A Nigerian lawyer, Clinton Dan-Jumbo says legal practitioners should be kept abreast of the lofty ideals of their profession and thus insist on right conduct at all times.

Dan-Jumbo said this shortly after being sworn in as a Notary Public by the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi on Friday, July 23, 2022 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The celebrated lawyer, who hails from Dan-Jumbo Community in Bonny LGA, disclosed that his inauguration as a Notary Public was at the behest of the Office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria which he said directed the Honourable Chief Judge of Rivers State to swear in eligible lawyers as Notary Publics.

Checks by Kristina Reports indicate that Notary Publics are deemed officers of the Supreme Court of Nigeria as they are authorized to administer oaths, sign special and sensitive documents and mediate in conflict situations.

Dan-Jumbo, who was called to the Nigerian Bar over a decade ago, urged lawyers to be more responsible in handling documents of importance, especially, Notary Publics, stressing that the office comes with a burden of responsibility.

Excerpts of the interview with Kristina Reports Correspondent, Kingba Jacks is reproduced below:

Kristina Reports: What is the significance of being a Notary Public?

Clinton Dan-Jumbo: The Notary Public Act gives a lawyer who is sworn in as a Notary Public the impetuous to sign international documents and documents of importance. There are serious responsibilities attached to being a Notary Public. The Hon. Chief Judge of Rivers State who has been directed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria to do this swearing in charged us that there is a serious responsibility attached to it. You can’t just append your signature to just any document. If you were careless in the past, this is a time when you should never be careless in appending your signature to any document because any document you sign has so much weight attached to it by virtue of this position. That’s what it is.

KR: So, you live and work in the UK, why chose Nigeria?

Dan-Jumbo: No, I am a legal practitioner in Nigeria. I was called to the Nigerian Bar approximately over 10 years ago. I meet all the requirements to become a Notary Public in Nigeria. I also practice law here in Nigeria. I have my law offices in Nigeria and I have lawyers working with me. So, for me that is exactly what it is.

KR: One of the requirements of being a Notary Public is that you could perform marriage ceremonies, how about Nigeria, is it also obtainable here?

Dan-Jumbo: No. It is not obtainable here in Nigeria. The import here is on the Notary Public signing documents that will be recognized anywhere in the world and whatever documents you sign as a Notary Public someone can take it out abroad and he doesn’t need to do anything else to authenticate that document.