Muritala Abdul-Rasheed, SAN Celebrates Muiz Banire’s Six Decades of Intellect, Integrity and Impact

TRIBUTE TO DR. MUIZ ADEYEMI BANIRE, SAN, OON AS HE MARKS SIX DECADES OF INTELLECT, INTEGRITY AND IMPACT.

Sixty years is a significant milestone in the life of any man. It is an appropriate moment to pause, look back with gratitude and reflect on the journey travelled, the lives touched, the institutions influenced and the legacy that is gradually taking shape. For Dr. Muiz Adeyemi Banire, SAN, OON, his Diamond Jubilee is not merely a celebration of age. It is an occasion to celebrate a life of scholarship, professional excellence, public service, friendship, generosity, courage and an abiding commitment to the development of people and society.

I have known Dr. Muiz Banire, SAN in circumstances that go beyond the formal descriptions contained in his curriculum vitae. I have seen him at work, shared professional assignments with him, benefited from his friendship and observed him in the ordinary, unscripted moments in which character is often revealed more clearly than on grand occasions.

If I am asked to identify the qualities that most readily define him, I would mention honesty, integrity, intellectual curiosity, generosity, courage, love of people and an almost instinctive desire to see things done properly.

My first encounter with him was hardly the sort of meeting from which one would predict a long professional relationship. I met him at a Hotel reception, speaking on the telephone in his characteristically emphatic manner. I did not even realise initially that the man beside me was Dr. Muiz Banire. The following day, however, through reference by a friend, he contacted me concerning local government election petition in Kaduna. His partner was to come, and that engagement brought us together professionally. At the conclusion of the proceedings, he instructed that all twelve cases on that matter should be handed over to me to continue. That gesture became the beginning of a professional fraternity that has endured for years.

Since then, I have had the privilege of using his Abuja office and working closely with him on matters across Northern Nigeria. I have appeared in Delta, Kano, Gombe and Abuja on cases in which we worked together, and I have seen at close quarters the confidence he reposes in people whom he considers capable. His generosity has not been confined to words. He has created opportunities for others to practice, grow and demonstrate their abilities. Indeed, my own experience with him is a testimony to a man who is prepared to open doors for others once he recognises ability and commitment. That, perhaps, is one of the defining features of Dr. B.

He may have different moods, as every human being does. There are times when he is exceptionally warm and other times when he becomes quiet and withdrawn. But beneath those variations is a remarkably consistent principle: he respects hard work and excellence. If you are good at what you do, he notices. If you are struggling, he encourages you. He does not necessarily hold your hand through every stage of the journey, rather, he gives you the opportunity, sets the standard and expects you to rise to it.

His philosophy of work is beautifully captured in an image that has remained with me. In his office, everybody is given an equal opportunity to run his or her own race. If you cross the line first, he commends you. If you do not, he encourages you to do better. There is competition, but it is not designed to deny anyone an opportunity. It is designed to bring out the best in everyone.

This philosophy extends to the way he treats the people who work with him. I have had occasion to interact with members of staff in his Abuja office, from the gatekeeper and cleaner to the receptionist and professional staff. The description that repeatedly emerged was that of a father figure. His manner may sometimes be reserved, and he is certainly not a man given to unnecessary displays of familiarity, but that should never be mistaken for indifference. When his people have genuine needs or difficulties, he is available to help.

What particularly struck me was his practice of recognising the contribution of everyone within his professional establishment. He does not reserve appreciation for senior lawyers alone. His philosophy of inclusion extends across the organisation. His office has a tradition of rewarding staff participation and contribution, reinforcing the message that every individual, regardless of position, has value.

There is another side of Dr. B that those who know him professionally will readily recognise his extraordinary work ethic.

I have seen him work at hours when most people would ordinarily have retired for the night. On one occasion, we had a meeting in Gombe that continued until about 3 a.m. Yet the next morning, he was ready for the day’s assignment. His religious devotion is equally striking. If he wakes during the night for Tahajjud, he is capable of combining that spiritual observance with the demands of a demanding professional schedule. By early morning, he is ready for the day’s work.

And there is hardly a quality for which I would praise Dr. B more than his punctuality. He does not ordinarily fail an appointment because of time. Once an engagement has been fixed, he takes it seriously. Unless prevented by circumstances beyond his control, he will be there. For a man whose professional life has involved courts, tribunals, government, academia and numerous institutional engagements, that discipline is no small virtue.

