The Nigerian Bar Association Section of Business Law (NBA-SBL) held its maiden Eastern Zonal conference in Enugu State, reports Correspondent DAMIAN DURUIHEOMA.
Lawyers practising in the Southeast have been urged to develop an entrepreneurial mindset in running their firms.
Experts said until lawyers begin to structure their practice for sustainability and competitiveness, they will miss out on top paying opportunities.
It was noted that most top law firms in the region do not outlive their owners due to lack of proper structure.
The call was made at the maiden Nigerian Bar Association Section of Business Law (NBA-SBL) Eastern Zonal committee conference in Enugu.
Its theme was: “Unlocking prosperity: Exploring the legal and entrepreneurial opportunity in the eastern zone of Nigeria.”
Speakers included Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, a lawyer; the Chief Judge, Justice Raymond Ozoemena; president of the state Customary Court of Appeal, Justice G.C. Nnamani and a Rivers traditional ruler, Sir. David Serena Dokubo Spiff, also a lawyer.
Mbah, represented by the Deputy Governor Ifeanyi Ossai, noted that lawyers in the region had not really benefitted from business law despite the huge businesses in the region.
He urged them to take their rightful place.
He said the theme of the conference could not be more apt than now: a time the country was facing economic turmoil, controlled foreign exchange crisis, food shortages, growing unemployment.
While tracing part of the problem to the nation’s bequeathal from the United Kingdom, where the country learnt its common law, the governor expressed happiness that the NBA-SBL was addressing the problem using its training method.
“Before now, what was important was to go to a good law school, have a good grade and do well in school. Opportunities could naturally come knocking.
“But today is different. Those circumstances we once had have been disclocated by the current challenges we face. And it’s not actually peculiar to Nigeria alone. It’s all over the world. That’s what we face now.
“So, as lawyers and of course SBL, that’s what makes what you do very important. We must keep lawyers in business and keep them at work.
“So, we want to thank you for this timely intervention and we’re happy to be part of it and we’re grateful for the value you add to the profession,” he said.
Mbah lamented that it was difficult to have multiple limited liability partnerships as law firms in Eastern Zone like what is obtainable in Lagos and Abuja.
This, he pointed out, was one of the reasons they were frequently closing up in the region without any sustainable plans.
The governor added: “What we have here are essentially law firms, identified with principal partners. So, when these great lawyers retire, they’re not able to have these firms sustain the practice.
“So, for lawyers who are not structured, how do you want to advise clients to structure their businesses? And when we talk about businesses here in the East, the majority of the businesses are brothers and sisters, who trade. They are very wealthy. They import everything from overseas and trade here. But they retain lawyers.
“But, if you are not structured as a lawyer, how are you able to advise them to set up corporations that will have sustainability? They will say to us, physician, heal thyself.
“That brings that challenge to us because if you must explore opportunities in emerging legal practice, clients must have confidence that they’re not leaving their briefs to the whims and reason of one man.”
He urged the SBL to develop a protocol that will encourage partnerships “by way of law firms that we can build and grow overtime and we can retire to become consultants as advisors; a corporation we can bequeath to those behind us.
“There’s no reason why we can’t secure law practice as business. Until we begin to do that, the top shots and opportunities we have about being able to broker businesses will always slip from our hands. This is because those paying clients who are wealthy are not stupid. They think.
“Most of the wealthiest law practices we have in this country are in Lagos. All of them are well structured. It is important that we as lawyers must begin to think in that direction.
“We also have a challenge in terms of advertising our practice. We can’t advertise because we are lawyers. That’s the challenge of bequeathal I mentioned earlier. But the biggest lawyers in the world probably are found in the United States. But, if you tune into the television, you see them being advertised. In fact, in some states while in America, I see billboards advertising lawyers and law practice.
“Come to think of it, how will a multi-national oil company with office in Lagos know of the existence of a brilliant lawyer in Enugu, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Abakiliki, Owerri, Yenogoa, Anambra, etc and locate such a lawyer to engage if there is no such platform that can enable those big corporations, multinationals and those big paying clients to look through and see a list or reservoir of lawyers that a Section of Business Law parades? What options do we have for young lawyers that are good and want to be known?
