By Ayo Onikoyi
Oluwatodimu Ige, popularly often known as Oga_theLawyer, is a lawyer, serial entrepreneur, authorized content material creator and influencer. On this interview, he speaks about his ardour for regulation, advocacy, storytelling to simplify regulation as evident in lots of his on-line movies. EXCERPTS:
Trying on the progress of Oga_thelawyer, what function has storytelling performed in constructing that model?
Storytelling is all the pieces. The human mind remembers tales greater than statutes. After I submit on-line, I don’t simply say, “Part this of the Act says that.” I wrap it in a narrative. Folks would possibly overlook the part, however they’ll keep in mind the narrative.
For instance, as an alternative of explaining landlord-tenant regulation in summary phrases, I’ll narrate a state of affairs a couple of tenant who got here house at some point and located the owner had thrown his belongings outdoors. Immediately, folks relate, share, and have interaction. Storytelling has made my model approachable and reliable.
With authorized training on social media, there’s at all times a danger of misinformation.
How do you preserve credibility and accuracy?
First, I fact-check rigorously. I don’t submit something with out cross-checking statutes, case regulation, or follow notes. Second, I practise humility. If I ever get one thing fallacious, I don’t cowl it up. I acknowledge it publicly, appropriate it, and transfer on. That honesty builds belief.
Has your on-line visibility ever influenced how shoppers understand or method you in conventional authorized follow?
Completely. Many consumers stroll into my workplace saying, “We already really feel like we all know you.” That familiarity shortens the trust-building curve. Nonetheless, it additionally raises the bar for me. I need to guarantee my offline competence matches my on-line credibility. If I disappoint offline, the belief I’ve constructed on-line collapses.
You’ve carved out a singular area as each a practising lawyer and a public educator on authorized points. How do you see the intersection of those two roles?
For me, regulation isn’t just about litigation and drafting contracts; it’s about service. Lots of people suppose regulation begins and ends within the courtroom, however that’s only one facet. The courtroom is the place disputes are resolved, however the public area is the place these disputes may be prevented within the first place. Educating folks simplifies my job as a lawyer as a result of a extra knowledgeable society creates fewer avoidable conflicts.
Give it some thought: if folks knew their rights and obligations earlier than signing contracts, far fewer instances would find yourself in courtroom. So, the intersection is straightforward; when data flows freely, justice turns into extra accessible. I see myself as standing at a bridge between authorized follow and public enlightenment. One facet is about fixing issues, the opposite is about serving to folks keep away from these issues altogether. Each roles are inseparable.
How do you simplify advanced authorized ideas with out diluting their essence?
I remind myself that the regulation was written for folks, not only for legal professionals. The temptation for legal professionals is to cover behind Latin phrases and technical language, however the true check of mastery is whether or not you may clarify a precept to a non-lawyer and so they grasp it instantly.
So, I strip away the jargon and use on a regular basis tales. As an illustration, as an alternative of quoting the tort of trespass verbatim, I’ll say, “If somebody eats your meat within the fridge with out permission, that’s trespass.” Immediately, the idea lands.
I additionally borrow from widespread tradition. If a trending Nollywood film has a contract dispute, I’ll reference it. That approach, the viewers sees the regulation not as one thing summary however as one thing alive and linked to their each day realities. The essence stays intact, however the supply is relatable.
Arbitration has grow to be more and more necessary in resolving disputes. In your expertise, what makes arbitration simpler than litigation in sure contexts?
Three phrases: pace, confidentiality, and suppleness. Courtroom battles in Nigeria can drag for years — typically a decade — and by the point judgment comes, the enterprise in dispute might have collapsed. Arbitration, then again, respects the time of the events concerned.
Confidentiality is one other main issue. Think about two multinational firms having a disagreement. In the event that they go to courtroom, it turns into public file and will have an effect on inventory costs or buyer belief. Arbitration permits them to resolve points privately whereas preserving their status.
