Following Monday's arraignment of Joachim Iroko, the man who named his dog ‘Buhari’, before a Magistrate Court in Ota area of Ogun State, lawyers have said that no offence is committed by someone naming his dog after somebody else.
Incoming Second National Vice President of the Nigeria Bar
Association, NBA, Mr. Monday Ubani, explained that in the eye of the law "it is not criminal for somebody to name his
or her dog after another person. It may be offensive by examining the
circumstances under which the incident happened.
“I understand that
a particular dog was named after a neighbour and both of them were
not in good terms; in a Hausa community somewhere in the
South-West.
“So expediency would have prevailed on him not to name
his dog after somebody he was quarrelling with. “The Bible says
wisdom profited for direction. Anything you are doing must be with
wisdom. If such a thing would provoke unnecessary argument, you
should avoid it.”
Another Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Tunji Muyedeen,
said: “As far as I am concerned, there is no way such offence could
be sustained in law. Anybody can name his pet after anybody’s name.
“He can even call the pet his name. However, spurious charge or
charges may be preferred against such person. “All of us will be
living witnesses to the trial of the man. We will see what evidence
the prosecution has to prosecute the accused person.”
For human
rights activist, Mr. Okey Nwaguna, prosecution must show that accused
had the intent to cause breach of public peace. He said: “The
motive of an accused is never and can never be established by the
charge: it must be established by evidence.
“Prosecution must show
that accused had the intent to cause a breach of public peace. What
constitutes ‘public’ is key.”
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