“While I’m not suggesting that we begin to go to the radio and television to advertise our practices or mount billboards for that, I think there should be some sort of creative approach where lawyers are known because a client who has legal briefs to give in Enugu must not have to hire a lawyer from Lagos or Abuja. He can look into that repository and find a good lawyer in Enugu that can do it for him. He would do the same in Uyo, Calabar, Owerri, Ebonyi, Anambra, etc.
“Again, we have to ask ourselves deep questions. About 30 and 40 years ago, there were businesses that were synonymous with the Eastern Region. Today, most of these businesses are no longer plying their trade. What happened?
“If you’re holding briefs for banks you will find a record of lawyers who once held briefs for those businesses. These businesses are essentially trading outfits. Was it our fault as lawyers that we did not guide those businesses to create structures that will outlive them. Some of those businesses did not transcend to the next generation.
“Remember, as some of those businesses close, lawyers lose works. So, we should have a vested interest that those businesses are in business so that the work if lawyers will keep being available.
“The question here is what can NBA-SBL do? There’s no reason SBL cannot have a desk that relate with businesses all over the world; a desk that if an investor in China, America, Europe and Asia is seeking to find a partner in Nigeria to work with, and the first port of call to look for available businesses is a Section of Business Law.”
The chairman of NBA-SBL, Dr. Adeoye Adefulu, said the conference was brought to Enugu as a way of trying to come closer to its constituents.
He said it was designed to help them build a structured practice and support their clients to provide a standard of services that could be got everywhere else in the world.
“What we want to establish is the fact that those centres of excellence are not limited to Lagos, Abuja or Port Harcourt. They’re across the country. And that manufacturers, businesses and corporations in the Eastern Zone can rely on lawyers in the region to provide them those services.
“Our focus is in the areas of electricity, which is becoming increasingly important in states as well corporate governance
“We’re also going to look into why companies are shutting down and how we can rescue the situation. This is important because NBA is focused in improving the economy
“Most importantly is that we’re creating pool of information of training facilities available for all our members that are on our website”.
Adefulu noted that the NBA-SBL has three thematic focus, which includes using training to impact on the professional lives of members; influencing and working very closely with government and regulators to create good environment for business to thrive as well as sustaining and achieving goals.
The chairman, SBL Eastern Zonal Committee, Dr Jude Ezegwi, said, the conference was organized to help lawyers from the Eastern Zonal committee to open discussions to allow exposition of latent areas of law in selected topics, which will broaden the scope of knowledge for lawyers and participants in the zone.
“This will guide young lawyers in developing interested in different areas of business law, guide lawyers in making decisions on where to concentrate in their further research and further whet their appetite in the business law practice in the Eastern Zone of Nigeria”.
First female Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Folake Solanke and former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) have urged senior lawyers to remunerate young lawyers undergoing pupilage in their offices well.
The two senior lawyers made the call at the inaugural public lecture and presentation of a book entitled: New developments in law and practice in Nigeria by Deacon Dele Adesina (SAN).
The event marked the 35th anniversary of Adesina’s call to Bar, 25 years of the establishment of his law firm, and 10 years of his being conferred with the rank of SAN. The lecture had the theme: Building a successful legal career/practice.
Solanke said pupilage was an essential element in the training of young lawyers and the development of the legal profession, adding that juniors doing pupilage are not slaves and so should be properly remunerated.
Olanipekun advised lawyers to learn to “steal” knowledge from their colleagues. According to him, Rome was not built in a day, so young lawyers must be prepared to learn and adhere strictly to the principles of legal practice.
Citing personal example, Olanipekun said: ”Whenever I go to court with Femi Falana, I know it is going to be a legal war and I am always prepared to tap from him, because I know that where my wisdom stops, there his own begins and so I must not run him down.
“Woe betide any lawyer who gives bribe, offers bribe, compromises the integrity of the legal profession or distorts justice, such a lawyer will go to hell.
“Lawyers must at all times, be God fearing, humble, charitable and be accommodating. These virtues are instrumental to successful legal practice.”
Olanipekun urged the NBA to be at the forefront in protecting the integrity of the profession, adding that the association was larger than itself.
