Delta Gov, Nwoko others celebrate Enebeli, as he joins the rank of SAN with 86 others

Monday, September 30, 2024 marked a remarkable date in the annals of the Ndokwa people, as one of their sons, Chukwudi Kachikwu Enebeli (SAN), broke the ceiling to become the first in their history, to attain such a feat.

The day had begun with the conferment into the highly coveted rank of SAN, officially conferred on Prince Enebeli and 86 others, at the main courtroom of the Supreme Court, marking the official start of the 2024/2025 legal year, by the Chief Justice of the Federation, Kudirat Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, GCON.

Remarkably, it marked Justice Kekere-Ekun’s first official duty after being sworn-in moments earlier as the substantive CJN by President Bola Tinubu following her confirmation by the Nigerian Senate last week.

Chuwkudi Enebeli (SAN), was among the 87 lawyers approved by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) to the inner bar in August. There were 127 applicants for SAN rank for the 2024 exercise. Out of this number, 114 are legal practitioners and 13 are academics.

In her congratulatory speech, Kekere-Ekun (GCON) emphasized the immense responsibility that comes with the SAN title, saying, “Your success did not come on a platter of gold. You have worked for it. You deserve every privilege, honour and pride that comes with it. As Senior Advocates of Nigeria, you carry on your shoulders a lot of responsibilities.

“From this moment, your behaviour and general conduct will now be publicly scrutinized by all those who come in contact with you. Watch your utterances, watch your actions and watch your utterances, watch your actions and watch your company, as you now have an even higher responsibility to assist the court in attaining justice, equity and fairness. You must display enormous integrity, self-discipline, leadership and high standards of advocacy”, she added.

Expectedly, a couple of hours after the Supreme Court exercise, the Deputy Governor of Delta State, His Excellency, Sir Monday Onyema, led notable personalities of Delta extractions, and eminent Nigerians from all works of life, to celebrate the young man that has brought them glory, at the prestigious Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

In his speech, Sir Onyeme, who represented the state governor, Rt. Hon. Elder Sherriff Oborevwori, and doubled as chairman of the high profile event, praised the Enebeli for doing Ndokwa proud, saying Ndokwa has continued to achieve many first, as he also became the first Ndokwa person to become a deputy governor of Delta State.

His words: “His excellency, Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Elder Sherriff Oborevwori, would have been personally here, but for lots of state activities. He asked me to represent him here, and he said, I should congratulate our son, our brand new senior advocate of Nigeria, Chukwudi Kachikwu Enebeli, SAN.

“We are particularly very delighted, because this is first and foremost an addition to Delta State, especially to those of us of Ndokwa extraction. The Ndokwa people are very happy today. We are very proud of you. By this, those things that has eluded us for generations, is now here with us,” he said.

For Onyema, “Even those of us that are not in the learned profession, clearly understand the importance of having a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Apart from the opportunities that this presents to those in your profession back home, some of your colleagues of Ndokwa extraction have visited me severally on the issue of having an NBA branch, will be excited at this elevation.

“To the best of my knowledge that has not been achieved in Ndokwa before now. I am very sure that with our son now as an SAN we now have a better chance of having an NBA branch in Ndokwa. Today is not for long speech, but to appreciate God for this honour done Ndokwa nation.

“We are here to rejoice and celebrate our son, our very own and to say Ndokwa this is a new milestone in Ndokwa history. My prayer is that God will protect you for us. He will continue to promote you and we say the sky is the beginning of more height to attain. You will produce many more SAN for Ndokwa, and that you will do the Ndokwa nation proud.

“This Enebeli family has produced so many first. His father is the first in his profession, his mother was the first among equals as a brilliant nurse, and their son has taken the baton of first in his own profession. I am proud to be here, because I am the first politician to have attained the height of a Deputy Governor in our dear state,” added Onyeme.

The celebrant, on his part poured encomium on his parents, Pharm (Dr.) and Mrs. Paul Ebebeli (MON), on their invaluable parenting and sacrifices for him and his siblings at all times. He also singled out his mentor and boss of 17 years, Dr. Kemi Peinhero (SAN) for making the day possible.

