Legal Practitioner & Property Consultant

06/03/2025

A bungalow sitting on 50 ft by 100 ft lying, situate and being at Ofunwegbe street off Igun Road in the heart of Benin City, Edo State
Title document Deed of transfer
Offer Thirty Million naira only

06/03/2025

A story building comprising four flats of three bedroom each is up for sale. Location off Country Home Hotel Road, Off Sapele Road Benin City
Title Survey feed of transfer
Land measuring 60 feet by 103 feet
Offer One hundred million naira only

Local business

06/02/2025

On the growing decadence in Counsel's Court Room Appearance

I think it is something of a shame that the mechanism for regulating the dress code of counsel in Court has all but broken. In thr absence of that, Junior and Senior Counsel alike, have descended into the pit of "wardrobe anyhowness" in Court room appearance.

Few days ago at the FHC Lagos, to my gross consternation, I beheld a Senior Advocate of Nigeria wearing a half-shoe, popularly known as "mules" whilst addressing the Court. I have seen too many a counsel in brown shoes; dirty bibs, screaming navy blue suits, sockings of all manner of colors; striped jackets, sneakers, boots etc in our Court rooms across several jurisdictions.

As I type this, a Senior Counsel beside me at the High Court in Lagos is wearing a checkered brown suit under his gown with a self assurance that makes you wonder whether he took any lesson in professional ethics at all, at the law school.

The legal profession to my mind, is one that places a high premium on physical appearance. Counsel is supposed to be a role model to the society and the first trace of that, usually, is in his physical outlook, at least within the precincts of the Court. Unfortunately, and consistent with the general decline in the standards of the profession, particularly in Nigeria, the contrary is the case today; and I'm afraid, it is becoming an epidemic of sorts.

It used to be the case that the Ethics Committee of the respective Branches of the Nigerian Bar Association were charged with the mandate of ensuring compliance with Court room etiquette for lawyers particularly is it relates to the dress-code at the Bar; however one does not know what has become of those bodies these days.

Amidst this state of regulatory gap, some judges have had to step into the fray by being judge not only of the cases before them, but also of the extent of counsel's compliance with the dresscode at the Bar. Sometime last year, I watched as a Justice of the Court of Appeal reprimanded a female counsel who had appeared before their Lordships without collarets and her hair not well packed under her wig. To stamp His Lordship's disdain, the appeal had to be stood down until counsel was proper before the Court.

I really do think the hierarchy of the Bar has to declare an emergency in this very critical aspect of our trade if we must preserve the dignity of the profession and continue to enjoy the respect and esteem we're often held in the eyes of the larger society. Anything to the contrary, forbodes fear and danger.

29/01/2022

THE DISCHARGE AND ACQUITTAL OF THE SEVEN ACCUSED PERSONS ON CHARGES OF STEALING, CONSPIRACY, UNLAWFUL ENTRY , WILFUL DESTRUCTION WAS A NEW YEAR GIFT

20/12/2021

This legal year shall usher in good things for us all. Just get focused

Local business

09/10/2018

SAN-SHIP RANK : OPENING THE CAN OF WORMS

By: Abdulrasheed Ibrahim

There is no doubt that the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is the most prestigious title in the Legal Profession that every lawyer will be very anxious to have. If you become a SAN today, your status changes as a lawyer because you become an automatic member of what is known as the INNER BAR. By this you have a privilege of having your cases being called first before other lawyers in court. If the Supreme Court being the apex court in the land arrives at crossroads in a very serious case before it, you may be among the senior lawyers to invite by the court as AMICUS CURIAE to give opinions before delivering a judgement in the case. Many years back, I was in a court where a very senior lawyer who was a former branch Chairman of NBA on one side and an old Professor of law on the other side who were both not Senior Advocates were having a trial session in the court, but when a young Senior Advocate strolled into the court around 12:00 PM when the trial was going on, the trial judge had to suspend the trial and attended to the case of the Senior Advocate. This is to let you know how powerful the title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria is.

In the bid to become the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), some lawyers have or are now embarking on act and conduct that is threatening the words NOBLE PROFESSION that the legal profession is known for by the general public. Few years back in an article titled EXAMINING THE NBA PRACTICING FEES published in the Daily Independent Newspaper of 14th March 2013, I asserted:

“The reality on the ground today is that the Legal Profession in Nigeria has become a big kind of cow that only very few of its members are milking the cow. The other day I overheard some lawyers complaining that some companies in Nigeria have declared members of the Outer Bar persona non granta in their companies, that is to say if you are not members of the Inner Bar (SANs) no any legal brief for you. Perhaps this is more the reason why every lawyer is desperate to become Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).There are applicants for the rank who are even ready to pay any price for it including buying judgments from their colleagues to boost the number of cases to be submitted to the Legal Practitioner Privilege Committee so as to have the title conferred on them.”