Adesina urged the judiciary to continuously live up to its constitutional role to preserve legal practice. “The Judiciary has continued to live up to its constitutional and historic role as the bastion of constitutional democracy.
“It remains the tripod on which the hope of democracy and the common man rest and the time to stop politicisation of the Judiciary is now,” he said.
Prof. Koyinsola Ajayi (SAN), who was the guest speaker, encouraged bar leaders and senior members of the bar to live by the rules and practice what they preach.
He said: “Do not belong to the Bar where things are marred, nor sit on the bench of stench. Rather, be found only in the Bar, helping the Bench for public good.
“To the younger lawyers and those in the Outer Bar, do not engage in idle canter and banter, understand the importance of networking and engage accordingly.”
A member of the panel, Kemi Pinheiro, (SAN), who spoke after the lead presentation, highlighted the need for legal professionals to be humble, charitable, responsible and accommodating to one another.
He said: “Be open to learning from your colleagues. We need the ethics of our profession without compromising them. We must show ourselves worthy in a society that is looking up to us for guidance. But the fact remains that we would first have to change ourselves in other to change Nigeria,” Pinhero said.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Osaro Eghobamien said a lawyer’s duty is beyond being responsive to clients.
“I believe taking a case without merit to the Supreme Court is a level of injustice that should not be condoned. There are many areas of law yet untapped, with several opportunities lying therein.
“However, without strong legal institutions, we cannot provide services that are global. We must begin to align our operations and services in line with international standards,” Eghobiamen said.
Another SAN, Fabian Ajogwu, said it was important for lawyers to understand what truly drives success in law. “I am not in the school of begging seniors to pay their juniors adequately. Rather, I am more interested in seeing hard work being rewarded
“You need to do research to become a good lawyer and apply it in the courtroom and the classroom.
“In determining success in the profession, one must first determine what sort of lawyer you want to be. You must be able to measure your spectrum,” Ajogwu said.
Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud (SAN) has called on lawyers to build larger partnerships to improve service delivery to clients in a globalised world.
He made the suggestion while unveiling a mega law firm Primera African Legal (PAL) last week.
PAL is made up of former partners of Sterling Partnership and Wali-Uwais, both established law firms.
Former Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) president, Boma Ozobia is the founding partner, Mr. Isreal Aye, the Managing Partner while Mrs. Maryam Uwais, the found partner of Wali Uwais will join the partnership after her period of service in government. The two firms coming together to form Primera Africa Legal has larger team of lawyers to serve their clients better.
In a chat with The Nation, Boma said: “We came together to improve the quality of service to clients, particularly for larger transactions, we would encourage other firms to come together in a similar fashion, there are some transactions where you need a good number of lawyers to deliver an efficient service and it is very difficult to assemble a team of experts at short notice just to bid for that piece of work. Working together in the same firm means that you are training and developing expertise in the areas required and available to assist on transactions instantly.
‘’Our vision is to work ever more closely with our American Law Firm Aliance (ALFA) international Africa-member firms to provide a seamless service to our clients on the continent. We have partner firms in Ghana, Egypt, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Zambia and Mauritius, and we are still growing the network.
Following the inauguration of new administration in the country the vice president and four state governors are distinquished members of the legal profession. Legal Editor JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU examines their profiles and track record.
The greatest joy you can have in life is to develop a skill and go out into the world and use it to help people who need it; and for the satisfaction of helping them, not for the money.” Justice O’Connor.
The successful completion of legal education qualifies one to become either a lawyer, a solicitor, an advocate or both depending on the country and jurisdiction involved. In Nigeria, there is a fusion of the profession and on call to the Nigerian Bar, one automatically becomes a solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court.
After the call to Bar, the traditional place for the young lawyer or New Wig as they are popularly called is the Law firms or chambers where the young lawyer begins to ply his trade. By his training, the lawyer acquires not only advocacy and litigation skills, but also other qualities that enhance his values and contributions to the socio-economic and political development of his country. Little wonder, many lawyers have distinguished themselves as leaders across the globe.
Some of the world’s most famous and effective leaders have been lawyers: Abraham Lincoln; Mahatma Gandhi; Margaret Thatcher; Bill Clinton; Tony Blair; Thomas Moore. Even if they aren’t all equally admired by history, all of them were lawyers. Barack Obama is just one in a long line.
