Dr Monday Ubani,  SAN 


The Human Right activist and constitutional lawyer, Dr Monday Ubani have been called out over his high praises for Abia State Governor Alex Otti while judiciary workers are starving in the same administration.


In the letter written by a former media aide to former governor Dr Okezie Ikpeazu asked Dr Ubani: "Doesn't it worry you that workers of the Abia State Judiciary from the gatemen, to drivers, to clerks to bailiffs to Court Administrators and Registrars then to Magistrates have been starving for two months plus now? 

"Yet your response is to praise the Governor that is responsible for this situation?",  The letter was signed 'Ururu Aja in Shadow Lamentations! 

The writer  asked several rhetorical question Where is the Monday Ubani of old? The Monday Ubani who was Chairman of the NBA Ikeja Branch way back? 

The firebrand human rights activist and good governance advocate? 

Where is the Monday Ubani whom we elected Vice President of the NBA, who spoke truth fearlessly to power?

Learned Silk, your metamorphosis is truly alarming. Y9u no longer care about human rights and activism. 


The full letter reads: 


Dear Monday Onyekachi Ubani, SAN

Learned Silk Sir, 

Total Collapse Of The Administration Of Justice In Abia State And Your Shocking Silence


Happy New Year to you, Learned Silk. Thank God for bringing us all to a brand new year, 2025. I am sure you have returned to your base in Lagos after spending the Yuletide holidays at home.

I will go straight to the point. 

I have read lots of stuff all over social media where you heaped mountains of praises on Governor Alex Otti for "performing miracles"in Abia State. Anyone who read the things you said will think that Abia is now better than Lagos, your base. But quite frankly, I have no issues with your political choices. It's your right 


My main worry is that you kept mum on the fact that the administration of justice sector has collapsed completely in Abia State owing to the outright refusal of the Governor to pay judiciary workers their salary since October last year. As we speak, all courts in the State are under lock and key because the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Abia State Chapter is on strike. 


The only offence committed by judiciary workers in Abia State is that they asked for the implementation of the Consolidated Judiciary Salary Structure (CONJUSS), something that is paid all over the country. Nothing more. 


Are you aware Sir, that Magistrates and Chairmen of Customary Courts, your colleagues, have not been paid since October last year? They celebrated the Christmas on empty stomach? 

Idi aware, Learned Senior Advocate? 

If you had an office anywhere in Abia today, that office and the lawyers who work there would be idle by now. 


I am sure that by now, your law office in Lagos has opened for business and you have also started attending courts. What of your colleagues in Abia? Doesn't that bother you? 


Doesn't it worry you that workers of the Abia State Judiciary from the gatemen, to drivers, to clerks to bailiffs to Court Administrators and Registrars then to Magistrates have been starving for two months plus now? 

Yet your response is to praise the Governor that is responsible for this situation? 

Chai! 

Where is the Monday Ubani of old? 

The Monday Ubani who was Chairman of the NBA Ikeja Branch way back? 

The firebrand human rights activist and good governance advocate? 

Where is the Monday Ubani whom we elected Vice President of the NBA, who spoke truth fearlessly to power? 


At what point did Monday Ubani become a vuvuzela of government? 


How can you keep quiet and pretend not to know when in your home state, law and order and administration of justice been simply become comatose. 

Cases are frustrated. The fundamental freedoms of citizens are trampled upon. Custody cases and fundamental rights matters before several courts are frustrated. Your colleagues are losing legitimate income and you are busy praising the government? 

Do you know Sir that there are innocent persons who are in police detention now simply because courts are locked? A simple bail application will get them out? 


If not that Judges are paid by the NJC, they would have been owed also. Their allowances paid by the state are also withheld! 


Since the Governor is your friend and you, one of his praise singers, why don't you ask him why he has chosen to punish judiciary workers and put the administration of justice in the State on hold? 

The worst part is that the government isn't saying a word about this situation. 

Haba! 

Learned SAN, the other day, I did a post where I did a comparison between two projects handled by Julius Berger Ltd in Abia and Rivers States. I stated that in Rivers State with all the challenges of geography, Julius Berger is doing a 19.7km of road that passes through three local governments of Asari Toru, Degema and Akuku Toru for 30.4 billion Naira. This project has 7 bridges and about 12,000 meters of drainage. 


In Abia, THE SAME JULIUS BERGER is doing a 6km Port Harcourt Road on a very dry land with no bridge at all with 30 Billion Naira. Again the Rivers Project was awarded in December 2024 while the one in Abia is almost 2 years old. 


You were so shocked that you asked me if I was sure of my information and I directed to the post made by the Rivers State Government on the project. I didn't hear from you again. 

Learned Silk, your metamorphosis is truly alarming. 

These days, you are more interested in awards, recognitions and hosting high profile politicians. 

You no longer care about human rights and activism. 


Or is this silence your own way of saying thank you to the Governor for your belated appointment into the Governing Council of the State University? 

Chai!

Nigeria has happened to Monday Ubani! 

How sad! 

Ururu Aja in Shadow Lamentations!