After which there’s flexibility. In arbitration, the events select their arbitrator — somebody they consider understands the technicalities of their discipline. In litigation, you don’t have that selection; you’re assigned a decide who might or might not have background data in that space. That’s why for business disputes particularly, arbitration is commonly the smarter selection.
As somebody who has brokered high-stakes offers, what qualities do you consider make a really efficient negotiator?
Endurance, preparation, and empathy. Negotiation will not be about who can shout the loudest or pound the desk the toughest. It’s about listening deeply, studying the room, and understanding when to press and when to pause.
A great negotiator doesn’t simply push for his shopper’s curiosity blindly; he research the opposite facet’s ache factors. Should you perceive what the opposite occasion is afraid of dropping, you may craft a win-win resolution.
I keep in mind a negotiation the place my shopper needed a really aggressive fee plan. The opposite occasion resisted, not as a result of they couldn’t pay, however as a result of they had been anxious about money circulate stability. As soon as I understood their concern, we restructured the deal into staggered funds that protected my shopper whereas easing their strain. Each side left the desk happy. That’s the objective — dignity intact, relationships preserved.
Your skilled affiliations lower throughout arbitration, debt restoration, and company governance. How do these a number of views strengthen your authorized follow?
Every space offers me a lens to view issues in a different way. Arbitration sharpens my capability to resolve conflicts with out pointless hostility. Debt restoration trains my resilience since you usually must chase funds diplomatically however firmly. Company governance, in the meantime, broadens my horizon by forcing me to at all times ask the “huge image” questions.
If you mix these views, you keep away from piecemeal options. You don’t simply remedy right now’s drawback; you anticipate tomorrow’s. As an illustration, whereas recovering money owed, I additionally advise shoppers on restructuring agreements, so the difficulty doesn’t come up once more. That’s the holistic service shoppers admire.
You’ve been described as a “visionary” in authorized training. What modifications would you wish to see in how regulation is taught in Nigeria?
Our authorized training continues to be too theoretical. We should transfer from lecture rooms overloaded with statutes to practice-oriented coaching. Think about if regulation college students often participated in simulated courtroom classes or drafted mock company contracts; their transition into follow can be smoother.
Additionally, know-how have to be built-in. We reside in a digital-first world. A lawyer with out digital fluency — who doesn’t perceive on-line dispute decision, cybersecurity legal guidelines, and even primary tech instruments — is already outdated. Nigerian regulation colleges want to arrange college students for a future the place synthetic intelligence, blockchain, and information privateness will dominate authorized discourse.
In your opinion, what are probably the most urgent authorized challenges companies in Nigeria face?
Regulatory uncertainty and enforcement inconsistency. Companies thrive on predictability. They need to know: if I make investments right here, the principles of the sport will stay steady. Sadly, in Nigeria, insurance policies can change in a single day, and enforcement may be selective.
For instance, think about investing billions in renewable vitality, just for sudden rules to shift in favour of fossil fuels. That type of unpredictability kills investor confidence. Till we strengthen the consistency and transparency of our regulatory surroundings, many companies will proceed to view Nigeria as high-risk.
You serve on the boards of various firms, from actual property to healthcare. How does your authorized coaching form your contributions in these industries?
Being a lawyer means you’re educated to anticipate dangers earlier than they escalate. On any board, I’m not the one simply asking, “Can we do that?” I’m the one asking, “Ought to we do that, and if we do, how will we shield ourselves legally?”
Take healthcare, for instance. Past revenue margins, there are moral, regulatory, and legal responsibility issues. My authorized coaching ensures these issues are thought-about earlier than selections are made. That foresight is regulation’s biggest contribution to enterprise.
How do you resolve which industries or companies to align with as a board member?
I filter alternatives by means of two lenses: values and imaginative and prescient. If an organization’s practices battle with my values — say, chopping corners or ignoring compliance — irrespective of how profitable, I stroll away. Then again, if the enterprise demonstrates integrity and has a forward-thinking technique, I align myself with it.
I’ve turned down gives the place the cash was engaging however the long-term imaginative and prescient was imprecise or ethically questionable. Legacy issues extra to me than fast revenue.