In Nigeria notable figures like late Chief Obafemi Awolowo (SAN) , TOS Benson, Bode Thomas, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode and in recent times, lawyers like Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) Godswill Akpabio,Ibrahim Shema and Sullivan Chime were shining examples of excellent leadership.
Last week, five other ambassadors of the legal profession were inaugurated as follows: Prof. Yemi Osinbajo was isworn in as Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mohammed A. Abubakar inaugurated as Governor of Bauchi State, Prof. Ben Ayade as the Governor of Cross River State, Simon Bako Lalong became Governor of Plateau State, Chief Ezenwo Nyesom Wike as Governor of Rivers State and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal took oath of office as the Governor of Sokoto State.
These great leaders and sound legal minds have taken over the leadership of the country and their respective states at a very critical moment in the history of the country. Many, if not all inherited empty treasuries, huge foreign and domestic debts running into several billions of Naira. These notwithstanding, the expectations from them remain very high at all levels. Therefore, they are expected to deploy their legal skills and knowledge to find solution to the problems.
That is why the great American Sociological Jurist, Roscoe Pound described law as an instrument of social engineering and that lawyers as social engineers, use law to find solution to social and political issues of their tim. By ‘social engineering’ Pound means a balance between competing interests in society for the greatest benefit of the greatest number.
From the law firms
Prof. Yemi Osinbajo was born into the family of Adeyemi Osinbajo on March 8, 1957, at Creek Hospital, Lagos. He is married to Dolapo (née Soyode) Osinbajo, a granddaughter of Obafemi Awolowo. They have three children . Prof. ‘Yemi Osinbajo is also Pastor.
Education
Yemi Osinbajo was educated at the Corona Primary School, in Lagos. Between 1969 and 1975, he attended Igbobi College Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. From 1975 to 1978, he studied at the University of Lagos and obtained his LLB degree in Law. From 1979 to1980, he attended Nigerian Law School. In 1981, he was awarded a Master of Law degree after attending the London School of Economics.
Legal career
From 1979 to 1980, Osinbajo served the compulsory one year youth service as a legal officer with Bendel Development and Planning Authority (BDPA), Bendel State, Nigeria.
In 1981, he was employed as a legal lecturer at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. From 1983 to 1986, he was Senior legal lecturer at the University of Lagos. From 1988 to1992, he was appointed as an Adviser (Legal Advice and Litigation), to the then Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Bola Ajibola.
From 1997 to 1999, he was made Professor of Law and Head of Department of Public Law, University of Lagos. And from then till 2007, Osinbajo was Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.
From 2007 to 2013 ,Osinbajo was once again employed as a Professor of Law, Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos. In 2007 Osinbanjo became Senior Partner, Simmons Cooper Partners (Barristers and Solicitors), Nigeria.
Political career
After the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013, Yemi was tasked, with other notable Nigerians, to design and produce a manifesto for the new political party. This culminated in the presentation of the “Roadmap to a New Nigeria.”
On December 17, 2014, the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Retired General Muhammadu Buhari announced him as his running mate and vice-presidential candidate during the 2015 General Elections.
On March 31, 2015, General Buhari was confirmed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the Presidential Elections. Thus, Professor Osinbajo became the Vice-President Elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They were both sworn in on 29 May 2015.
M. A. Abubakar
Abubakar, born on December 11, 1956. He attended Native Authority Primary School, Jos and Tudun Wada Primary School, Kano, from 1963 to 1969; Government College, Kano, 1970 to 1974.
In 1974, he enrolled for the one year programme of the School of Basic Studies, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, after which, upon successful completion of the programme, gained admission into the institution to study law in 1975.
The governor completed his law studies in 1978, attended the Nigeria Law School from 1978 to 1979, had his mandatory National Youth Service Corps and joined the services of Bauchi state government as a Pupil State Council, Ministry of Justice.
·Key positions he held while serving with the state government were Head of Legal Drafting Department, Bauchi State House of Assembly (1983), Director, Public Prosecution, Ministry of Justice (1988) and Commissioner of Justice (1990 to 1993.
He was also the Chairman of Nigeria Bar Association, Bauchi State,from 1996 to 1998.
