As castle trolls scamper from the thud of the feet of the paramount monarch, so do Prof. Ademola Abass’ detractors scurry into their covens, every time they hear his name or the thump of his feet.

The fear of Abass is no doubt the beginning of wisdom, to his diehard traducers. Call it reverse deference or inexplicable envy, but his foes definitely possess enormous respect for him.

Abass is indeed an institution on his own. Besides his intimidating wealth and fluorishing reputation, he constitutes a formidable force in Lagos state. Having attained great wealth and eminence by his relationship with the governor, with dedication and cleverness, he entrenched himself in government and the socioeconomic and political systems of Lagos state.

Today,he flaunts a political and social system of his own to which everyone kowtows. He has the capacity to exert considerable influence or pressure on virtually every political titan in the state with interesting results. Little wonder he enjoys the best of a charmed life.

That is why they silently wish that they attain his height even while they seek to tarnish his hard-earned reputation. Abass, whose claim to fame was being one of the best friends of the  governor of the good and law-abiding people of Lagos State, Akin Ambode, excites feelings of awe and jealousy from his detractors.

However, the gist making round in Lagos revolves around how most ladies have suddenly become fixated with the personality of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Overseas Affairs and Investment.

Findings revealed that these ladies have become so enamoured with Abass, mainly because he is armed with most of, if not, all the good qualities women look for in a man. He is tall, handsome, highly intelligent and suave. Also, he is said to be very adept at taking care of his women and treating them to endless flow of fulfillment and comfort. What more? Abass is an accomplished man, whose field of endeavors covers Law, Finance, Investment and administration.

However, one area in which Abass has not been able to fare well is in the marriage department. Sources disclosed that the well-rounded Law Professor is yet to find the bliss that usually characterises the marriage Institution.

His marriage to his beautiful wife, Princess Abass is reported to be tottering on the edge of collapse. This has become a source of concern for him; and his close friends, including Governor Ambode, who are said to have become engulfed by this wave of concern as well.

Sources who are privy to the happenings within the Abass’ stormy marriage disclosed that the wife has been contending with warding off the affection other ladies have been showering on her man. Since she is not unaware of the magnetic aura which her husband oozes, Princess Abass, who is described as being unabashedly possessive in nature, cannot tinker with the idea of sharing her man with his legion of female admirers. A few months ago, what would have resulted in a volcanic scandal, was averted, when Abass’ wife, allegedly attacked one of his female admirers, who works in a popular television station. Several tales of other attacks abound, and they have been rocking the marriage of this lovely couple.

This marital quagmire has reportedly thrown Abass into a state of confusion. He is torn between letting go of the marriage and sticking to it, with the hope that things will get better with time. But his close friends insist that he begins shopping for a replacement before the situation gets out of hand.

Professor Abass was educated at the Universities of Lagos, Nottingham and Cambridge, where he obtained a PhD in International Law. He previously taught law in various British universities, and was Professor of International Law and Organization. He worked for the United Nations in Belgium as Head of Peace and Security Programme and was African Union’s first Expert on Regional Mechanisms. He has served as a Consultant to various international organizations including the UN, ECOWAS, and the European Union and regularly advises States, International organizations and Non-Governmental organizations on International Law and Peace and Security.

He regularly trains senior officers at the NATO Defence College, Rome, and has been a visiting professor to several universities.

His recent works include Protecting Human Security in Africa (Oxford University Press, 2010); Complete International Law, Text, Cases and Materials (Oxford University Press, 2012, 2014); Regional Protection of Asylum Seekers: An International Legal Perspective (with Francesca Ippolito) (Ashgate, 2013).

Ademola is a member of the Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS) and a regular commentator on international media. He is a Fellow of the Cambridge Commonwealth Society.

Culled: thecapital.ng