Year 2016.
He proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, where he graduated and was called to bar in Year 2017.
Oniwiridi served his fatherland via the NYSC mandatory one year service at the law firm of veteran lawyer, Yusuf Olaolu Ali SAN, in 2018 ,where he learns the nitty gritty of the legal practise.
After his youth service, he has since been practising his profession at the same firm, Yusuf O. Ali & Co. in Ilorin.
In this interview with JIMOH SULYMAN, the young lawyer recalled his most memorable moment in court. Excerpt.
One dramatic moment I will not forget in a hurry was during my first appearance in the court of law, that was during my youth service in 2018, then I was serving in the law firm of the erudite legal practitioner, Barrister Yusuf Olaolu Ali.
On that day, I was asked to follow a senior colleague to the court, my thought then was that I was just tagging along and definitely won’t be participating much, something we call ‘appear with me’, but to my surprise, the senior colleague just called my name, ‘Wiridi’ as he fondly call me, “You’re going to handle this case” ,he said, for a moment I couldn’t say a word.
The case was between a bank and some defaulting customers, it was a loan recovery case.
On getting to the court, whereby, I only went there with the case file, with no diary nor a pen, only the case file was with me.
We presented the case and we were about to move for an adjournment and the judge asked, “Mr Oniwiridi, look at your diary, which day will be convenient for you? “.
I was so confused and embarrassed, because I didn’t have a diary with me, but I couldn’t say that in the open court, then I started looking in all directions for whose diary I could use at that moment to save myself from further embarrassment.
I have learnt my lesson and from that day onward, I can’t go to court without a diary and a pen and all other documents I’m expected to have in my possession in court.