You deal with areas like aviation and vitality regulation, that are consistently evolving fields. Which rising traits in these sectors excite you probably the most?
In aviation, I’m fascinated by the regulation of drones and digital ticketing techniques. These improvements are rewriting outdated authorized frameworks. In vitality, the transition to renewables excites me. It’s not nearly photo voltaic panels; it’s about reshaping whole economies. Being a part of that evolution offers me objective.
Company restructuring and insolvency are delicate areas. Are you able to share insights on guiding companies by means of such powerful transitions?
Empathy and readability are my instruments. When an organization is restructuring, folks’s livelihoods are on the road. Feelings can cloud judgment. My function is to current the numbers clearly, define the authorized choices, and information leaders towards preserving worth. Generally meaning re-strategising moderately than shutting down fully.
How do your Christian values affect the way in which you practise regulation and work together with shoppers?
They anchor me in integrity. Regulation offers you energy over folks’s sources, reputations, and typically even freedom. Christianity jogs my memory that energy have to be exercised with equity and compassion. Shoppers really feel protected after they know your phrase is your bond.
Many younger legal professionals chase status or high-paying roles. What do you suppose they need to give attention to as an alternative to construct lasting careers?
Competence and credibility. Status fades, salaries fluctuate, however a status for competence and integrity endures. Should you’re often known as somebody who delivers, alternatives will chase you rather than the opposite approach round.
Authorized follow may be mentally demanding. What private habits or routines assist you to keep grounded?
Prayer, journalling, and intentional household time. My mornings start with scripture and quiet reflection. That non secular centering steadies me earlier than the avalanche of emails and calls. I additionally journal to course of my ideas, and I prioritise time with my household— that’s the place I recharge.
Past regulation, what drives your dedication to group growth?
My philosophy is straightforward: greatness will not be measured by what you accumulate however by what you contribute. I’m a product of group — mentors, neighbours, lecturers. Giving again will not be philanthropy for me; it’s duty.
What’s one false impression about legal professionals that you just want the general public might unlearn?
That we exist solely to argue and complicate issues. A great lawyer simplifies life. We’re problem-solvers, not problem-creators. The sooner folks see us as allies moderately than obstacles, the higher for society.
Should you weren’t a lawyer, what different profession path do you suppose you’d have pursued, and why?
Instructing. At my core, I’m a communicator. Whether or not in regulation or in one other discipline, I derive pleasure from breaking down data and serving to others thrive.
How do you nurture curiosity and steady studying, given the breadth of your authorized experience?
I ask questions relentlessly, even outdoors my discipline. I learn voraciously — regulation journals, enterprise case research, biographies, even novels. Curiosity is sort of a muscle; the extra you employ it, the stronger it turns into.
What function do you consider Nigerian legal professionals ought to play in positioning the nation for larger participation in world commerce?
We should evolve from being litigators to changing into deal-makers. Nigerian legal professionals ought to concentrate on cross-border contracts, mental property, and commerce regulation. That’s how we plug Nigeria into world commerce.
You’re elevating two daughters. How has fatherhood reshaped your perspective on management and legacy?
Fatherhood has been my biggest management college. It teaches persistence and foresight. It jogs my memory each day that legacy will not be what you permit within the financial institution however what you permit in folks, beginning together with your youngsters. Titles will fade, however influence endures.
Taking a look at your journey to this point, what would you say has been your most defining second?
Closing my first trans-border deal. That second confirmed me regulation has no partitions. The world is a world stage. It expanded my imaginative and prescient past Nigeria and gave me confidence that African legal professionals can compete globally.
Should you might ship one message immediately to each Nigerian concerning the regulation, what would it not be?
The regulation will not be your enemy. It’s your protect. Don’t run from it; perceive it, use it, and it’ll shield you. Like I at all times say in my movies: “keep knowledgeable, and at all times be on the appropriate facet of the regulation”.
The submit Storytelling is everything, people remember stories more than statutes – Oga_theLawyer appeared first on Vanguard News.