When I made the above assertion, some of our colleagues seemed not to be comfortable with this home truth, but I believe with the recent revelation by Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, I have again been justified. When swearing the new set of the Senior Advocates of Nigeria during the Supreme Court 2018/2019 legal year, the CJN said:

“I have to point out that the fact that in the just concluded exercise, some applicants were found to have engaged in dishonourable conduct such as forgery of judgment, resulting in their being reported to the police for investigation and possible prosecution. We have to know that if one is not for any reason qualified to wear silk as judicial officers, he cannot wear it as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.”

When we are complaining of politicians manufacturing fake certificates to claim what they are not, it is very unfortunate that some lawyers could descend so low to engage in dishonourable conduct such as forgery of judgment for desperation to earn silk. If this kind of thing is happening, then how do you condemn or dismiss with the wave of hand those who are agitating for the abolition of the rank. Not long ago I quoted the Editor of the Courtroom Mail as saying:

“In August 2009 at the Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association in Lagos, he (Pa. Tunji Gomez) moved a historic motion to abolish the status of Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Many lawyers embraced it and the revolution began like the Arab spring.”

A lot of privileges that go with the rank have made it to be very attractive to every lawyer. While there is nothing bad in aspiring to be one, carrying the aspiration beyond what is reasonable must be strongly condemned and discouraged. While some lawyers who actually deserve the rank may perspire before they could get it, it may not be so for others. If either of your parents or your uncle or aunty who is prominent and being a holder of the title or Justices of the appellate court and you are equally involved in the practice of law, your road to the rank may not be as rough as that of the likes of the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) as captured in the LEGAL LUMINARIES:

“Gani’ s road to the rank of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria was not a smooth or easy one. He first applied for the conferment in 1980 but he was turned down. He applied again in 1984 but was given a condition that if he withdrew all the cases he instituted in court against the bigwigs in the profession he would be admitted into the inner bar. Gani fired back politely in his words: ‘So I stood up, and I said thank you my lord .I said I am doing this on principle and there is no way I can compromise the principle .I am not fighting the cases to win or lose .But to ensure that certain principles are established even as I attempt to do this, if I lose the SAN, so be it. But I cannot withdraw the cases, the SAN can be taken back.’ .Thus he lost the battle and thereafter refused to apply for the rank again until several years later when pressures were mounted on him by people from all works of life including his mother which according to Gani himself he bowed to the demand: ‘So, with this pressure from judges, friends and lawyers in my chambers, I decided to apply’. And that same year 2001, Gani was conferred with the rank of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria.”

Unlike the Gani’s experience, another thing that is very clear in the race for the SAN-SHIP is that we cannot rule out the fact that a lawyer that has good rapport with the government of the day may easy make it to the rank.

The latest report from the National Judicial Commission (NJC) wherein two Federal judges have been recommended for outright dismissal from the bench must continue be a great lesson for those still in the system. The report has shown the high volumes of petitions that trooped to the commission against judicial officers. It also shows that many people including lawyers wrote frivolous petitions against judicial officers that were found to lack merit and threw overboard while some officers got cleared. While some officers were given stern warning some are still going to face more investigations. There was a case of a lawyer recommended for disciplinary action for writing unsubstantiated petition against a judicial officer. A judge who was involved in faking his age and ought to have retired was sent packing and asked to refund the salary excess he has collected. There are a lot of lessons for all of us to learn from the said report because he who does not learn from history will surely become the victim of history.

FAREWELL TO HON. JUSTICE DENNIS EDOZIE

On 3rd October 2018, the Supreme Court of Nigeria had a valedictory session in honour of Hon. Justice Dennis Onyejife Edozie (CON), the late retired Supreme Jurist who departed the world on 18th August 2018. Valedictory Session may be held by the Supreme Court for any of its Jurists on two different occasions and that is when a jurist is retiring from the Supreme Court bench or on the departure of a jurist to the great beyond. Hon. Justice Edozie was a great jurist who was elevated to the Supreme Court on 6th January 2003.He made his mark at the apex court where in left behind several judgments that have stood the test of time before he retired upon reaching the statutory retirement of 70 in 2005 .The LAW PRACTICE KIT shows below one of the REMARKABLE PRONOUNCEMENTS of this great late jurist. As the jurist finally departs the world, we commiserate and console the Legal Profession particularly the Supreme Court as well as the family of the departed Jurist. Adieu Hon. Justice Dennis Onyejife Edozie (CON).

