Kayode, one of the sons of the late legal luminary, Chief FRA Williams (SAN), tells ARUKAINO UMUKORO about his father
Please, tell us a bit about yourself.
I am Chief Kayode Rotimi Williams. I am the second son of the late Chief Frederick Rotimi Alade Williams (SAN). I am a Dutch-trained farmer.
How come you are not a lawyer like your father and some of your siblings?
My mother went into poultry farming and I was very close to my mother. She had no biological daughter, although she raised a lot of people who I consider to be my sisters and her adopted daughters. So, being very close to her, she taught me about farming, cooking, baking and sewing. Naturally, I developed a love for farming. But, it was not an easy thing for me to break the family tradition. Interestingly, unknown to most people, my father, the late Chief FRA Williams, was a third-generation lawyer. His father, the late Thomas Ekundayo Williams, was a lawyer; so also was his great-uncle, FRA Cole. My elder brother, Chief Ladi Rotimi Williams, is a fourth-generation lawyer. Two of my elder brother’s children, as well as two of my children, are lawyers. So, his children and my children are fifth-generation lawyers. But, I am a first-generation farmer (laughs). My immediate younger brother has two children who are lawyers, and my youngest brother has a daughter who is also a lawyer. So, the law tradition continues in the family.
Did your father influence your siblings’ career choices?
Yes, I would say so, in the sense that my father was their hero, especially through all the sensational cases.
Can you recollect some of the landmark cases?
Yes. One of them was the revenue allocation formula case, Lakanmi case, where a murder suspect was granted bail by the Supreme Court. Another one was the one which the military government was put in check by the Supreme Court. I also remember that of Chief MKO Abiola.
How was it growing up with such a famous lawyer father?
He was a loving father and just like any other good father, he tried his best and created time for us, although he was always very busy. I remember the occasions he tutored me in Geography when I didn’t do too well in the subject. We had a tremendous childhood. I grew up like any normal child of those days. I grew up used to being surrounded by law books and lawyers.
What are the other values you learnt from your father?
Our father taught us not to be proud or arrogant. He made us realise that whatever he had achieved, he achieved by dint of hard work, God’s blessing and personal effort. Dad also taught us to be modest and that one cannot claim to be anything by riding on the back of one’s father, except one achieved something by oneself for oneself. He taught us that. I’m happy today that two of my brothers are Senior Advocates of Nigeria. They have their chambers and are doing very well. I have my farm and I’m able to keep soul and body together. I also learnt honesty. He always said that honesty is always the best policy, and no matter how bad one’s situation is, it was always best to tell the truth. We were trained to be modest. We are proud of that upbringing.
How did he create time for his family?
He created time for us on Saturdays and Sundays. In those days, when we were much younger, he used to take us to church every Sunday. And during the week, when we were on holidays, we all ate together on the same table. Also, during lunch at home, he would tell us about the cases he went for in court. We would also discuss politics and current affairs.
How did he discipline his children whenever they erred?
Let me put it this way, for us, after God, it was Papa. The children of nowadays talk back at their father. But, we didn’t do that. It was simply, ‘Yes, Papa; all right, Papa; I’ll do so, Papa.” We revered and loved him so much. In those days, when you say, “I’ll report you to your mummy,” we would say, “Okay, go ahead,” and one would just get one, three to six strokes of the cane. But to mention being reported to Papa was a very serious thing, because none of us wanted him to get angry with us. It wasn’t a question of fear, but of deep love and respect; we held him in such high esteem and didn’t want him to hear anything bad about us. He was deified. We only wanted him to hear good things about us. When they reported us to him, he would say, “Oh, I’m shocked and disappointed.” That was all. But whenever he said that, it made one feel really bad, because when he discussed with you, he brought you up to his level. So, one didn’t want to now fall and be a naughty boy. I think the worst he ever did to discipline us was to tell one to stand at a corner and face the wall. He never used the cane. It was Mama that used the cane regularly. Mama was a no-nonsense woman; she would discipline one appropriately if one went against her rules.
How did your dad react whenever he was angry?
