It is not one's fancy to be given to customary ceremonies but the event of adding another year is always an opportunity to wish oneself well and also appreciate all and sundry.
One's emergence on terra firma and victories cannot be written without appreciating one's parents, in persons of Mr. Isola and Mrs. Eunice Ademiluyi, who took the choice to birth one into being. But much more intriguing was the steadfastness of the duo in the battles I faced in the last one decade, first against victimisation as a student activist at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife and one's successful call to the Nigerian Bar in the final analysis. I also appreciate my siblings, Bukola Alao (nee Ademiluyi), Festus, Helen and Gbenga Ademiluyi.
Life and learning goes "pari pasu". My appreciation equally goes to the long chain of teachers, both past and present, as one never stops learning. A maxim even says "from cradle to grave".
I must make a specific appreciation to my great Teacher of Environmental and Sustainability Law, Professor Margaret Okorodudu-Fubara of the Faculty of Law, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, who always provided that pillar of hope in the dark days of unwarranted victimisation that marked the twilight of one's students' days at Great Ife.
My warm appreciation goes to the Ife Law Class of 2009, the Great Ife Legal "Legends" for being such a great generation to be a member of.
Great Ife provided the launching pad for all what one is passionate about, from activism to the environment. Great Ife! Remain, Great Ife.
The most spectacular political event in one's past decade is the split of the forces of the Movement for A Socialist Alternative (MSA). To all my comrades in the MSA, we have not fully fathomed the depth of the great stride we made through the split in year 2020, popularly known as the "Year of the Pandemic" but more appropriately should be tagged the "Year of Revolution and Counter-Revolution".
It is now clearer to us than almost in the last ten years that Counter-Revolution has taken a deep base in the "official" left and a crystallisation of genuine revolutionary layer has just commenced.
My Red salute to my brother in arms, Wole Olubanji Engels, Davynovich Fidel and our great leader, Daggar Tolar. Redder days lie ahead.
I equally appreciate collaborators in the left and radical movement with which one has fought battles against reaction, first within the left and the state. Red salute to the persons of Kunle Ajayi Wiseman, my brother in arms and the entire forces of Revolution Now and Coalition for Revolution, CORE. To my brother, Wiseman, events of today have only proven our works in the past half-a-decade correct.
I must equally commend the steadfastness of my collaborator and leader in the Radical Agenda Movement in the Nigerian Bar Association (RAMINBA), Mr. Adesina Ogunlana who accepted the historical challenge in 2019 to put up a radical presidential challenge against the Bar bigwigs. Events of the past one year has only proven us correct that NBA cannot be okay if Nigeria is not okay.
It is no surprise then that history has been kind to us in the events that blew out in the lead up to the #EndSARS uprising and its aftermath. Our organic intervention and role is not by accident but confirmation of foresight above astonishment. My warm appreciation also goes to our DF, Dele Farotimi for always being there.
My salutations cannot be complete without a shout-out to my constituency, the Nigerian Bar Association. I commend our dear President, Mr. Olumide Akpata, who stood out in the galaxy of the Presidents of the Bar for a while to provide intervention on one's arrest during a Socialist Party of Nigeria rally last year. I must equally appreciate the Chairman of my Branch, Epe Branch, Mr. Ademola Koko and our glamorous Vice-Chairman, Funmi Adeogun and the entire Executive Committee Members and Members of the Branch.
I equally appreciate the outgone Chairman and present Chairman of the Section on Public Interest and Development Law, (SPIDEL) of the Nigerian Bar Association, Professor Paul Ananaba SAN and Dr. Monday Ubani. Special thanks must be given to Dr. Monday Ubani and the Governing Council of SPIDEL who gave opportunity to serve by appointing one the Chairman of the Environmental and Sustainability Law Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association, the premier Committee of SPIDEL.
To the Executive Committee Members and entire members of the Environmental and Sustainability Law Committee of NBA SPIDEL, greater days lie ahead.
I must appreciate past and former Partners, Senior Associates, Associates and staff of my law firm, Newworth LLP, First Suite, First Floor, Post Office Building, Marina, Lagos, a full-service environmental and sustainability law firm with our core practice areas ranging from Public Interest practice to Dispute Resolution, Corporate Commercial, Real Estate, Sustainability and International Legal Practice, where one acts as the Lead Partner. My special thanks to Joan Ohwaguono, Femi Fangnon, Gbemisola Osadua, Milinda Millieking Sunday, Phillip Bethel Esq, in no particular order.
I give all glory to the Maker and Giver of Life, no matter the debates. I am assured that another year only offers opportunity to deepen the revival and revolutionary movement.
AYO ADEMILUYI ESQ.,
Lagos.
13th August, 2021.
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