REMARKABLE PRONOUNCEMENT

ON EXCEPTION TO THE DEFENCE OF LACHES, ACQUIESCENCE

"Similarly, the defence of laches and acquiescence do not avail the appellants as there was evidence accepted by the trial court that the appellant was duly warned when he commenced to dig the foundation for the er****on of his building. This case underscores the need for any developer to satisfy himself with the validity of the title of the land on which he proposes to erect a building as the er****on of a 6 storey building on land based on defective title can lead to the disastrous consequence of the developer losing the building to the owner of the land on the principle expressed in latin maxim as quic quid plantatur solo solo cedit, meaning whatever is affixed to the soil belongs to the soil. This is the unfortunate position in which the appellant has found himself."

Per EDOZIE JSC in Owie Vs. Ighiwi (2005) ALL FWLR (Pt. 248) Pg. 1794 Paras E-G

THE SETTLED PRINCIPLE OF LAW

On remedy available to client not satisfied with his counsel

"The well laid down position of the law is that when counsel is briefed to handle a case and he accepts the brief, he has authority to decide within his own knowledge of the law how to conduct the case, and the client is bound by how the counsel conducts the case. The remedy open to the client if he is not satisfied with counsel is to withdrawal the brief or sue for professional negligence if that appears to be the case."

See NGERE Vs. OKURUKET “XIV” (2014) 3 PNLR Pg. 125 Para G

For more Settled Principles of Law and Remarkable Pronouncements from our Supreme Court Jurists from 1956-2016, obtain or order for your copies of LAW PRACTICE KIT and LEGAL LUMINARIES. Call or text 08055476823, 08164683735 or email:[email protected]. Your library is incomplete without these books.

7th October 2018

06/10/2018

N50K fine, jail for spraying Naira at parties

On October 5, 20189:35 amIn News
Mobile courts are now to summarily try those bastardising the national currency, the naira, the Bankers Committee said on Thursday.

Naira
The committee said those who “spray” naira notes at parties risk going to jail for six months or earning a fine of N50,000 after trial by mobile courts that would be deployed nationwide.

Cantral Bank of Nigeria (CBN) spokesman Isaac Okorafor said the police and the Ministry of Justice would be involved in the operation, adding:

“If a celebrant is dancing and you spray him/her, you may go to jail from the party venue because the law enforcement agents will be there, waiting to arrest you.

“It is the duty of law enforcement agencies to catch offenders and take them to court. Our collaboration with the police will intensify as we move to implement the mobile court for offenders.”

Admonishing Nigerians on how to use cash as gift, Okorafor said: “If you want to give, put the money in an envelop, and give it the celebrant. Let’s know that anybody hawking and writing on the naira will face six months in jail or N50,000 or both.”

Mobile courts are now to summarily try those bastardising the national currency, the naira, the Bankers Committee said on Thursday.

06/10/2018

ABUJA HOSPITAL TO PAY N1M DAMAGES FOR WRONG SCAN
An FCT High Court in Maitama has ordered Kings Care Hospital, Abuja, to pay N1 million as damages to a couple for negligence and breach of care.
The claimants, Bamikole Owolabi and wife, Mercy, had told the court that two ultra-scan reports by the hospital showed that Mercy was pregnant with twins, but gave birth to only a baby.
Owolabi asked the court to compel the private hospital to produce the second baby which the scan report showed.
However, in its counter-affidavit to the suit, the hospital contended that the baby girl Mercy gave birth to was one and weighed 3. 3kg, adding that it was medically impossible for a pair of babies to weigh 3.3kg.
Justice Jude Okeke, however, said the hospital was negligent and liable of breach of care by issuing the claimants with scan results which did not reflect the true status of the pregnancy.
Delivering judgment yesterday, the judge held that the hospital should have conducted an independent test if it later discovered that the earlier scan was wrong.
“Since they did not do that, the claimants still had in mind that they were going to have twins according to the scan of Nov. 21, 2012 and March 13, 2013, but their hopes were dashed.
“In the circumstance, the defendants are ordered to pay a sum of N1 million to the claimants being negligent in the scan reports issued to them and N50, 000 for emerging successful in the suit,” he said.