One would expect him to shout, but he never did. All he would say was, “I’m disappointed in you.” That was sufficient enough to spoil one’s day and make one feel bad for days to come. He never raised his hand to beat us.
What are his likes and dislikes?
He loved hard work, honesty, and was a man of wisdom. He was irritated by dishonesty, stupidity, and laziness. In those days he used to play lawn tennis and also took part in quite a number of novelty football matches. I remember in the Western Region when he was the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, he played as a right fullback against the nurses of the University Teaching Hospital, Ibadan. I watched the match. I remember the nurses respected him too much to dribble him (laughs). After that, they all took a group photograph with him standing in the middle. His team won the match.
What kind of person was your dad?
He was a very kind person. He also related with his workers and staff, not on a master-servant basis, but like one big happy family. Today, we still relate with most of his ex-workers and lawyers who served in his chambers, as brothers. That was what he had imbibed in us. He gave free lunch to his staff. Lawyers that passed through papa’s chambers liked to call themselves members of the ‘Black Table,’ because they used to sit together and have discussions at a black table (in the chambers). I designed the table in the 70s.
Who were some of your dad’s contemporaries?
There were many, such as Afolabi Lardner (SAN), G.O.K Ajayi, Chief Kayode Sofola, Chief Chris Ogunbajo, the late Chief Remi Fani-Kayode, T.O.B Oki, and the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. My dad and Awolowo were friends. Dad used to say that Awolowo was a brilliant and very thorough lawyer. Also, the very first legal partnership for law practice in Nigeria was formed by my father, the late Bode Thomas, and the late Chief Remi Fani Kayode. I think this was in the 50s.
Do you remember any notable case that pitted your dad and Awolowo against each other?
I cannot recollect that. I know they handled one or two cases together, not against each other; they acted for the same client. But, please note that I read agriculture and not law.
What was his normal day like?
His normal day started at 4.30am. Then, he would have tea or coffee with Mama in their bedroom. And by quarter past five, every day, he was in the office, because the office was located in a section of the house. He washed and dressed for court in his office. In fact, during the time they had tea together, we the children used to say that was the meeting of our own ‘local supreme court,’ because if there was a decision to be taken about one of us, it was during that period they decided on it (laughs). Later in the day, he had lunch and went back to the chambers and closed by 7pm, 8pm or 8.30pm, depending on the exigencies of work. But, he never missed the 9pm news in those days. Of course, he had a big room where sometimes we the children may decide on our own to join him for dinner. By 9pm, he was on his bed, half-asleep and listening to the news. By the time, the news was over, he would be fast asleep.
It is said that your dad had a library that would surpass those in some tertiary institutions’. Is this true?
Yes, that is very correct. The library is still there. I was part of the team that designed the new library. By the virtue of my training, my late father often referred construction and expansion of buildings and anything technical to me. Therefore, the late Chief Wole Obikoya, Nwankwo, an architect and I designed the library. I think the library would have close to 50,000 books.
As a lawyer, he must have had a voracious appetite for reading?
Yes he did. Aside from law books, he read autobiographies and biographies. He read history and things about nature. He was very fond of the British encyclopaedia, but when DSTV came on scene, his best programme was comedy shows. He also liked watching National Geography, Discovery Channel, and History Channel. He particularly enjoyed reading about the Second World War. It used to fascinate him because he was a student in England at the time.
How has your dad’s name opened doors for you?
My father’s name has opened doors for me in many ways, especially among the non-Yoruba. But among the Yoruba, it does not always open doors. Let me say the non-Yoruba, like the Northerner, people of South-East and South-South, and so on, respect my father a lot.
What was your dad’s favourite meal?
He loved rice and fresh fish stew.
What was his favourite drink?
In his younger days, it was whiskey and soda. But when he grew older, it was diet Coke, with plenty of ice.
What was the genesis of his famous nickname, Timi the Law?
I think there was a big matter in those days, the Henry Willinks Commission. Sir Dingle Foot, the famous British lawyer, was on one side, Papa was on the other side. And of course, the late Dingle Foot had thought the case would be a walkover. But at the end of the case, my father won the case. Dingle Foot went and congratulated him and said that he didn’t realise that Africa had such a formidable advocate. And it was then, that day, that late Chief Awolowo labelled my dad Timi the Law. This happened in the late 1950s or early 1960s. I’m not so sure.
