*The Service Earned Me The Name ‘Hakuna Matata.
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Friends, colleagues and family members of Ikechukwu Maximus Ugwuoke Esq, a.k.a Hakuna Matata, a leading aspirant to the office of National Welfare Secretary of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) welcomed him over the weekend at Enugu on his return from Abuja where he attended the Coordination meeting of Avocats Sans Frontieres (ASF) France, also known as Lawyers Without Borders.
Avocats Sans Frontieres (ASF) France, last week had a meeting on a project tagged SAFE- Strengthening the National Actors’ Capacities and Advocating for Ending Severe Human Rights Violations in Nigeria.
The project is targeted on three thematic areas of arbitrary detention, torture and extra judicial killing in Nigeria by security agencies.
The project which is co-funded by the European Union (EU) and Agencey Franchise de Development (AFD) is being implemented in Nigeria in three pilot states Enugu, Kaduna and Lagos by ASF France in partnership with Carmelite Prisoners Interest Organization (CAPIO) and Nigeria Bar Association (NBA)
Ugwuoke who is the human right lawyer in charge of the Human Right project for ASF France in Enugu State informed them that the project has afforded him the opportunity to provide probono legal services to numerous beneficiaries of the project.
He explained that it was revealed during the cordination meeting that over 200 Nigerians across all the states of the federation have benefited from the project both in terms of free legal representation in Courts and legal advice .
According to him ” the coordination meeting afforded me the opportunity to interact and cross fertilize ideas with other lawyers from across the country and other partners of the project, noteable among which are Angela Uwandu-Uzoma, the Head of Nigeran office of ASF France in Abuja, and the representatives of European Union (EU), Agencey Franchise de Development (AFD) and the NBA.
Ugwoke reveals that his flair for humanitarian service started in his early days of legal practice during his National Youth Service programme in Nassarawa State in 2008 when he rendered probono services that led to the release of many inmates of the Nassarawa Prisons, a project that earned him the Nasarawa State Government commendation Award.
According to him, ” Since then, I have led my life as a lawyer rendering humanitarian services to the needy. Even when I returned to Enugu to start my legal practice in the law firm of Ikeazor Akaraiwe SAN, I was made the head of the probono department of his chambers which gave me the opportunity to provide humanitarian services to many clients.
“It was this service that earned me the name ‘Hakuna Matata’ (meaning Don’t worry ;Be Happy).
“It was my beneficiaries, friends and colleagues that gave me that name out of their perception of my character of putting smiles on the faces of the needy in my calling for humanitarian services.
“It was on the matra of that name ” Hakuna Matata” that I served the Enugu Branch of the NBA as the Social Secretary in 2012 to 2014, and also serving the bar as the Alternate Chairman of the Human Rights Committee.
“Many Lawyers in this jurisdiction and know me as Hakuna Matata in place of my proper name.
“You can’t render humanitarian services if you are not happy, humble, approachable, compassionate, charitable and patient. Nemo dat quod non habet .
“These qualities are innate in me and have endeared me to so many people I come in contact with.
“A heart of charity for me is the hub of all virtues, for charity is the supreme law and the golden rule. That is the only language of religion I know and speak in my practice of law”
Ugwuoke used the occasion to inform them that he had submitted his nomination form for a national office in forth coming NBA election in line with his aspiration to bring his heart of service to bear in the affairs of Nigerian Lawyers at large to put smiles on their faces.
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