05/10/2018

Lawyers desk.

JUST IN
NJC Recommends Dismissal Of Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia And Justice Agbadu-Fishim..

NJC recommends the dismissal of two (2) Judges;
• Reports one private legal practitioner to Disciplinary Committee;
• Rejects voluntary retirement of a Judge and orders him to refund two (2) years’ salary and emoluments;
• Issues letter of advice to one (1) Judge;
• Empanels Committees to investigate four (4) Judges of the Federal High Court.

The National Judicial Council under the Chairmanship of the Honourable Mr. Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, GCON, at its 87th Meeting which was held on 3rdOctober 2018, recommended the removal by dismissal from office, of Hon. Mr. Justice R. N. Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court and Hon. Mr. Justice James T. Agbadu-Fishim of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.

2. Hon. Mr. Justice R. N. Ofili-Ajumogobia was recommended to President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, for removal by dismissal from office pursuant to the findings by the Council on the allegations of misconduct contained in a petition to the Council by the Acting Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Ibrahim Magu, alleging that:

• Hon. Mr. Justice R. N. Ofil-Ajumogobia is a Director/Chief Executive Officer and sole signatory to Nigel and Colive Company contrary to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of theFederal Republic of Nigeria;

• Several personalities, individuals, government officials and business partners lodged funds into various accounts belonging to the Hon. Judge; and

• There was an ex-parte communication between the Hon. Judge and Mr. Godwin Oblah, SAN, during the pendency of his matter before the His Lordship.

3. The Council, however, could not consider other allegations in the petition because they are already before a court where the judge is standing trial. Council left those matters for the trial to take its legal course.

4. Hon. Mr. Justice James T. Agbadu-Fishim of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria was also recommended for removal by dismissal from office sequel to the findings of the Council on the allegations contained in another petition by the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleging that the Hon. Judge received various sums of money from litigants and lawyers that had cases before him, and some influential Nigerians, under the false pretence that he was bereaved or that there was delay in the payment of his salary. This is contrary to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

5. In the interim, the Council, in exercise of its disciplinary powers under paragraph 21 (d) of the Third Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, has suspended Hon. Mr. Justices R. N. Ofili-Ajumogobia and James T. Agbadu-Fishim with immediate effect pending their removal from office by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

6. Council rejected the letter of voluntary retirement, purported to be with effect from the 1st of October 2018, submitted to it by Hon. Mr. Justice Joshua E. Ikede of the Delta State High Court. This followed the findings on an allegation of falsification of age contained in a petition written by Zik Gbemre, National Co-ordinator of Niger Delta Peace Coalition. Council found that the Hon. Judge ought to have retired since 1st October 2016.

Consequently, it backdated his retirement to 2016 and recommended to the Government of Delta State to deduct from the retirement benefits of the judge, all salaries received by him from October, 2016 till date and remit it to NJC which pays salaries of all Judicial Officers in the Federation.

7. Council also decided to issue a Letter of Advice to Hon. Mr. Justice K. C. Nwakpa of High Court of Abia State to guard against unwarranted utterances in matters before him. This was as a result of a complaint to the Council by one Princewill Ukegbu.

8. Council considered the reports of various Investigation Committees and dismissed the petitions written against Hon. Mr. Justice Yusuf Halilu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Hon. Mr. Justice E. O. Osinuga of the High Court of Ogun State, and Hon. Mr. Justice E. O. Ononeze-Madu of the High Court of Imo State.

9. The petition by Wema Bank against Hon. Mr. JusticeYusuf Halilu of the FCT High Court was dismissed because the allegation of misconduct was not established. The judge’s handling of the related matter did not amount to the alleged misconduct.

10. The petition on allegation of inducement, bias and alteration of Ruling written by David Olawepo Efunwape, Esq. against Hon. Mr. Justice E. O. Osinuga of High Court, Ogun State was found to be false.

11. Council, therefore, decided to report David Olawepo Efunwape, Esq., to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) for appropriate sanctions for making false allegations against a judge.

12. The petition written by Hon. Eugene Okechukwu Dibiagwu against Hon. Mr. Justice E. O. Ononeze Madu was dismissed by the Council for lack of merit.Council also decided to warn the Petitioner and asked him to apologise to the Hon. Judge for the false allegation of inducement.

