Mr Tunde Afe-Babalola, SAN, a legal practitioner, says his father’s disciplinary approach was crucial to his success in his endeavor.
Tunde, the son of legal luminary Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, revealed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.
The lawyer, who noted that his father would be celebrating his 60th anniversary of being admitted to the bar on July 9, said his father’s qualities had helped him advance in the profession.
Among my father’s qualities are hard work, dedication, generosity, sacrifice, resilience, trust, fear of God, love for mankind, and so on.
These same attributes which he has, are the same things that have helped me over the years. Really, the way he disciplined us contributed tremendously to my success today. Victor Devlin said, ‘Listen, there is no way any true man is going to let children live around him in his home and not discipline and teach, fight and mould them until they know all he knows. His goal is to make them better than he is. Being their friend is a distant second to this.
Barack Obama said, ‘Someone once said that every man is trying to live up to his father’s expectations or make up for their father’s mistakes….’ In his case, I emulate his great attributes and wonderful achievements, he said.
Absolutely, he is my mentor and I am what I am today because of the Grace of God and my father. I cannot pray for a better father. Dad, you are a winner, a goal getter and a worthy example to all of us. Indeed, we are so proud of having you among us over these 60 years in the legal profession.
Your dedication to work is beyond admiration. Having produced innumerable SANs, several judges up to the appellate levels, several Attorney Generals at the federal and state levels, leaders of industry, etc.
We pray that God will give you many more years of sound health and further impactful contribution to the legal profession worldwide, he said.