He recalled the most trying moments thus: “There was this particular day he said go into the Supreme Court, take your date and do what you want to do, I wait in the car. That day I got two dates for the Supreme Court for the next week. And those were part of the cases I needed to use for my application.

“That is one of the instances and the love he extends for what I stand to achieve, even when he has to sacrifice whatever he had set out to do that very day. Another instance was when it was a week to the close of the application on Sunday, and I got an email on same day he was travelling to the US, and he was already parked and about to leave for the airport.

“I met him for a document of his for my application, and he immediately called his PA and directed him to give me a key to his personal safe and said, ‘go in there and look for anything you may need to ensure you get all you needed.’ That day I told myself that this man sincerely means well for me. Because without that love, no matter how good I am in my professional career, you still could have done it differently.

“I have applied to be a SAN twice and on both occasion, my boss paid for them. I also extend my warm regard to my colleagues in Peinhero office, as every one of your contributed to make this day a reality. On behalf of my family, my boss and colleagues I want to express my appreciation to everyone for taking out time to be here”, he added.

For the proud father, Pharm. Enebeli, who expressed his gratitude to guests for shelving their tight schedules to honour his son, said, “This is a very special day to my family and i. I thank God that I am alive, hale and hearty to experience this day. It has been songs of sorrow, but there is always a turning point.

“I believe that with you elevation to the rank Senior Advocate of Nigeria, it will be a turning point for our people. I want to say that the achievement of my son is what I will call vintage mentorship, because I know the efforts that his boss, Dr. Kemi Peinhero (SAN), put to ensure that today comes to fruition.

“And I want to recommend this to Nigerians generally, because part of our challenge in the country is that we have very bad mentorship. Especially, in the political firmament.

“You suddenly find yourself from nowhere with little or no experience and you find yourself in the House or Executive or what have you. I believe that if we take more time to encourage mentorship from experienced people who have been there, Nigeria will not keep making same mistake over and again.

“On this score I want to thank the leadership and management of Kemi Peinhero LP for what they have done, and to recommend this kind of relationship for all and sundry, so Nigeria can be great. This a country that has always to be seen as a country potentials, but has never achieved its potentials for which people have taunted them to have. Which is a tragedy of our situation.

“I thank you all for taking out time from your tight schedule to be here. I pray for all of us here today that we should also be alive to witness the successes of our children. For wishing us well, God will also wish all of you well at your own time.

“I pray you have good time here, share fellowship, and make friends. Try to know the next person seated to you, because part of success is networking. Because your network is directly proportional to your net worth”, said the former Ndokwa Neku Union, NNU’s President General.

In his remarks, Dr. Peinhero, while congratulating the Enebeli family in particular and the Ndokwa nation in general, said, “You have seared an extremely honest, brilliant, hardworking, passionate, intellectually detailed, and fiercely loyal and a master networker. I couldn’t find other adjectives to describe Chukwudi.

“By the way let me first enter a disclaimer, I am not Chukwudi’s boss, he is my partner. There comes a time when as a senior you must start bowing out. Listening to a nomenclature boss is not appropriate. He is my partner and a future that I have invested in.

“The only time we quarrel, which is most often in the open, is in the courts when he wants to take over a case that I am doing. I had to chastise him, whether in Supreme Court, Court of Appeal or High Court. I will have to shout at him, because he is so passionate, so detailed, that nothing ever escapes him.

“Every time Chukwudi is beside me in courts, just like other his brilliant colleagues, just be rest assured that Chukwudi will always do it better, because he is always prepared ahead. I thank the Enebelis for giving us Chukwudi as a blessing, and I give all glory to God”, he said.

The senator representing Delta North Senatorial District, Senator Ned Nwoko, was not left out as he eulogized Pharm Enebeli, saying, “I met your dad a couple of years ago and was struck by his humility. From then onward we became friends. I know him to be one of those perfect gentlemen. And I was wondering what he was doing in politics. Just as I was asked what I was doing in politics.

“But we need people like Pharm. Enebeli to guide us. I am not surprised that Chukwudi is your son. Your wife is one of those women I also have so much regards for. I am not also surprised that you have such an amazing son that everyone here have spoken so highly about.

“I am particularly excited that he is an Anioma son. And to my understanding, this is the very first from Ndokwa Nation and that means a lot to me. That is why your father is placing so much on your shoulders, on the fact that Ndokwa is marginalized, and expect you to play major roles in their renaissance.

