Alleged Disbarment: Apologize To Me Or I’ll Sue You – Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyer Ugwuonye Tells Vanguard

Emeka Ugwuonye, one of the lawyers to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu has finally denied reports that he was disbarred yesterday in Nigeria over fraud allegations leveled against him.

Reacting on social media, Ugwuonye said: “I was in court this morning. I arrived a whole hour late. I was late because I had to stay behind to issue statements to friends and supporters against the potential frenzy over the stories about me and the Nigerian Bar.

“After court, I have held 4 different meetings, pushing my lunch time to just a couple of hours ago. It has been quite a busy day for me on account of my pre-existing schedule. Despite that, I have been aware of the excitement which the stories about me in the social media have generated.

“I am particularly bemused by the reactions of everybody that disliked me or who had grudges against me. Many of them were people who fought me and lots in the past. They are all out today to repeat the mistake they had made many times in the past – to wrongly assume that Emeka Ugwuonye is finished. When will they ever learn? They remind me about a folklore where an entire village heard the rumor that the lion was sick.

” Everybody took a stick and become a hunter with intent to be the one that would slay the sick lion. Even when one experienced hunter cautioned the novices among them of the need to approach the lion cautiously, they dismissed him and told him that it was an easy job. That was how they casually approached the sleeping lion assuming he was really sick. Well, you can imagine the rest of the story. The poor souls could not make it out fast enough when the beast turned. Any real lawyer, well trained in the law and versed in the affairs of the world would know that the story being spread around cannot be true. No legal process works like that, not even in a developing country like Nigeria does it work primitively as that. If all this rumor were to be true, it would only mean that God is providing us an opportunity to test and examine the character and quality of the Nigerian Bar. No institution is above the law and no institution should be feared. So, why would anybody assume that the Bar is above the law? That is if I were to have a real problem with the Bar, rather than the rumored and fantasy problems my enemies have imagined.

“Going by frenzy, it can be said that, unknown to me, I must have been the most visible lawyer in Nigeria. Why should I worry if more people are getting to know me and about me? I wish there is a way for you people to know how relaxed I am right now. I am happy that God is using me to teach Nigerians an aspect of the law they did not know much about. By the time it is all over, you will be experts on how the law works in this area. That alone is enough to make me happy.

” As I have seen the reactions of my enemies, who are still scared of me, I have also noted the uncompromising support I have received from my friends and supporters.

“My heart is pleased. I have only one thing to say to my friends and supporters: there is no cause for alarm. Go and have your favorite drink. (Please no kinkana). What you read is largely untrue. It a mischaracterization of truth, at best. Again, I thank you so much God bless you all.” He further cleared the air on the controversies surrounding his status as a lawyer.

The legal luminary added: “For about eight years now, there has always been one story or the other about me and some controversies. They are too many for me to list them here. Because these stories were spread through the internet, there appears to be certain degree of authenticity to them. But most of it has been false authenticity when you bother to look skin-deep beneath the surface of the words used.

“One of the stories that I wish to touch on at this moment has to the with the aspect concerning my standing in the Bar or the various Bars of which I am a member in different jurisdictions globally. One particular blogger / on-line news website has reported for years now so falsely about me.

“That has made it so hard for their readers to tell what is true and what is false. For those who have followed my activities closely lately, I will remind you that in the past 25 years, I have become a member of the bar in over 15 key jurisdictions in the world. I was never disbarred in any of the America jurisdictions.

“The fact that I have been spending a lot of time in Nigeria lately has nothing to do with any problem in America. There was never any such problem. My enemies are wrong. I admit this, as a matter of fact, I have become a highly controversial individual, largely due to the false but aggressive internet media campaign against me.

“That has been good and bad experience for me. The bad side is that it has armed my enemies and made it possible for them to attack me in the various opportunistic ways possible. But I have withstood those attacks undaunted. The good side is that these false stories created curiosity about me, which has led many to discover how great my work is. And my work speaks for itself. As a lawyer, I have always known that certain risks go with certain things we do. I have taken many many risks in a calculated and knowing manner.

“I understand that when you step on toes, the owners of those toes will react in every manner they can. Stepping on toes are things I admit to have done on purpose. And I saw the reactions coming. I just wasn’t scared enough by the reactions. All reactions were anticipated.

“That was how a minor issue of personal nature blew into a disagreement with the Nigerian Bar. I am confident that it is a matter to be straightened out in due course. I will refrain from saying more on the straitening out process with the Nigerian Bar to avoid preempting any measures or anyone. My message to my clients, my fans and my supporters is just simple.

“There is no cause for alarm. If there was, I would be the first to tell you. Many of you have known how many times my enemies failed in the past. So, nothing anyone tells you now should be enough to scare you. There is no cause for alarm and there is no going back now. My message is strong and my mission is irreversible. In no distant time, this country will hear us and we will achieve a lot of good for millions of people. Unfortunately, nothing good comes easy and I don’t believe in easy victories.”

He threatened to take up legal action against some media platforms peddling lies against him.

“For falsely claiming that I was disbarred in Maryland and New York in America, I will give Vanguard Newspapers a short opportunity to apologize to me and retract that false story. While I can ignore these poor bloggers trying to make a living at a time of high unemployment, I will hold accountable any supposedly reputable newspaper that lies against me maliciously.

“I am totally disappointed in Vanguard Newspapers. I would have expected them to verify a story before publishing it. Tomorrow morning, I shall give them the requisite statutory notice and demand for retraction and apology. Failure to comply will force me to initiate a defamation lawsuit against them.” he wrote.