After leaving the services of the state government, Abubakar was at different times, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kogi, Delta, Plateau and Rivers , and afterwards elevated to the position of National Commissioner in charge of Borno, Jigawa and Yobe.
Prof. Ben Ayade
Benedict Bengioushuye Ayade was born on March 2, 1969. He studied at the University of Ibadan, Ambrose Alli University in Ekpoma and Delta State University, becoming a Lecturer. An environmental consultant, he was appointed Chairman of the Ecological fund, Chairman of the International Institute of Environmental Research and a member of SPAC. He worked on Groundwater Remediation in Nigeria, and invented a sewage treatment plant based on solar energy. He won an award from the government of Japan for outstanding research into Global warming in Africa. He became a member of the Nigeria Association of Petroleum Engineers and the Cross River State Poverty Alleviation Board.
Simon Bako Lalong
Simon Bako Lalong- the Governor of Plateau State was born on May 5, 1963. He is a native of Ajikamai in Shendam Local Government Area of the state. He had his Primary School Education at R.C.M. Primary School Shendam obtaining his First School Leaving Certificate in 1977.He went further with his Secondary Education at G.S.S Shendam obtaining his O’ Level Certificate in 1982. He attended S.P.S Keffi for his A’ Level in 1986. Simon Bako Lalong thereafter studied Law at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree in 1990. He went to the Lagos Campus of the Nigerian Law School and was called to Bar in 1991. He obtained his Masters Degree in Law(LLM) from the University of Jos in 1986.
Simon Bako Lalong started his professional career in 1992 with T- Obot & Co. Legal Practitioners, Jos immediately after serving the mandatory National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) in the Legal Unit of Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) Abuja. He also worked with Victor Fomwul & Co. Jos from 1997 to 1999 as a Managing Partner. He later established his own chambers and was the Principal Partner of Simon B. Lalong & Co. Legal Practitioners.In 1999, he harkened to the call of the people of Shendam constituency to contest election into the state House of Assembly, which he won on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) He was subsequently made the Speaker of the State House of Assembly in October 2000.
As a Speaker, Simon Bako Lalong’s rare leadership qualities earned him the record of the longest serving Speaker in the history of Plateau state legislature (2000 – 2006) Also, while serving as a Speaker, his leadership qualities endeared him to his fellow Speakers across the 36 states in Nigeria who elected him twice as; Chairman, Nigerian Conference of Speakers (i.e. forum of all the 36 Speakers of the federation) from 2001- 2002. He was the National Chairman, forum of All former Speakers of Nigeria and also Chairman of former State Legislators, Plateau State Chapter.
• Plateau State Governor, Simon Bako Lalong during his inuaguration in Jos
Simon Bako Lalong’s outstanding qualities also made him to win the 1999 and 2003 elections into the State House of Assembly representing Shendam Constituency. As a Member and a Speaker who has served longer than those before and after him (at least as at date), he is proud to be associated with the following landmark enactments leading to: the Establishment of Plateau State University (now Solomon Lar University) Bokkos, Establishment of College of Agriculture Garkawa, Establishment of College of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies, Kurgwi, Creation of additional/new chiefdoms and districts, Creation of additional State Wards, Private Bill on establishment of structures in Local Govt. Councils.
Simon Bako Lalong contested for the Governorship in Plateau state in the April 2015 elections under the Platform of the All Progressive Congress(APC) and won.
Aminu Tambuwal
Early life and education
Governor Aminu was born on January 10, 1966 in Tambuwal Village in Sokoto State to Waziri Tambuwal.
He attended Tambuwal Primary School, Tambuwal, Sokoto State, where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1979 and Government Teachers’ College, Dogon-Daji, where he obtained the Teachers Grade 11 Certificate in 1984. He then proceeded to Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, where he studied Law, graduating with an LLB (Hons) degree in 1991. He completed his one year compulsory legal studies at the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, obtained his BL and was called to the Bar in 1992.
