Nigeria, March 8 -- That was in the mid-80s. I was a cub-reporter - an intern at the Nigerian Chronicle in Calabar. That day, I was assigned to cover proceedings at the Cross-River State High Court, where my boss and group news editor, Mr. Nnamnso Umoren, had two days back been committed to prison on the orders of the presiding judge.

Nnamnso (which means: What Have I Done?) was blamed for publishing a story which the presiding judge, in his wisdom, considered contemptuous of the court. After two nights of confinement, he was brought to the court to face trial.

As soon as the judge, in all his judicial majesty, took his seat, the case was called. Then I saw this sharp-looking gentleman, dressed in the legal attire, with his reading glas...