A federal high court in Lagos presided over by Justice Tijani Ringim, on Monday, June 28 refused to hear two cases of a human rights lawyer, Malcolm Omihrhobo, who adorned himself in a lawyer’s gown with ‘Babalawo’ attire to court.
The lawyer also had cowries tied around his two legs and was barefoot. He was wearing his lawyer’s gown on top of his wig, which had two long feathers, cowries in each hand, and a crimson wrapping tied around it, according to The Witness.
Some lawyers objected to the human rights lawyer’s attendance before Justice Ringim because of his attire, claiming that he could not be heard because he was not dressed appropriately for a lawyer before the court.
Omihrhobo, who had on Thursday caused a stir at the Supreme Court in Abuja for appearing in court the same way, said it would be a violation of his right if he was not heard; noting that the rules could not be above the nation’s constitution.
He said, “My Lord, the rules cannot supersede the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Upon his argument, Justice Ringim, however directed Omihirhobo to address the court on why he should be heard the way he was dressed on the next adjourned date in a suit delineated to FHC/L/CS/929/2022; (Chief Malcolm Omihrhobo) sued the Federal Government of Nigeria and others.
The same happened in his second suit marked FHC/L/CS/1392/2021 against the Nigeria Army and two others before the same court.
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