The former Assistant Secretary of Lagos Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, Tochukwu Chukwumerije (who is better known as Lato by his many friends), is dead
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In a tribute sighted by TheNigeriaLawyer, Seth Amaefule, Esq., said the Lato died on January 28, 2021.
He said, “The news of his death on 28 January 2021. came as a rude shock. I just could not understand it. But such is life – characterised by Shakespeare as ‘nothing but a poor player, strutting and fretting away his time on the stage, a tale told by a fool, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing’.”
Seth said his early association with the deceased was sometime in 2007 when he (Seth) was Secretary of NBA Lagos Branch.
“He (the deceased) was a young lawyer then, very affable, always handy, willing to participate, and at all times in good spirit with a ready smile. Seeing him often reminded me of his uncle Senator Uche Chukwumerije who served as Minister of Information under Gen. Abacha and later rose to become an astute and Honourable Senator, a standard-bearer, the conscience of the Senate and a rallying point and leader of the Integrity Group.
“We eventually became foot soldiers in the Movement called MARSAN of which Pa Tunji Gomez (now of blessed memory) was the spirit and the leader from 2009. Lato also worked with me in 2012-13 on the Legislature Liaison Committee of our Branch of which I was chairman. He seemed to have a pet name for every friend. But generally, just make him happy and he would acknowledge by saying: ‘You are a good man’ and crown it with hearty laughter.
“I ran into Lato in about the third week of December 2020 at Tejuosho area of Surulere. We talked as friends, and hoped to meet again to carry on our chats.”
A source informed TheNigerialawyer that Lato died of Glomerular Nephritis know as a group of diseases that injure the part of the kidney that filters blood (called glomeruli). His Dad died 3 months ago. May his soul RIP.
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