When I was growing up as a child, people in the neighborhood and even some of my relatives often tagged me with the name “Rotimi Williams” as opposed to my birth giving name “Pelumi Williams”.
At a point, I got confused and was full of thoughts as to why my callers would choose to “Rotimi Williams” over “Pelumi Williams”.
Sometimes, I will ignore, and sometimes, I will cleverly shut them down even before they muster a word.
The bizarre name linger for a very long time not until when I was in Senior Secondary School after which I had summoned the effrontery to questioned my parents why they won’t preclude people from tagging me with “Rotimi Williams” as different and distinct from the name they joyously gave to me at birth.
Immediately after my enquiry, they both looked into each other face with delightful smiles. The next word I heard was; Rotimi Williams SAN (Of blessed memory) was one of the greatest lawyer, if not the greatest lawyer Nigeria has ever produced till date. Though he is late, but the write-ups and ideas from the nip of his pen still stands tall with pride in the shelves of judges, SANs, great lawyers and even legal historians.
They concluded by saying that it is an utmost privilege to be likened to “An Oracle of Law”. By the time when they were done, I was filled with joy and fullest satisfaction. The rest is history.
Immediately after my West Africa Examination, I was boiling passionately to fulfill my innate desire of becoming like the great “Rotimi Williams.” I sat for the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board Examination, where I made an excellent score. I was invited for Post UTME Exam at University of Benin where afterwards, I was admitted to study L.LB (Hons).
At this point, I was blazing passionately to forge the path of “Timi d Law”. I constantly checked University of Benin website to know the resumption date. I was prepared for resumption, and eventually arrived at Campus a day before resumption just to know what it takes to be a law student.
For me, attending law lecture class for the FIRST TIME would undoubtedly become my most significant day. Unfortunately, my first week of lectures were G.S.T Courses, though i listen meticulously to those G.S.T courses, but it was conspicuous that I was anticipating nothing more than a Law lecture.
The following week of resumption, we were informed that the only Law course LEGAL METHOD will commence on Wednesday, I was super-delighted and looking forward to receiving the lecture. But all anticipation still to no avail.
Finally, it was the third week after resumption, and the class was set for the only Law course. One thing I was so confident of hearing from the lecturer was:
“Objection My Lord! My Lord sub section …. of section….. of the 1999
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides that……… and I quote”
As soon as the lecturer came in, he welcomed everyone warmly, he proceeded with Introduction, admonition and congratulated us for taking the best decision by choosing the noblest profession in the world.
Afterwards, I knew what I was expecting to hear is near. The lecturer then asked, can anyone tell me what he or she understood about LAW?
After several attempts were made by students who had read Glavin Williams prior to the class.
The lecturer finally gave several definitions, but I was interested in two of those definitions inter-alia.
The first definition he (the lecturer) gave was; LAW is a rule, or a set of rules, that governs and regulates human conduct in their relationship.
The most interesting definition he gave which I still firmly hold onto, was the definition proffered by Oliver Wendel Holmes Jnr, a United States of America jurist.
According to Wendel Holmes, he view the definition from an accused person point of view, when he says that the accused person does not take two horns on the law books and procedures. According to an accused person, law is what the judge will say at the end of the trial!
After the class, though I was a bit disappointed, because i had wanted and waited earnestly to hear “Objection My Lord” from the law lecturer. But on a deeper thought, I felt relieved because I knew I had started the journey of fulfilling my dream of becoming the person whose name was tagged to me (Rotimi Williams) while I was growing up as a child.
Name: Pelumi Williams
Name of School: University of Benin
Level: 300 level
E-mail: Williams_pelumi@yahoo.Com