What are some of the fond memories you have of your father?
I say this with all truthfulness; he was the best friend of each of his four children. There was nothing I could not talk to him about, and I could always confide in him. And he was like that with the four of us.
What do you think is his legacy?
He believed in the rule of law. What he always stood up for was that we should uphold the rule of law and we should not take the law into our own hands. Upholding the rule of law is the only way any society can function.
How was his relationship with your mum?
The love between them was deeper than that of Romeo and Juliet. They were very devoted to each other and they had tremendous respect for each other. No matter how interesting a discussion one might be having with our mum, the moment she heard Papa was back from court, she would say, “Excuse me, I have to go and prepare my husband’s food.” Dad was always her priority and she was always his. She wasn’t a lawyer, but her father was.
What would you say about the controversy over his will and estate?
Initially when we had disagreements, I was greatly disturbed, dismayed and very upset. But, I now later realised that there is hardly any family that doesn’t have issues, even where the father left nothing. Now, I’m grateful to God that we have largely settled our differences. Hopefully, very soon, we would all come together to sort things out. But that is largely among the three who are lawyers because they are the ones who would do out the legal drafting and work out something that would be acceptable to all. The interesting thing is that all along, it’s not like we were abusive to each other. Our children and wives are all friends, and I can go to the houses of any of my brothers anytime I choose to. It was just that because three of them are lawyers, they decided to go to court for the interpretation of certain things which was causing problems. We have now resolved that. We know what is displeasing to each one and we have resolved to come together to sort it out. Technically, in principle, it has been resolved. There are no more issues.
Was there any point at which you felt your dad wouldn’t have liked that you and your siblings had a quarrel over this issue?
Yes, of course. We all went to my elder brother’s house. My two younger brothers came here to pick me up and we went to see our elder brother, and we were all so happy to be back together. People would always quarrel, it’s natural. Even my parents, as close as they were, they had their ups and downs, but they always resolved it. What would have been disappointing is if the quarrel became permanent and could not be resolved.
What do you think your dad would have said about it if he were alive?
I can’t say. Naturally, he would not have liked his children quarrelling. There is nothing new under the sun.
What was your dad’s view about the legal profession in Nigeria?
He had a lot of respect for the judges. He said Nigeria had very good judges that could sit in any court in the world and still perform well. The only problem he always noted was that judges were not well remunerated. He felt judges should be given very good welfare packages. He was very proud of our judges.
Would you like to share any funny incident relating to your father?
I remember being present the day Papa had to appear for a case at the Benin High Court. The other side came with their lawyer. Then, Papa had glaucoma and used eye drops regularly in managing it. He argued heatedly in the court on that day. Later, the judge called for a recess. During the recess, Papa sent me to get his eye drops. By the time the judge came back to the court, he had assimilated Papa’s arguments. So, the judge became more amenable to Papa’s submissions. There and then, he gave a ruling in Papa’s favour. The other lawyer now said, “Kai, that man argued and argued, but when the judge no gree, he go put something for eye. The eye come dey show fire, fire, and judge come agree!” But it was simply the eye drop that papa used for his glaucoma.
Was your dad a very sociable person?
Yes, he was very sociable; although, the older he grew, the more he withdrew into his law practice. However, he still attended parties. He was a very good dancer. He could dance Rock and Roll very well. He could do the Fox-trot, he could dance to highlife and juju music.
Did he have any regret?
I don’t think so.
Can you mention the names of some renowned lawyers who passed through your dad’s chambers?
Let me start by mentioning my brother’s names (laughs); Chief Ladi Rotimi Williams (SAN), Tokunbo Rotimi Williams (SAN), and Folarin Williams; they are all accomplished lawyers. And then I can mention Chief Dr. Alfred Bamidele Kasumu (SAN), Mr. Ebun Sofunde (SAN), Kole Abayomi (SAN), Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN), Chief Mrs. Bola Williams, now Akinjide (SAN), Chief Folake Solanke, the first Nigerian to become a SAN, Jide Ogundipe, and a host of others.
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