Day I was dumbfounded, don’t know how to move a motion before the court

Zakariyah Kolawole Luqman is an Ilorin-based young lawyer. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2009, a graduate of the University of Ilorin where he studied Common Law. He did the one-year mandatory National Youth Service Corps programme in Enugu State and became the Head of Chamber, Bola Rasaq Gold & Co. He is now the Principal Counsel at Inspiration Chambers, Oko-Erin, Ilorin, Kwara State.

The always smiling Barrister Zakariyah, who is the treasurer, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin Branch, shared one of his dramatic moments in court in this interview with ADETUNJI AYOBROWN.

Not knowing what to say or how to go about it, I was handed my very first case file. I questioned my boss on what to do, but he replied, ‘go there and say something meaningful before the court’. With no other options, I summoned the courage and went to the court.

Something I am not conversant with, like a debut, it was a very tough moment because I was to single-handedly handle and move the motion before the court.

On getting to the court, it was in 2011 before the late Justice A.A. Akoja, when our case was mentioned where I was to solicit for the defendant.

As a first timer in the court of law, I was a rookie with little or no knowledge about court procedures and its processes. My mind skipped many times because after going through the documents, I don’t know what to say. It was my very first tough court moment. I was handed a file to move a motion which I never did before.

With me is the already written application for time extension of the case but how to go about moving the motion became a serious challenge for me.

Adding salt to the injury, unfortunately, I rose to announce my appearance wrongly. Instead of K.L. Zakariyah, I pronounced myself as Z.K. Luqman. Unknown to me that with initial names in abbreviation, the court prefers to call individuals by the surname.

Without knowing how to go about introducing it how to move the prepared application in my file before the court became my nightmare happening daylight.

All the while, noticing all my actions and reactions, the presiding judge then asked me, Mr. Luqman, what happened to you?

Not sure of what or how to reply to him, but later the judge discovered I was a rookie. Are you a new wig, he asked me? I answered, this is my first appearance before any court sir.

The judge was magnanimous to the extent that he guided me on all what is required of me and that was how I was rescued during my first court appearance.