Tributes paid to lawyer, panman Mohamed

A CHAMPION of the oppressed, a role model to all, a man with a heart of gold: these were just a few of the accolades late attorney Selwyn Mohamed received from his “junior” colleagues.

But while he was known as a criminal defence trial lawyer with a “razor-sharp mind and forensic cross-examination skills,” Mohamed was also a winning steelpan arranger in the 60s. He won the Panorama competition twice with his late brother, Lennox "Bobby" Mohamed, in 1965 and 1967, with south-based band Guinness Cavaliers, one of only two south bands to win the competition,

Mohamed was also instrumental in the development of steelpan heavy weights, bpRenegades, in the band’s formative years.

(Paramount) Renegades had its first taste of success in steelband competition in 1969 thanks to Mohamed, when it won the J’Ouvert morning bomb competition with his arrangement of In a Monastery Garden.

At his funeral on Wednesday, Mohamed was remembered by bpRenegades’ management, which paid tribute in words and a modified version of his winning arrangement.

Band member Emmanuel Joseph recounted Mohamed’s contribution to the band as immortalised in its history books. Mohamed, he said, was at Piarco Airport to meet his brother, who was returning from touring, when he heard Renegades playing. That was in 1967, and two weeks later, he joined the band of about ten players as its arranger.

Mohamed was also credited, Joseph said, for introducing the band to Bertrand Kelman, the tuner who changed its sound.

“The sound we know now bp Renegades to be now would not be without Kelman, who would not have arrived without Selwyn Mohamed. His (Mohamed’s) role was important to the band’s development,” Joseph told an intimate gathering of family, friends and colleagues.

Mohamed died on January 10. Officiating at his funeral was the Rev Joy Mohan.

Joseph recalled Mohamed’s legacy in Renegades’s transition from physical fighters to musical fighters.

It was because of Mohamed’s permanent fixture at the band’s Charlotte Street (now Renegades Way) panyard in Port of Spain, after leaving his home daily from San Fernando for practice sessions, that the band’s repertoire grew to 35 tunes. He also encouraged players from all across the country to join the band.

Known as a “no-nonsense guy,” Mohammed, Joseph said, often faced off against “the most feared badjohns in the community” if he felt they were “not doing the right thing when it came to his music.

“And even though he was there for a short time, his growth and success made an indelible mark on our organisation.”

It was also to Mohamed’s credit that Renegades made its first international tour as a steelband and since then, Joseph said, it had become the most international toured band in the world.

Mohamed, the father of two, Chelsea and Roselle, and grandfather of two, was married to Rosaline Wills-Mohamed, daughter of the late Justice Aeneas Wills, with whom he started his law practice in the 80s. He and Justice Wills were also in chambers before the latter joined the bench.

Although bpRenegades regretted losing touch with Mohamed, Joseph said his contributions were never forgotten and the band hopes to do something more tangible in his memory soon.

Attorney Alexia Romero, in eulogising Mohamed, remembered him not only as a mentor but also a father-figure in her life and career.

“Mr Mohamed was a true patriot in every sense of the word, as he loved his culture and his country.”

Romero said Mohamed was remembered by his colleagues, both senior and junior, as an attorney with integrity and dignity who upheld the highest traditions of the profession.

He was an incisive and meticulous advocate with extraordinary work ethics, she added. This was evidenced by his last case in the Assizes in August 2023, when he appeared before Justice Gillian Scotland despite being confined to bed by his illness. At the time, the judge lauded his drive and determination.

“He was a humble, kind and caring human being,” Romero said.

In their tribute, Mohamed’s daughters spoke of his love for his family, his resilience and strength even in the face of illness.

“His absence leaves a profound void, but his legacy will endure,” they said.

Mohamed was born on February 1, 1944, in Siparia and later moved to San Fernando. He attended Presentation College, San Fernando, and became a teacher, then a probation officer, before starting his career as an attorney. He was also the chairman of the disciplinary tribunal for the public service for decades, lectured in criminal law and was an avid lover of horses and horse racing.

His daughters said Saturdays were the only days he took for himself, which he spent at the racetrack.