The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima has described the founder of Ghalib Chambers, Mallam (Professor) Yusuf Olaolu Ali, SAN as a successful legal icon whose invaluable contributions to the nation’s legal profession is enormous and profound.
Shettima disclosed this on Saturday (June 1, 2024) in his address at the 30th anniversary of Yusuf Ali & Co. (Ghalib Chambers) held at Banquet Hall, opposite Government House, Ahmadu Bello Way, Ilorin, kwara state capital.
The Vice President , who was the Principal Guest at the well attended occasion, said Mallam Ali is a popular and distinct legal practitioner who has contributed immensely and still contributing to the country’s legal compass.
He added that the Ghalib Chambers, has over the three decades provided numerous quality of legal practices, and several other services to God and humanity across the lengthand bredth of the country.
The Chairman of the occasion, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola also extolled the virtues of Mallam Yusuf Ali describing him as an outstanding and brilliant lawyer who has been touching many lives positively through the provision of legal services as well as humanitarian services.
“Mallam Yusuf Ali has done a lot of pro bono cases without taking one naira from them. One he knows that they are diligent they can’t pay the fee” remarked.
The guest speaker, former Minister of Works and Power and two-term Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, described Mallam Ali as a fine example of this generation and commended him for building a functional pracrice that has lasted for three decades and it is still thriving.
Fashola and Gov Zulum
Fashola, who spoke on the topic, “Presidential or Parliamentary System of Government: Where is the Convergence?”, explained that It does not necessarily require changing the style of government to achieve a reduced cost of governance.
According to him, instead of calling for a change of system of government, what should be ultimate in our minds is to desire a liberal democracy that would ensure better and improved livelihood of Nigerians.
While saying that he was not opposed to restructuring, Fashola maintained that he is an advocate of a presidential federal system of government and urged those calling for a return to the parliamentary system to reflect deeply on why it failed in the past and consider if the underlying issues have been resolved.
He called the attention of those calling for the return of the country to parliamentary system of government to think deeply and reconsider wether the reasons that caused its collapse before the first republic have been taken care of.
Fashola explained that Nigeria once practiced parliamentary system but failed and led the country into unwarranted disaster, saying that Nigeria left parliamentary system of government because it failed us, pointing out that why there is now an agitation to go back to it.
He said: “those calling for the change of system are instigated by economic reasons, if only they are confident the government would provide their economic need, they won’t chant this clamour for change.”
He said “if there is sincerity of purpose, there will be better life for all even under the present system of government”.
Earlier in his address, Mallam Yusuf Ali described his legal trajectory as the one that is guided by God and gave thanks to Allah for His blessings and mercy upon him and his partners for what He has done for the Ghalib Chambers in the last three decades.
Dignitaries in attendance included the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Dr Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari; the Chief Imam of Ilorin Sheikh Muhammed Bashir; Professor Abiodun Alao of the Kings College, London; Governor of Borno State, Governor Zulum; the Deputy Governor of Kwara State Elder Kayode Alabi; Senator Kaka Shehu Lawa; the Grand Kadi of Kwara State Justics Abdullateef Kamaldeen; retired Justice Ayo Salami; the founder of Al-Hikmah University Alhaji Abdulraheem Oladimeji, the CEO of KAM HOLDINGS LTD Dr Kamoru Yusuf; DG MINILS Comrade Issa Aremu mni; Asiwaju Adegboyega Awomolo SAN and his wife ChiefVictoria Olufemilayo Awomolo; Otunba Wale Babalakin SAN; the Vice Chancellor of University of Ilorin Prof Wahab Olasupo Egbewole; several frontline tradiinal rulers and religious leaders from kwara, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and many other states among several other eminent personalities.
