Born 58 years ago in Kebbi State, Northwest Nigeria, Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, SAN, popularly called ‘Y.C,’ did not set out to study Law. He was admitted to study Law against his wish and application to study Veterinary Medicine at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. Maikyau shared this story in his inaugural address as President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
“I studied Physics, Chemistry, and Biology in my A-level classes at the School of Basic Studies, Zaria. Never in my wildest thoughts or imaginations did I contemplate studying Law,” Maikyau said.
Based on his education foundation and qualification, he gained admission to study Veterinary Medicine at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
After registering for the course, he received news that changed the trajectory of his life.
“About three weeks into my resumption in Veterinary Medicine, I was informed by my friend, Hassan Danjuma, that he saw my name on the admissions list for the Faculty of Law,” he said.
“He literally dragged me to the old Senate Building and pointed out my name on the list. I saw it and was completely taken aback and unsuccessfully tried so hard to convince Hassan that this was, in fact, news to me.”
That news was, in fact, true. Not only was his name on the master list but also the list at the Faculty of Law.
Faced with the dilemma of having two options, he sought advice.
“I travelled to Sokoto to consult with my big brother figure, Mr. J. S. Magaji of blessed memory, who said to me, “if you can cope, Law is a more lucrative course than Veterinary Medicine,” he said.
He left Magaji with a clear course of action.
“Upon return to Zaria, I withdrew from Veterinary Medicine and re-registered as a law student with the encouragement of the then Dean of Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Professor Daniel Saror, who also promised to defer my admission to the following year, so that if I could not cope with Law, I could return to continue with Veterinary Medicine.”
He did not need to fall back on plan B and was full of praise to God, his parents and his sister, who he said sacrificed everything for him and the men who played a role in shaping his education and future.
Maikyau said, “I owe a debt of gratitude to Professor Daniel Saror, the late Mr. J. S. Magaji, and late Senator Danladi Bamayi, my first employer and principal in chambers, with whom I worked for almost 13 years. Senator Bamayi’s sense of duty, discipline, honesty and respect for values, ethics, and standards helped in no small measure in moulding me into who I am as a legal practitioner, a husband, and a father.
“I know Professor Daniel Saror (who would have been here in person – he will be 81 in October), the late Mr. J. S. Magaji, and the late Senator Danladi Bamayi, are proud of their advice and mentorship and are equally grateful to God to have had a hand in what turned out to be the nurturing of the seed of greatness God deposited in me.
“That we are here today is more than enough proof that I never went back to study Veterinary Medicine. That I can rise to the peak of the profession of law, into which I was admitted by sheer providence (for I did not apply to study Law; I still do not know how my name appeared on that list), attain the rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and now the 31st President of the NBA, are all the work of the Almighty.
“Is there any impossibility with God? Certainly NONE! I give God Almighty, the Alpha and Omega, Omnipresent, Omniscience, Omnipotent, the ONLY WISE ONE, the ONE in whom the essence of His existence is in Himself, all the glory, honour, and praise.”
Y.C. is a unique and rare breed. He is a lawyer with over 32 years in dispute resolution, especially litigation, and arbitration, and he is the 31st President of the NBA. He founded his Law firm, Y.C Maikyau & Co, in 2003 with offices in Abuja, Kebbi, and Sokoto States, respectively. He was conferred with the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) on August 26, 2011.
He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Arbitrators, London, United Kingdom (FCIArb) and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (FICMC). He was a counsel in the Human Rights Investigation Commission of Nigeria – Oputa Panel, set up by President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999.
His emergence has breathed a new lease of life and vigour into the NBA aimed at sanitising and instilling discipline in the legal practice. One significant action taken by Y.C. as NBA President was the insistence that the Chairman, Body of Benchers, Chief Wole Olanipekun, should recuse himself and not preside over the call to bar ceremony of the Nigerian Law School in December 2022. The NBA went on to boycott the call to bar ceremony of 4,711 new lawyers inducted into the legal profession.
In a major move aimed at ensuring a credible election in the build-up to the 2023 polls, the NBA, under his able leadership, organised the maiden NBA State of the Nation Dialogue. The dialogue which focused on three key areas viz; Economy, Security, and Access to justice.
Speaking on the purpose of the Dialogue, Maikyau said, “With citizens’ concern about insecurity, economic uncertainty, and political instability, most Nigerians have taken more than a passing interest in the electoral process and outcomes. It has, therefore, become expedient to continuously engage government at all levels to, among other things, hold the current and past leaderships to account, generate discussions that will provide Nigerians with sufficient information to guide them in making their choice of leaders and ensure that no one seeking elective office leverages on the failures of this or any administration, to gain the sympathy of Nigerians.
“In light of the foregoing, and in fulfilment of the commitment made to the legal profession and Nigerians, I have convened The Nigerian Bar Association State of the Nation Dialogue, a one-day event which is designed to, among other things, generate discussions that will provide Nigerians with the information to guide them in making the right choices. This engagement with the Nigerian Bar Association is one that the whole nation needs, as it is expected to afford Nigerians the opportunity to better understand the candidates’ Agenda, particularly on the three focus areas of the Dialogue: Security – Economy – Administration of Justice. We also believe that Nigerians will benefit greatly from any perspectives that the legal community can add to the conversation.”
Y.C. surprised many when he apologised to Nigerians for the abdication of the role of legal practitioners in the country. He regretted that today members of the bar are reputed more for how much fees clients are charged as opposed to the discharge of the primary call to offer guidance and to offer themselves for the advancement of the country’s course.
Such is the stuff Yakubu Maikyau – Y.C is made of, and more is expected from him as he pilots the affairs of the NBA into its new vistas.
We at Gatekeepers News wish you a happy birthday and many happy returns of the day.