“Let me assure you, that we are together in this fight. We will work together on so many contentious issues both in Nigeria and abroad. I am very proud of you. I am particularly honoured that you invited me here today. I recommend that there should be a lawyer in every family”, Nwoko further assured.

For Chief (Mrs.) Elizabeth Idigbe, Managing Partner, Punuka Attorneys, another mentee, while also recalling her relationship with Chukwudi said, “I must confess that I knew the father, Pharm. Dr. Enebeli, and all he was doing for Uniben; but I never met Chukwudi through him.

“I was struck and by his amazing sense of networking. An amazing young man who I met when email and WhatsApp weren’t in existence. Then I was with African Petroleum as their General Counsel. I met this young man; well spoken, well put together.  Then he said they were giving me an award for all I have achieved since I left Uniben.

Subsequently, he comes personally or send any of his executive members. We kept talking and I continued following through with his progress. But something stuck out about Chukwudi, which is one issue that is completely lacking in Nigeria: his integrity and honesty. He has a lot of it.

“I never asked for a report, but Chukwudi will make it a point of duty to tell me how he made used of the money and what they have achieved! That was really very impressive, for a very young man who preferred being accountable for every single kobo. He never came to ask something for himself. It was always for law association, Uniben students, and most people went through the university and the university never passed through them.

Chukwudi went to a university, passed through the university and the university passed through him. I was abroad and thought I won’t be able to make it here. But in his usual way, I got this text message from stating, ‘I will love to you attend this event’. Many people get to their position in Nigeria, without working for it, but this very one worked for it. He is going to make very good use of it, trust me”, she stressed.

Representative of the Enebeli Aka family, Chief Pat Enebeli Aka, on his part was full of praises for Mrs. Enebeli, for her valuable roles in the SAN’s life, detailing her impeccable academic intelligence as a respectable retired nurse that combined career with family stability.

The newly conferred SANs are authorized to use the title “SAN” for life and enjoy the privilege of wearing the distinguished silk gown and full-bottomed wig in court. They will also have precedence in case mentions across all courts in Nigeria.

The total number of qualified applicants after the preliminary screening was 98, and at the end of the exercise only 87 lawyers were elevated to the coveted rank at its 164th plenary session held on Thursday, 1st August, under the Chairmanship of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.

But after conducting the specified screening and filtration exercises, which include several appearances in superior courts, recommendations by justices of the Supreme Court and judges of superior courts, chambers inspections; approval on eligibility and integrity of the candidates from the Nigerian Bar Association, Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, and the general public, among others, the LPPC approved 87 successful candidates as eminently qualified.

It is interesting to note that Dr. Kemi Peinhero, SAN, led an endless list of distinguished guests that came to honour the grandson of Okpala-Uku Efor, late Pa. John Enebeli Aka, son of Pharm (Dr.) Paul Osogbue Enebeli of Afor Clan, and a proud son of Ndokwa East Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State.

Among them were Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor; Member of House of Representatives, Hon. Nnamdi Ezechi; and Hon Charles Emetulu. Also present were Hon. Emeka Osamuta of the Delta State House of Assembly; former. Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Victor Ochei; Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Board Chairman, Mr. Chiedu Ebie; High Chief Dele Omenogor, Chief Macaulay Okolugbo and Anthony Enebeli Aka.

Other were Hon. Justice Abang of the Court of Appoeal, Senatror Niyi Adegbomire, Hon. Justice Michael Obi, Ohi Alegbe, Senator Clifford Ordia, Senator Francis Alimikhena, HRM Queen Betty Efekodha, Mrs. Bibiana Shonibare, Mr. Abiodun Ponle, Oseni Adio (SAN), Chief and Chief Mrs. Richard, Ahoragbor (SAN), Mr. Oseni Adio (SAN), DIG and Mrs. Mohammed Yesdufu, Rachel Oddiri, a retired Director of NDDC, Chief and Chief Mrs. Walter Bugbere, Alban Ofili-Okonkwo, Mrs. Helen Obiechina Mrs. Bukky Adubi, and Omaruye Ogheneochuko among other too numerous to mention,

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