13. New petitions written against twenty-six (26) Judicial Officers from the Federal and State High Courts were considered by Council, after which it resolved to empanel four (4) Committees to investigate.

14. The remaining petitions were summarily dismissed for obvious and manifest lack of merit, being subjudice, concerning administrative matters, or that such petitions were matters for appeal. The dismissed petitions were against Hon. Mr. Justice J. O. Bada, Presiding Justice, Court of Appeal, Benin Division, Hon. Mr. Justice Abdul-Kafarati, Chief Judge, Federal High Court and Hon. Mr. Justices I. N. Buba, H. R. Shagari, R. M. Aikawa, O. E. Abang all of the Federal High Court; Hon. Mr. Justice Marshal Umukoro, Chief Judge, Delta State and Hon. Mr. Justice E. G. Timi also of the Delta State High Court, Hon. Mr. Justice S. U. Dikko, Chief Judge,Nasarawa State, Hon. Mr. Justice P. N. C. Umeadi, Chief Judge, Anambra State, Hon. Mr. Justices A. O. Opesanwo, A. J. Coker both of Lagos State High Court, Hon. Mr. Justice C. I. Gabriel Nwankwo, President, Customary Court of Appeal, River State, Hon. Mr. Justices C. A. Okirie and G. O. Omeji both of River State High Court, Hon. Mr. Justice Iniabasi Udobong of High Court, Akwa-Ibom State, Hon. Mr. Justice S. O. Falola of High Court, Osun State, Hon. Grand Kadi, Sokoto State, Hon. Mr. Justice I. B. Ahmed of Katsina State High Court and Hon. Mr. Justice Patricia Mahmoud formerly of the Kano State High Court before her elevation to the Court of Appeal.

Soji Oye, Esq.

Director, Information

04/10/2018

“The Judiciary is inseparable from the Bar. I express my sincere appreciation to the Bar for coming to the rescue of the Bench whenever there is need. Such has been the practice.On a personal note, let me paraphrase and say that from the Bar I come and unto the Bar I shall return. And that would not be too long from now. It does not matter that Judicial Officers are not allowed to return to the Bar in full steam.
The erudite Prof. Epiphany Azinge (SAN) harped on this exclusion at his rousing speech during the Sixth Chief Judge Dinner in March, 2017 at Awka.

Professor Epiphany Azinge said thus :“Many jurisdictions abroad have long waived this Rule. A judge will certainly be more relaxed, bolder and more resolute, if he or she is aware that regardless of any untoward occurrence he or she can still dust the wig and gown and return to legal practice.”

I urge the Bar to put their heart to this fight. After all a returning Judicial Officer to the Bar world not change the law."- Hon. Justice P.N. Umeadi, Chief Judge of Anambra State.

Do you agree with this call?

01/10/2018

SUCCESSION, INHERITANCE AND IGIOGBE UNDER THE BENIN NATIVE LAW AND CUSTOM

Inheritance and succession are two words of the same meanings, which can be used interchangeably. It is the inheriting of the property (whether real or personal) of a deceased person by a living person.

Customary Law of succession under Customary Law is basically two systems, namely patrilineal and matrilineal. However, the system of patrilineal is mostly practiced in Nigeria, especially by the Benin people, with the principle of primogenitor rule in which the eldest son ascends to the throne of his father deceased father, and also inherits his property exclusively (especially his Igiogbe i.e. the main house) so long as he had carried out the customary funeral rites of his deceased father.

The primogeniture rule was modeled to that of the monarchy who from the reign of the Oba Ewuakpe laid down customary rule that it is the Oba's surviving eldest male child that will succeed him to the throne and also inherits his estate exclusively provided he had performed alone the customary funeral rites of his father. It therefore became the custom of the Benins till date.

Under this custom, the heir apparent to Benin throne is the Edaiken N'Uselu being the next-of-kin of the Oba. The property (which can also mean his Igiogbe) of the demised Oba is never shared; they vest in the Edaiken, the heir apparent to the throne. A reigning Oba can devise any gift or property to any of his children in his lifetime.

Igiogbe

Igiogbe is a Benin word, which literally means the house in which the deceased lived and died and usually, though not always and that may as well contain the ancestral shrine including the staff (called Aho Era in Benin) of the family unit. It is a place where some customary activities are observed by the family. For example, the worshipping of the deity, christening of a new baby and traditional marriage ceremony. Etc. It must be note that the principal dwelling house of a Benin man only becomes his ''Igiogbe'' after his demise.