Besides studying for his law degree, he has also attended several courses abroad, among which are the following: Telecoms Regulatory Master Class, Bath UK, 2004; Lawmaking for the Communications Sectors , BMIT, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2004; Regulating a Competitive Industry UK, Brussels, 2005; Tulane University – International Legislative Drafting, 2005; Stanford Graduate School of Business – Influence and Negotiation, 2008 and KSG Harvard – Infrastructure in Market Economy, 200
Professional Affiliations
Among his professional affiliations, Tambuwal has been a very active member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), over the years. He started off as the Public Relations Officer of the NBA, Sokoto State chapter between 1996 and 1997. He was a member of the Constitution Review Committee of the NBA (1997–1998). He was the Sokoto branch Secretary of the Association (1997–1998) and Assistant National Financial Secretary of the NBA (1998–2000)
From 2000 to 2002, he was the first Assistant National Secretary of the association. He is also a member of the Body of Benchers, Nigeria; International Bar Association, and the American Bar Association among others.
Political career
• Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal during his inuaguration in Sokoto.
Tambuwal started learning the legislative ropes from 1999 to 2000, while working as Personal Assistant on Legislative Affairs to Senator Abdullahi Wali, the then Senate Leader.
In 2003, he decided to run for a legislative seat as representative of the Kebbi/Tambuwal Federal Constituency. He was elected into the House of Representatives on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).
Few months to the 2007 general elections, he defected to the Democratic People’s Party (DPP), alongside the former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa. But when the DPP denied return tickets to former ANPP legislators, Tambuwal swung back to the ANPP, where he eventually succeeded in picking up a ticket for the election.
But then again, when the ANPP governorship candidate for Sokoto State in the 2007 election, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko dumped the party for the PDP, Tambuwal also followed suit.
Tambuwal has held several offices in the House. In 2005, he became the Minority Leader of the House until he defected to the PDP. Upon his re-election to the House in 2007, he was also elected the Deputy Chief Whip.
At various times, Tambuwal has been a member of several committees including the House Committees on Rules & Business, Communications, Judiciary, Inter-Parliamentary and Water Resources. He was also a member of the House Ad hoc Committee on Constitution Review.
He was chairman of the ad hoc committee that reviewed the report of the controversial power probe committee headed by Ndudi Elumelu; chairman, House Sub-Committee on the Bill for an Act to Amend the Land Use Act, and acting chairman, House Committee on Power.
He was leader of the Nigerian delegation to African,Caribbean, Pacific & European Union Parliamentary Assembly (ACP-EU) and served as Vice-Chairman, Economic Committee ACP-EU, held in Prague,Czech Republic in April 2009.
On October 28, 2014, Tambuwal formally defected from the ruling PDP to the opposition APC and few days later his security details were withdrawn by the Inspector General of Police a move that has been criticised by a lot of well meaning Nigerians as being barbaric and undemocractic.
The legal luminary, Dr. Olisa Agabakogba (SAN) was of the opinion that the police authority goofed in withdrawing Tambuwal’s aid as police is not meant to interprete and apply the law.
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike
• Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike riding a van during his inuaguration in Port Harcourt
An outstanding administrator, lawyer, leader and politician, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike was born to the family of Reverend and Mrs. Nlemanya Wike of Rumuepirikom community, Rivers State.
Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike holds degrees in Political and Administrative Studies as well as Law. After a brief stint with private legal practice, Chief E.N. Wike was elected twice as the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. He served his two terms in office from 1999 to 2002 and 2004 to 2007. While in office, Chief E.N. Wike also served as Deputy President, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, in 2004 and was later elected the President of ALGON. He also represented Africa as a member of the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Local Governments Forum.
Chief Wike distinguished himself as the best performing local government council chairman in Rivers State. As council chairman, he embarked on iconic projects that re-defined council administration and set the right example for his colleagues. As ALGON National President,
Wike played a pioneering role in national security and primary healthcare, leading all local councils to commit themselves to high level grassroots development across the country.
Between October 26, 2007 and May 28, 2011, Chief Wike served as the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt and was appointed the Director-General of Governor Amaechi’s re-election Campaign Organisation. On July 14, 2011, Chief Wike was subsequently appointed and sworn-in as the Honourble Minister of State for Education.
Following a cabinet shake-up, Chief (Barr.) Wike emerged the nation’s Supervising Minister of Education on September 12, 2013.
