‘Law is not for Lazy People’
My name is Dr Newman Richards, a Legal Practitioner and Lecturer of Law. I obtained my Bachelor of Laws Degree (LL.B) from the University of Benin, Benin City, in 2004. Master of Laws Degree (LLM) in 2011, and Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Law (Ph.D) in 2017, from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. I am an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, Nigeria, and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK). I also hold a Certificate in Public Administration and Policy, from Oxford University, United Kingdom, and a Proficiency Certificate in Management from the Nigerian Institute of Management.
As a student in the University of Benin, I was actively involved in the struggle for better conditions for students, and was elected as the 1st Attorney-General of the Student Union Government, in 2002. Between 2007 and 2015, I was the Senior Special Assistant and Head of Administration, Office of the Deputy Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Asaba. Thereafter, I ventured into active legal practice. I am a member of the Nigerian Association of Law Teachers. I am also the Secretary, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Asaba Branch, and a statutory member of the National Executive Committee of the NBA.
I am currently a Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. My research interests include, Law of Taxation, Constitutional Law, Legislative Drafting, Law of Banking and Insurance, and Alternative Dispute Resolution Methods. I have several published articles in some of these areas, in Local and International reputable Law Journals. I have participated and presented papers in several International and Local Law Conferences/Seminars/ Workshops. I am Married to Mrs. Itohan Richards, also a Legal Practitioner, and we are blessed with a son, Cyril.
Have you had any challenges in your career as a Lawyer, and if so, what were the main challenges?
Challenges are an inevitable aspect of life, and we are products of the challenges we confront and conquer. Generally, I will say God has been gracious to me, as I did not encounter many challenges in my early days as a Lawyer. However, the Legal Profession suffers a lot of challenges today. Firstly, most Lawyers in private practice in Nigeria are almost working for free because, as a Legal Practitioner, a lot of your clients are your friends and relatives, who often think that they don’t need to pay professional fees, because of their close ties to you. The challenge is if your friends and relatives don’t pay your fees, is it your enemies that will pay? Secondly, the wheels of justice grind too slowly in Nigeria. This is not because the Judges are not hard working, but rather the workload on the Judges is just too enormous for Judges to handle within a reasonable time. There is a need to appoint more Judges, and review some Laws and Rules of Court, to decongest the courts.
What do you consider to be, your worst day as a Lawyer?
To be frank, I don’t really have any day which I can describe as my worst day as a Lawyer.
What has been your most memorable experience as a Lawyer, so far?
Two days stand out for me. The first, was the day I was called to Bar, it dawned on me few minutes after my Call to Bar, that I am now an accredited voice for the people. The second, was the day I defended my Ph.D dissertation. I was so excited that the dream which I had nursed as a young undergraduate at the University of Benin, had finally materialised.
Who has been most influential in your life?
There are several people, who have been influential in my life. Philosophically, I am greatly influenced by the thoughts of Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Ghandi. As a Lawyer, O. W. Chibuogwu, Esq. and Ekeme Ohwovoriole, SAN stand out as my role models. Intellectually, I was inspired by late Ogbueshi Kanayolisa Maha, and Prof. Emeka Chianu of the Faculty of Law, University of Benin. Politically, I have been greatly influenced by Rt. Hon. Basil Ganagana, former Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly. Also, my Parents, Apostle (Dr) and Deaconess (Mrs) Herbert Richards, have greatly influenced my life in too many ways. I must add that my wife, Mrs. Itohan Richards, is my most influential support system.
Why did you become a Lawyer?
Right from when I was in Primary School, I have always had a high propensity to speak for people, against bullying and oppression. This tendency stimulated my interest in History and Government, as a way to understand the historical underpinnings of the workings of government in Nigeria at that time, which I perceived as repressive and unfair. It further metamorphosed into a thinking of how I can contribute to efforts to effect social change in Nigeria, and I found law as the most effective vehicle to deliver these aspirations, because law is the most potent weapon for social change.
What would be your advice to anyone wanting a career in law?
Law is not for lazy people. Unlike some other professions, law is always on the move, in response to the dynamics of the society. Thus, to succeed as Lawyer, you need to work hard and smart, to catch up with the often unanticipated expectations that will daily confront you. A prospective Lawyer must be ready to learn, unlearn and relearn daily, and must develop good research and communications skills. He/ she must be determined, to confront and surmount whatever challenges he/she may encounter. I commend to the would-be Lawyer, the immortal words of Ella Wheeler Wilcox “nothing can circumvent, prevent or truncate the firm resolve of a determined soul”.
If you had not become a Lawyer, what other career would you have chosen?
I would have been a Mass Communicator, Historian or an Economist.
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
In ten from now by the grace of God, I will be a Professor of Law and a globally recognised scholar in Revenue Law.