By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
Senior Correspondent
The sighting of a physically challenged lawyer Mr Daniel Onwe,as he wobbled into the court room with clutches to offer an explanation to Justice Mohammed Buba of a Federal High Court Lagos on why he parked his car in front of the exit gate by judges, moved the judge who did not bother for any further explanation but rather gave an immediate order that permanent parking space be made available to Mr Onwe within the court premises.
Mr Onwe, a human rights lawyer and President of Association of Lawyers with Disabilities in Nigeria had arrived the Federal High Court, IKoyi to handle a human rights matter before Justice Muslim Sule Hassan but there was no place for him to park his car at the general parking lot of the Federal High Court.
As he drove into the car park, the securitymen on duty continued to direct him from end to another but all in vain as there was no space to park.
It should be noted that there is no reserved parking space for persons with disabilities at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi as Onwe was made to spend a long time while driving round and round the Court vicinity in search of a place to park within his peculiar walking distance to the court premises.
Unexpectedly, having noticed that he was running out of time as Justice Hassan had started sitting and his (Onwe’s) matter could be called any time, he was directed towards the back gate through which some Judges enter the Court. Beside the back gate, there was a sufficient parking space to take Onwe’s car, but the said space was deliberately obstructed with some tyres by the men manning the place.
In frustration and anger, Onwe parked his car at the Judges’ gate and left for the Court to do his matter, defying protests by the security men in charge.
When the physically challenged lawyer was done with his matter and came out of the Courtroom, he was sternly informed by the securitymen that Justice Buba wanted to see the lawyer who parked the car immediately. In compliance, the lawyer went straight to Justice Buba’s Court upstairs, accompanied by a securityman. When Justice Buba, who was still sitting sighted Onwe,he directed him to step forward.
Seeing how he moved towards him (judge) and to the amazement of all, Justice Buba started apologising to Onwe for the absence of accessibility facilities at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, stating that such facilities exist at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.
There and then Justice Buba emphatically made an Order that the disabled lawyer should always be allowed to drive his car into the Court premises and given a suitable parking space there.
The said order was immediately communicated to the Deputy Chief Registrar, who communicated the security unit for immediate compliance.
When the lawyer left the courtroom went back to his car, he was amazed to find out that his car’s four tyres had already been deflated by over zealous security men who claimed they acted on the order of the judge. Onwe went back to the court and was again granted audience by Justice Buba.
While thanking the Court for the benevolent order earlier made, he informed the Court that the four tyres of his car had been deflated,
adding that he was informed that the said act was carried out on the Court’s order and that he had come to report to the Court because he did not want to be in contempt of an order of Court.
After listening to him, Justice Buba again made an order that the said tyres be inflated immediately at the court’s expense.