As the Minister of State for Education, Chief E. N. Wike made remarkable impact in the basic education sub-sector, spear-heading a nationwide reform of the nation’s education system.
The fundamental program-mes that were driven by the former Minister of State for Education include the creation of access to quality education for nine million Almajiri children in Northern Nigeria through the construction of dedicated schools in affected states, construction of basic education vocational training schools for out-of-school children in Southern Nigeria and Special Girl-Education Schools for less privileged girls in 16 states of the country.
The former Minister of State for Education also championed the free distribution of books across the nation. Over 60 Millions of textbooks and library resource materials have been distributed since 2011.
Determined to ensure that teachers have the capacity to deliver on the Transformation Agenda of the Jonathan administration, the former Minister initiated the training of close to 500,000 basic education teachers and school administrators.
As the nation’s Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Wike took proactive measures to resolve key challenges in the basic and tertiary education levels. Under his watch, the Federal Government established four new Federal Polytechnics, with one sited at Bonny, Rivers State. Wike facilitated the N1.3trillion Intervention fund for public universities in Nigeria, the very first of its kind aimed at reviving university education in Nigeria. He facilitated the revival of infrastructure in 51 State and Federal Polytechnics and ensured the construction of micro-teaching laboratories in Colleges of Education in Nigeria.
His efforts have been recognized by stakeholders within and outside the shores of Nigeria. He was conferred with the Best Performing Minister, 2011 by the Nigerian Pilot Newspapers, African Network Campaign on Education For All, ANCEFA, awarded him the Policy Champion Award for Africa to recognize his roles in the creation of quality access for Nigeria Children. The Abuja Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, conferred on him a “Recognition Award for Reviving Basic Education in Nigeria”,while the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), conferred on him “Award of Performance in the Education Sector”. The former Minister of State for Education has received several other awards from reputable stakeholders in the education sector who appreciate his investments of energy and intellectual resources in the system.
On December 8, 2014, PDP delegates from the 23 local government areas of Rivers State voted for Nyesom Ezenwo Wike as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2015 election in the state.
A holder of several traditional chieftaincy titles, Chief E.N. Wike is happily married to Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, a High Court Judge with the Rivers State Judiciary, and blessed with three lovely children; Jordan, Joaquin, and Jazmyne.
These men who moved f rom Law Chambers to executive chambers are definitely grea achievers, whatever the level of their challenges in the current democratic dispensation.
Aluko & Oyebode, Banwo & Ighodalo and Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie are amongst the nine international firms shortlisted for the prestigious Law Digest Africa Awards for the best law firm in Africa. Also shortlisted for this award are ENSafrica and Webber Wentzel both of South Africa and Walker Kontos of Kenya. The award ceremony will take place in London on June 27.
Also shortlisted for the highly coveted M&A Team of the Year and the Banking & Finance Team of the Year are G. Elias & Co, George Etomi & Partners, Odujinrin & Adefulu, Aelex, ACAS and Olaniwun Ajayi LP. The Nigerian firms will be flying the national flag, against the might of the South African firms such as Bowman Gilfillan and ENSafrica and Hamilton Harrison & Matthews of Kenya and AB& David of Ghana.
Speaking to our reports, Seyi Clement, the editor of Law Digest and the sponsor of the award said that “ Law Digest Africa Awards is a brand new concept in recognising and honouring excellence in the African legal services market, by recognising the contributions of individual lawyers, law firms and in-house teams equally. The award is based on the opinions of over 5000 senior practitioners spread across Africa and the in-depth research that our team conducted.”
Seyi Clement expressed satisfaction that Nigerian firms are competing on an equal footing with their long established counterparts from South Africa and in some cases out-performing them as well. He said that the award represents a mark of quality which is essential for firms to maintain a competitive edge in a highly competitive market, such as legal services.
The award also recognises the contributions of in-house lawyers such as Olatowun Candide-Johnson of Total Exploration, Angela Omo-Dare of Stanbic IBTC and Ngozi Okonkwo of Oando,Michael Otu of Zenith Bank to the growth and competitiveness of their individual businesses. They vie for the title of General Counsel of the Year with the likes of Andre Rosetto of Odebrecht of Ghana and Paul Okocha of Corlay Cameroon.