Even though this practice is causing much contention and friction between family members, no Benin man that has full knowledge and understanding of the custom as it relates to devolution of estate deviates from it, except he does otherwise with a mind set. Infect, the custom gives absolutely the main house (igiogbe) to the family. He has corresponding responsibility to cater for his sibling until they are able to fend for themselves. The Benin custom, from time immemorial does not permit the sale of Igiogbe, but the revise is the case, probably because of the commercial benefits deprived thereof. For the reason that custom is dynamic, Omo N'Oba, Oba Erediauwa, CFR and his chiefs ruled recently that, Igiogbe should not, and ought not to dispose of by any means, as it represents the ancestral home of every Benin man. However, the property can't automatically become his own until after the completion of the ''Ukpomwan'', that is the secondary burial rite with members of the family.

It is only the surviving eldest son of a Benin man that has the right of inheritance to his late father's Igiogbe, except the Benin man had no biological child of his. In this case, his next full blooded brother is vested with the customary rights of inheritance.

Benin customs as it relates to Igiogbe is exclusively the dwelling house of a Benin man after he had died, not that of a Benin woman, because her house can not constitute a family house where the deity ancestors are held. Infect, Igiogbe can't be centered on a woman. Meanwhile if a Benin woman was able to build houses, such buildings will be shared amongst her children in order of seniority; but if she had one property, which she did not by a Will devolved to any of her children it can be shared among the children, unlike that of a Benin man who had only one property that can't be partitioned. The eldest son is expected not to regard his mother's property as an Igiogbe that he must inherit absolutely; as such claim is contrary to the Benin custom.

It is to be noted that Benin customary law of inheritance is like that of the Duke of earl, which keeps family tradition and maintains orderly continuity. It is therefore not repugnant to equity; good conscience and natural justice. To this extent, it is right for a Benin man to make Will to devise, bequeath or dispose of his real and personal estate to his children or anybody he wishes, but must recognize the native law and custom of the locality as it relates to the controversial Igiogbe; which under the custom he can't devise to any other person other than his eldest son. See Lawal Osula v Lawal Osula (1995) 9NWLR part 419, SC 59; Ogiamien v Ogiamien (1967) NWLR 245 at pages 276. Ogbahon vs. Reg Trustee C.C (2002) INWLR, part 749 at 675 ratios 7.

No Benin man under the custom is allowed to give out his dwelling house (igiogbe) to someone else during his lifetime, except to his eldest male child; devolution of Igiogbe can't be by gift inter vivo rather by inheritance. A piece of land is not an Igiogbe if the definition and meaning of Igiogbe is considered, as being the dwelling main house of a Benin man where he lived and died and that may contain the family ancestral shrine and staff.

Ikhimwen ne Igiogbe (copied)

28/09/2018

First, it was an accident that almost took his life. Then came a globally celebrated s*x scandal that led to an endless can of worms and culminated in a broken marriage.

Next, one after the other, every brand that had endorsed the golf legend came to strip him of their association. Then the expected happens ..he slides deep into drinking and drugs. A habit that wouldn't stay hidden after a DUI arrest and public embarrassment.

In all of these, his professional performance was on the decline for 5 straight years since 2013. No throphy came his way. Not to mention 4 spinal surgeries.

The *TIGER* had lost his fight and the big cat now had his neck deep in the *WOODS.*

Tiger Woods ...from hero to zero. What would he do now? Take his place among the "has beens", get drowned in drug use until he makes the news yet again as another celebrity overdosed?

The decision he took despite the pains, losses, loneliness, embarrassment and shame is the reason I bring you this motivation this day.

He chose not to stay down. None of the calamities above had what it took to make him feel finished. Tiger Woods fought! He fought with everything he had which began with a public apology, then therapy, then an every day personal push with almost no one in his corner. But he woke up every day staring at where he used to be with the aim to make his return.

The outcome? Today ..return he did. After 1,876 days, he showed that you can get right back to where you want to. He reclaimed his title, beating 30 players including 18 of the top 20 world best ranked golf players.

At 42, with his 80th victory, he is the new king of the golf course with $4.6m to show for this one win. He cried from a place of joy. Real happy tears. The kind that can be yours if you only believe that nothing deserves to hold you down.

Tiger Woods is no super human. The same decision, disposition, discipline, dedication and determination he used is yours for the taking. If he can beat these odds, what is keeping you down?

It's time. You too are a champion. Let them hear the *LION* roar!!