The campaign organisation of Senator Sharafadeen Alli has fired back at Governor Seyi Makinde over his recent remark questioning Alli’s legal experience, saying the Governor needs to be schooled on the legal knowledge he appears to lack.
The Sharafadeen Alli camp described Makinde’s comment as a misunderstanding of what legal education, professional qualification and public service entail, stressing that being trained as a lawyer does not mean a person must spend an entire career in the courtroom.
It also pointed to Alli’s legal training, call to the Nigerian Bar and subsequent years of public service as evidence that his legal education has been applied beyond courtroom practice.
Turning the argument back on Makinde, the campaign said the Governor’s logic would mean that someone who studied Engineering should remain permanently on an oil field simply because he trained as an engineer.
Makinde studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Lagos and subsequently built a career in the oil and gas industry before entering politics and becoming governor.
The Alli camp therefore used Makinde’s own career trajectory to argue that education is a foundation for professional and public service, not a lifetime restriction on the office a person can occupy.
SEYI MAKINDE GOT IT WRONG: A Free Law 101 For The Governor
So Governor Seyi Makinde said Senator Sharafadeen Alli "never practised law" as if it were a crime?
Your Excellency, with respect, this is ignorance on stilts. Let us school you for free.
Since when is it a crime to study Law and join politics?
If that is a crime, dissolve the National Assembly tomorrow. About half of them are lawyers.
If we follow your logic, you studied Engineering, you should still be carrying drilling machines in the oil field, not sitting in Agodi Government House.
Education is not a prison. Law is not a shrine where you must stay forever.
Mr. Governor, who told you a lawyer's life starts and ends in court? This is what non-lawyers think. Only roadside lawyers think like that.
A lawyer has 7 workplaces:
- Courtroom
- Government House (as Governor, Minister, AG)
- Company Boardroom
- University (as Professor)
- National Assembly (making the laws)
- As Adviser
Once you are called to Bar, you are a Lawyer for life whether you attend court session or not.
FACTS: Great Leaders Who Were Lawyers But Left The Court
Do you want examples? Take them:
In Nigeria, Obafemi Awolowo was called to Bar in 1946, left court to become Premier and best political leader Nigeria ever produced.
Aminu Tambuwal, a Law graduate, never made court his hustle. He became Speaker of Nigeria and Governor for 8 years.
Yemi Osinbajo, Law Professor, but never a regular courtroom lawyer, became Vice President.
Nyesom Wike, Lawyer, became LG Chairman, Governor, now FCT Minister, etc, etc…
Further tutorial for Mr. Governor:
Barack Obama, Harvard Law, one of the best brains in Law. He taught Law, did not hustle in court but became US President.
Nelson Mandela, Lawyer, left law office to lead a nation.
Mahatma Gandhi, London-trained Barrister, left practice to free India.
Fidel Castro, Law graduate, became leader of Cuba for 49 years.
Did any of them fail because they left the courtroom? No.
For Senator Sharafadeen Alli:
The man did not only practice at the Chambers of Sarumi & Co, he founded his own law firm “Biodun Alli & Co”. He was Local Govt Chairman since when some people were still looking for political footing. He was SSG; Chief of Staff; Chairman of Odu'a Investment. He has served Oyo more than many career courtroom lawyers.
Sharafadeen used his law degree the right way - to govern, to lead, to make laws, thus making him the most qualified candidate to govern and cleanse the rot and mess under your watch presently.
Mr. Governor, everything is not politics. Stop going low in the name of politics. Oyo people deserve issue-based campaign, not this "Amebo talk”.
A law degree is not about wigs and gowns in court. It is about training the mind to lead.
And on that, Sharafadeen Alli has led well.
Drop the pettiness. Face governance.
