The Team To Beat

By Abubakar-D.-Sani

And, so, the day finally came to pass;
Our new helmsmen (and women!) were inaugurated;
A cleaner, neater, dozen you won’t find anywhere;
With them in charge, we are truly in safe hands

And, what a team they are – what a roll-call!;
Whoever said something about a 1st Eleven!;
Nor, indeed, a scale of 1 to 10;
Ours is both of those – and more!

An accomplished, robust and diverse team;
Boasting of 3 Senior Advocates and 2 High Court Judges;;
Not to mention a traditional title-holder;
Two Doctorates and more – they truly a class apart!

Ably led by a SAN, Dr. Kemi Pinheiro;
Assisted by Mirabell Odoba Nsofor;
With yet another SAN, Steve Adehi, as the Scribe;
The remaining 9 are no less rarefied

From Franca Agbasi to Emmanuel Majebi –
Both of whom have more in common than their alliterative surnames!;
As the Financial and Publicity Secretaries, respectively –
One handles the media, while the other holds the purse strings!

Five of Nigeria’s geopolitical zones are also in safe hands;
Four of them belong to a Judge and a Senior Advocate –
In the persons of Hon. Justice Braimoh and Sam Ologunorisha;
While the rest belong to Messrs. Ribadu, Abidakun and Alaigbe

Not to mention the Class egg-head extraordinaire;
The one and only Dr. Peter Ntephe – who else?;
With a Doctorate and 3 Masters Degrees – all foreign;
A better Diaspora Co-ordinator you won’t find anywhere!

Holding them all – and the rest of us – together;
Is none other than Hon. Justice Olukayode Ogunjobi;
As the Provost and Administrator-at-large –
My Lord’s job is to ensure discipline, cracking the whip – if need be

With such a capable team of Shepherds in place –
This flock will surely be loth to stray!;
Yes, indeed, for other Classes, they are the template!;
For their emergence, we can only say, as the French: ‘applaudisez’!

To all involved in their birthing – particularly the ‘midwives’ –
The NLS 1987 Board of Trustees;
As well as the Steering Committee;
You deserve more than high-fives

Thank you – one and all:
This Class, under this Team, will go places;
Trailblazers and pacesetters – name it;
Who can bet against it except the star-crossed?