I hated court room corruption — Jemide, ex-chair, NBA Business Law Section

By Charles Kumolu, Deputy Editor

Ayuli Jemide is a contrarian who finds excitement in championing concepts that go against the grain. He is the founder and lead Partner of Detail Commercial Solicitors, Nigeria’s first commercial solicitors’ firm to specialize in non-court room practice. Jemide was named the ‘Best Lawyer, Nigeria, 2013’’ by World Finance and has led several notable transactions. He is an Adjunct Professor at the IE Business School, Madrid, Spain. In this interview, he speaks on his experience as the immediate past chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Business Law Section.

Congratulations on being named the Business Law Icon of the Year, and for a successful tenure as chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law. How was your experience as the leader of this esteemed group?

Helming a vibrant and active institution like the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law is not a lightweight task. I, however, found it extremely rewarding to work with stellar members of the council and the entire Section of Business Law community to drive a vision that yet again raised the bar for the NBA-SBL. What I love most about the Section of Business Law is the culture of ensuring that we allow everyone to do the tasks that they are best at. It’s refreshingly collegiate.

There have been praises from your colleagues for your leadership. What significant milestones did you accomplish as chairman at the NBA-SBL?

The goals and targets were clear from the first council meeting. The first goal was to improve the section’s coffers. In two years, under my helm, we improved cash reserves from N44 million to N215 million. The highest amount the Section has ever had in its coffers since inception. Our target was N200 million, but we exceeded the target. The second goal was to improve stakeholder inclusion. In two years, membership went up by 79 percent, from about 1700 to 3000. We also forged new partnerships with the Nigerian Stock Exchange and Institute of Directors by setting up the corporate governance triangle ,NGX, IOD and SBL. We signed an MOU with NECA and worked on projects with the Nigerian Local Content Development Monitoring Board, NCDMB and IPPG. We gave members a stronger sense of belonging by democratizing many things including the right to sponsor events. Members responded by being happy to pay their dues. Dues collection increased from N8.3 million. The third goal was to strengthen the institution. In this regard, the Annual General Meeting approved the NBA-SBL’s first-ever Corporate Governance Charter to regulate expenditure, conflict of interests, inclusion, and other governance issues. We also grafted all the previous Section’s chairpersons as first honorary members in NBA-SBL’s history with some advisory roles as stated in the Corporate Governance Charter.

Every position has its ups and downs. Were there significant hurdles you faced during your time as chairman?

I would say learning to deal with pockets of strong self-interest was my major hurdle to navigate. Altruism is still something that needs to be inculcated in many Nigerians involved with not-for-profit institutions. The second major hurdle was trying to put systems in place that send a strong message that the Section On Business Law is open to every lawyer and firm interested in commercial practice, not just the top-tier law firms.

 Your firm, Detail Commercial Solicitors, is the first wholly commercial law firm to specialise in non-court room practice. What inspired you to take this bold step?

I did a bit of litigation, and I hated the courtroom – the delays, technicalities, the drama, and I dare say the corruption sometimes. I thought to myself we should set up a firm focused and helping businesspeople stay proactive and reduce litigation to the barest minimum and DETAIL was the product. On a personal note, I also have a right to enjoy what I do, and DETAIL has given me the opportunity to derive pleasure from being a lawyer.

What role would you say courage plays in leadership and general success?

Courage is everything for those who intend to stand out or break barriers. If the goals you set do not instill some fear in you then you are punching beneath your weight.

Our book “LISTENEVERYHOW- How Negotiations Work” was a top Amazon bestseller. In your opinion and experience as an astute negotiator, what is the number one mistake people make when negotiating?

My book topped the chart when it was first launched for a couple of days. But it will eventually be a bestseller. I know this because it’s a great book. The biggest mistake people make in negotiation is not realizing the three most important things – People, People, People. It’s all about how you get the people skills right. The logic and articulation are secondary. It really boils down to what I now call Transactional Emotional Intelligence. I often give the example of two people late for a flight and both go to different counters to convince the attendants to issue them boarding passes. The first person smiles, and she asks the attendant: You have had a long day? She then explains and pleads and gets a boarding pass. The second person yells at the attendant with a sense of entitlement and gets rejected, she gets no boarding pass.  

On the flip side, what are the basic things one needs to do to come out smiling after a negotiation?

Contrary to what is often said, a coin has three sides, not two. The third side is the edge of the coin. People who stand on the edge are good listeners who understand both sides and therefore gain knowledge they can leverage to skillfully find solutions that are beneficial to all.

What would you consider a major breakthrough, and how has it changed the trajectory of your business operations?

We never had a single breakthrough in the sense of the word. DETAIL had strings of God-given opportunities and built on each one – poco a poco, as the Italians will say.  

 What is the best career or business advice you’ve ever received?

My late dad, Chief Isaac Jemide, who was also a lawyer, advised me to start a law practice and try to do it side by side with my huge dreams of being a ‘’big’’ businessman. This was his response to me telling him that ‘’lawyers do not make the kind of money I wanted. So I was not going to practice law’’. I am glad I listened to him. Another great piece of advice was from a mentor, friend and older lawyer who dissuaded me from going into public office when the opportunity presented itself some years ago. He said to me: Ayuli, stay in your office and build your practice.

As a business leader with years of experience and accomplishments, who is your icon or role model?

I have many role models for different aspects of life. However, I admire Richard Branson’s courage, originality, and exquisite eccentricity. In his simplicity Richard Branson says: ‘’If something cannot be written on the back of an envelope, it is rubbish’’. I find this instructive and resonant because I am a stickler for simplicity, and I love letters that do not exceed one page. If you can say it in one page, do not say it in two.

What is the best advice you can give a young career professional or entrepreneur in today’s constantly disruptive world?

Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Avoid shortcuts. Keep your eyes on the ball. Success is founded on what we all do day to day.

What are you most proud of all you have been involved in and achieved so far?

I think my lawyering career brings me pride in many areas. I think history will applaud me as one of those who from DETAIL’s business model has demonstrated that we do not have to be everything to everybody. The thought of deals I closed that brought in investment or created structures that helped businesses grow in leaps and bounds, growing GDP, creating employment, and adding value to society.

From the start of your role as Chairman of the NBA-SBL until you handed over, what key lessons did you learn on the job?

The two years at the helm of the Section on Business Law presented great and impactful learning opportunities. My people skills improved greatly over the two years. As Chair of NBA-SBL, I improved in knowing how to say No without burning too many bridges. Some bridges will burn even with your best effort, but you can mitigate the number and level of aggravation on both sides. I also improved in reading people and picking the right people for specific tasks. Most of our success was founded on people who stood beside us, took responsibility and delivered. Too many names I cannot mention. In these two years my penchant for making right choices about people improved greatly. I also found a way of keeping my eyes on the big picture and key targets whilst avoiding the day-to-day operations. For example, one of the first instructions I gave to the Section Administrator was that he should never bring a cheque for me to sign. Once he gets approval, he should look for other signatories. With many letters I authorized the use of my E- signature to avoid secretarial overload. The most important thing I learnt however in engaging with a vast variety of people is that Nigerians have a lot of talent that needs honing for the betterment of our country.  

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