Ragged Gown And Seniority At The Bar

Is it not enough that we have chosen to colonize ourselves with
the legal wigs introduced to us by the Colonial masters, in that,
we have chosen to make matter worse by clothing ourselves with some
ragged cotton in the name of proving seniority?

Indeed, there is seniority at the bar, but I do not think that
the weight of that sermon is necessarily measured by how torn and
ancient one’s gown look.

Without doubt, senior bar men are known for mounting old wigs on
their head, but it tells nothing close to seniority when a
robin-wood-kind is treated like a scroll eaten by a giant rat.
Knowledge of the law, advocacy skill, and excellent submissions
should show how long a bar man has visited the bar.

It was actually a funny scene today on the social media when a
colleague posted the photo of a supposed senior lawyer who
announced appearance and made submissions before a superior Court
of record robed in what could be described as a noble ridicule of
the noble profession.

His brown looking gown which seemed to be about two decades old
was having a hard time settling itself on the shoulders of the bar
man who was making submissions before the judge, whose eyes could
not see the interesting back of the advocate.

The troubled gown could not help itself. It had to just respect
the order of its owner in obedience. Well, it’s the sole right of
any bar man to choose the quality of gown he wishes to rock the
court room with. But one begins to wonder how that becomes the
business of the owner alone when such act begins to attract
comments from all corners, condemning it.

According to one of the commenters, the famous advocate, late
Chief. Rotimi Wiliams, SAN, once appeared in like manner before a
court, but was queried by the judge for appearing in such a regalia
unbecoming of a legal practitioner. So you see? Even the bench has
its reserve for an endorsement of such.

But to you, I mean you reading this, what do you think? Is the
ragged gown good for the seniority sermon, or just one of those
scenes that shows how carefree some bar men could be?

Ebi Robert

Co-Editor,
TheNigerialawyer (TNL)