MR J. C. Obande is the new Minister of Establishment. We congratulate him on his promotion because he deserves it. We think that hist first task, an important one at that is to examine the urgent matter which is bedeviling the smooth operation of the Solicitor-General’s Department.

IT is the issue of Mr Adebiyi, the Acting Deputy Solicitor-General cum Acting Solicitor-General, about whom we have said before that others have stronger claims to the post he occupies. LET us run down the list : Mr Nonyelu, DPP; Adedipe, Deputy :DDP ; Old, Principal Crown Caitnsel; Wheeler, Princ-pal Crown Counsel and Humphrey,’ First Parliamentary Counsel. All of these officers have been in the profession for at least ten years. Four of them are older than Mr Adebiyi in the Legal Department, and all of them are more experienced.

Mr Miller has acted even before independence as both Deputy Solicitor-General and Solistor-General. Mr Humphiey is a rare bird indeed. He drafts all our laws being more expert than the experts. OUR puzzle is that Mr Adebiyi, who has not mustered ten years of post call experience—a requirement for officers who climb into the Solicitor-General’s chair—has now been placed above the six other officers.

WE think that the rights of the six have been ignored and consequently they have been wronged, and this has made them spiritually de-pressed to the extent that they might not be pulsing in their best efforts. The work of the department will suffer in any such situation. POSSIBLY, this situation results from an over-sight or a genuine mistake. But the Minister must look into the matter and see that justice is done. Our interest is to see that justice and fair play reign supreme. This must’ also be the interest of the Minister. We only need to remind him that the matter is urgent.