 Welcome back. Today's throwback, the political lots of legals in the last 120 years, part one, Chief Christopher Shakbara Williams. This synoptic historical serialization of the politicals who, among many notable authors of their generations, got either the streetcom electoral support of legals in the last 120 years, will start in chronological order today with Chief Shakbara Williams. Who passed the baton to Albert McCauley, the latter who anointed Dr. Nandia Zikwe from home chief of Baphemia, who was snatched it and passed it to a legislative jack-on-day who made it in a somewhat circumstantial prophetic irony, slipped to Sa or Thedola before President Bola Metinumbu came to dominate it for more than two decades, and Peter Obi in a straight electoral contestation last February 25th gained an advantage that is either to be consolidated or squandered. Note that I have deliberately refused to mention the military characters who wrote legals during the two post-independence military in Tarragna. Chief Christopher Alexander Shakbara Williams, CMG, 14 July 1855 to 15 March 1915, was the first indigenous Nigerian lawyer called to the English Bar on 17 November 1879. In addition to his legal practice, he came to play an influential role in the politics of Nigeria during the colonial era. He held the chieftain's title of the Lodifi of Ilesha. Chief Shakbara Williams was the elder brother of Ogutola Shakbara, the prominent physician who boasted the chikanri of Shokwanoa adherents who secretly spread chicken powers on innocent victims of society that they have adjudged to have offended their deity. Williams was born on 14 July 1855. He was of Ijesha origin, but was born in Syria alone. He studied law in London at the Ena Temple and was called to the English Bar on 17 November 1879. Returning from the United Kingdom, he began practicing law in the colony of Lagos on 13 January 1888. He, aside his good understanding of English law, had intimate knowledge of the unwritten customary law. He enrolled in the Nigerian Bar Association on 30 January 1888 and was chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association from 1900 to 1915. Williams was nominated to the Legislative Council, serving as a member from October 1901 until his death in 1915. In 1903, there was the crisis over the payment of the tolls that were collected from traders by native rulers. Although Europeans were exempted, the alternative was to replace the tolls by a subsidy. Governor Williams Bakregal requested views from Williams, Charles Joseph George and Obadiah Johnson as indigenous opinion leaders. All were in favour of retaining the tolls to avoid upsetting the rulers. In 1903, Governor Bakregal nominated Williams for a knighthood, but the recommendations were turned down. The refusal of the British Crown to create him as a knight like Sir Akito Iyajasa, another indigenous lawyer who was created a knight was said to be because he often sided with the people like Sir Akito Iyajasa who was always on the side of the colonial authorities and always represented them in court. In 1904, Williams moved that court. The present boundary between the colonial and protectorate of southern Nigeria and the protectorate of northern Nigeria were adjusted by bringing the southern portion into southern Nigeria so that the entire tribes of the Yoruba-speaking people should be under one and the same administration. The principle applied was to group people who were at roughly the same political and social level into one province rather than to try to align the provinces with ethnic boundaries. In 1905, Williams visited England. Wife here made several suggestions to the colonial authorities to make the decision to follow the principles of the Yoruba-based constitution. Wife here made several suggestions to the colonial authorities for changes to imperial policy. This included establishing a teacher training college in Lagos and having more continuity of policy by the governors of the colony. Shakora Williams challenged the Seditious Offences Ordnance of 1909 which suppressed criticism of the government. He pointed out that, I quote, freedom of the press is the great panadium of British liberty. Sedition is a thing incompatible with the character of the Yoruba people and has no place in their constitution. Hyper-sensitive officials may come tomorrow who will see sedition in every criticism and crime in every mass meeting. Despite his plea, the bill became law. Williams encouraged Abad Makoli to convene an inaugural meeting of the Lagos auxiliary of the anti-slavery and aborigines protection society on 30 August 1910 which gave Makoli a platform for producing popular opposition to the colonial practices. When Northern and Southern Nigeria were united in 1914 a colonial policy which is vehemently and vociferously opposed because according to him, the British colonial authorities were only determined to do it so as to use the financial surplus of the Southern Protectorate to sustain the colonial governance of the geographically humongous but economically anemic Northern Protectorate. The new legislative council was added by the governor and consisted of seven British officials, two British non-officials and two Nigerians, one of whom was Williams. He died on 15 March 1915 Williams' views on development of the colony included close association with European ideas and institutions and was against thoughtless and non-constructive criticism of the administration. However, although Williams in many ways accepted European concepts and values in October 1896 is sponsored by the Ngungu Festival a traditional ceremony moves such as this by one of the leaders of the Jeshez in Lagos were welcomed by the traditional rulers of the Yoruba Williams once said, I quote a lawyer lives for the direction of his people and the advancement of the course of his country in conclusion, are you purposefully living for the advancement of the course of Nigeria and that is the show for tonight I am Bola Hoba