By Emmanuel Fateman
Odo Timothy Onyedika (ESQ) has made the people of Umuosede kindred, Okpo Umuoma Autonomous Community in Igbo Eze North local government area, Enugu state proud as he was called to the bar as Barrister and solicitor of the supreme Court of Nigeria. He emerged as the first lawyer in the history of Umuosede kindred.
The funny part of this history is that I never had the intention of making history as the first lawyer in my kindred. I chose legal profession as a career I had great passion for. I don’t just love the profession but it is passion I had for it that made focus and determined that I said it is only death that would make me not become a lawyer through God by side.
This zeal of becoming a lawyer came many years ago, when I was still very little, but when you look at my size you would say, I know nothing happening around me,then our Landlord would call me magistrate Odo , this is because the old man had foreseen the potentials in me as a little boy. Then in my primary 6 in Robinson street primary school Uwani Enugu, Enugu state. I made up my mind am going to study law.
So many person’s came with their discouragement some said law is meant for millionaires children,where would your dad see money to train you, some came through religious side and said law is not good, how can you be judging people when Bible says that,thou shall not judge, some said lawyers are liers that’s why they turned their faces downwards when they die. All this discouragement I gave it a deaf ear. I trusted so much on my God.
Coming to my secondary School days in my ss1 I always had A’s in science subjects than Art’s. In SS 2 , the school authorities wanted me in science because I was good in it but I had to refused due to my target and my dream legal profession. Coming to jamb It was my 3rd jamb I got law.
Though I encountered a delay in getting to this Noble profession due to financial difficulties which pushed me into the business world after my graduation in the university to be able to help and finance law school program. To be frank business world really contributed and helped when my parents capacity couldn’t do it again from my 400l in the university my business and my hustle took over and brought me far to that didn’t go around begging people to finance my law school program.
I started selling law books in school then and got connected to many authors in law and book dealers. After graduation from University, I entered open market and joined Crayfish dealers and started selling in wholesale and even retail. All this sacrifices I made to be able to help my parents and my siblings in taking me to this legal profession. They always say every determinations and success goes with sacrifices. My advise to the young ones who have same zeal of going into this Noble profession is that they should remain focus and determined that they must make it despite every odds.
If I may say I would say that 6th March was a remarkable and the happiest they of my life. Seeing my family, friends and well wishers celebrating us. I dedicate this my call to bar certificate to almighty God,my parents who are my bedrocks, my big brother, Hon comrade Chukwuemeka Odo,my siblings,whoever that has given me money in the course of this my journey to legal profession, friends and well wishers. This great achievement belongs to all of us ,God bless you all.