His perfectionism is legendary among those who work closely with him. Dr. B notices details that many of us would dismiss as insignificant. A missing comma can attract his attention. A document that is not properly prepared will not escape his scrutiny. He is not comfortable with “good enough” when something can be done excellenlly. Sometimes this meticulousness can be demanding, but it springs from a deeper conviction that excellence requires attention to detail. In this regard, the scholar and the practitioner in him are inseparable.

Dr. Muiz Banire, SAN, is an intellectual by temperament. His academic career at the University of Lagos, his doctorate in Property Law and his extensive writings are manifestations of a mind that is constantly engaged with ideas. His scholarship has covered Property Law, Secured Credit Transactions, Trusts, Arbitration, Constitutional Law, Transportation Law, Environmental Law, Legislative Advocacy and International Human Rights. His books and numerous scholarly articles have contributed meaningfully to Nigerian legal literature.

But Dr. B is not an intellectual who only lives in an ivory tower. His scholarship has always had a practical dimension. He is interested in how law works in the real world, how institutions can be improved and how professional knowledge can be translated into meaningful societal outcomes. His years in legal practice, academia and public service have therefore complemented rather than contradicted one another.

His public service record is particularly noteworthy. He served Lagos State in several capacities, including as Commissioner for Special Duties, Transport and Environment. These were demanding assignments requiring not only technical knowledge but also administrative capacity, political sensitivity and the ability to make difficult decisions. His subsequent involvement in professional, institutional and public affairs has continued to demonstrate that his interest in public life is ultimately connected to his larger commitment to development and progress.

Dr. B is also a man of principle. One of the things I have observed over the years is that friendship does not easily compromise his convictions. If he believes something is wrong, he is prepared to say so. He does not necessarily wait for a crowd before taking a position. He can stand alone when his conscience demands it, and others may subsequently join him. His courage is therefore not the loud, theatrical kind. It is the quieter courage of a man who is prepared to stand by what he believes to be right.

That independence of mind has been evident in his professional and public engagements. He has maintained relationships across different sectors and political divides without surrendering his capacity for independent judgment. He can work with people with whom he does not necessarily agree, and he can defend someone with whom he has disagreed when he believes that person is being unfairly treated.

That is an important distinction. For the Learned Silk, disagreement does not necessarily mean hostility, just as friendship does not require intellectual surrender.

His wide network is itself a reflection of the respect he commands across different constituencies. He has friends and professional associates in the legal profession, politics, government, journalism, civil society and business. Yet he has managed to retain an unusual ability to move comfortably across social boundaries. He can sit with the powerful and influential, and he can relate naturally with ordinary people.

He can operate comfortably in sophisticated professional environments and equally comfortably in less formal settings. That versatility is one of his charms.

It is also remarkable that Dr. B has an impressive capacity for managing the many dimensions of his life. He has time for professional work, friends, family, scholarship, public engagement and worship. He does not readily abandon one responsibility merely because another has arisen.

I also need to mention his generosity towards people. He has assisted colleagues and professionals in their careers. He has used his knowledge, relationships and influence to create opportunities for others. His involvement in professional and judicial circles has enabled him to encourage and support many talented men and women. He does not appear to regard his own advancement as a reason to close the door behind him.

That is why, when I think about Dr. B at sixty, I think less about the number of titles that follow his name and more about the number of people whose journeys have been touched by him.

Here is a man who has been a university lecturer, legal practitioner, author, public servant, commissioner, professional leader, adviser, institutional administrator and mentor. He is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, a Notary Public, an Officer of the Order of the Niger and a scholar of considerable distinction. He is also today entrusted with important institutional responsibilities, including his role as Pro-Chancellor of the University of Uyo and, more recently, as a Non-Executive Director of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc.

These appointments are significant, but they are not the essence of Dr. Muiz Banire, SAN. They are, rather, the institutional recognition of abilities and qualities that have been visible to those who have known him for many years.

At sixty, therefore, I celebrate not merely an accomplished lawyer or scholar. I celebrate a mentor, a brother, a teacher, a professional colleague and a man of principle.

On behalf of all of us in the Abuja Office (Seye, Ademola, Unyime, Tolu, Ayo, Divine, Lekan, Jane and Mohammed) I say happy Diamond Jubilee celebration to Dr. Muiz Adeyemi Banire, SAN, OON.

May the years ahead give you even greater opportunities to deploy more of your God giving gifts in the service of humanity.

By Muritala Abdul-Rasheed, SAN, Ph.D aka Murray, is a former National Publicity Secretary, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)