The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch has elected new officers to run its affairs for the next two years. The new Chairman, Mr. Yinka Farounbi, speaks with ADEBISI ONANUGA on his vision.
What is your agenda for the next two years?
Before the election, we met with members during the manifesto night and we presented our programmes to them. I am assuring them that we would to stick to every project listed in our manifesto. We are not going to deviate from any of them, but do more. That is the key word. We would do more.
For instance, we want to make the practice of law more conducive for members. There are certain areas we want to look at – the service of process; the filing of process; the welfare of members, particularly, young lawyers; our activities at the national body; resuscitating abandoned high courts and the issue of the N1,000 default fee.
All these we are going to do and more to ensure that our members have a conducive atmosphere to ply their trade. Where necessary, we would meet with the relevant agencies, legal authorities and ensure we pursue this agenda. But, in doing this, the welfare of our members would be paramount in all strata of the economy. We would collate the names of our members within Ikeja catchment area and ensure that once you browse our website, you find the list of members so as to lay to rest the controversy on membership once and for all.
How do you intend to handle your opponents and others that lost elections?
In my message after the election, I appreciated everyone who came out to vote and contested the elections. I saluted the courage of all the contestants and told them that NBA is greater than any of us and that now that the election is over, we should unite. That there is no winner takes all or losers take nothing; we are all winners in the process. I have only one agenda in mind, to lift up the NBA particularly Ikeja Branch. So that is our agenda. My advice is that we should all come together, close our ranks and move the bar forward. A lot of those who contested election have sent goodwill messages. Some have even come personally to congratulate us and pledge their loyalty to the bar, not to me or any of those who won election. Some have even given useful advice to us. We are going to look at all these holistically and where necessary, adopt some of them.
What would happen to the legacies of your predecessors?
l salute my predecessor in office. I want to say that he made some giant strides while holding office as chairman of the branch. But I want to say that, that is what is expected of any chairman of a branch like Ikeja . There is no way you are expected to leave the bar the way you met it. You are expected to leave the bar higher than you met it and I am happy that he left the bar higher than he met it. Take for instance the bar centre, it was during the tenure of a particular chairman that we got that land, another renovated the bungalow we met on the land, which first served as our secretariat; another laid the foundation of the present day bar centre; another set the blocks of the building and so on and so forth. Like I promised during our manifesto night, by the special grace of God, by the time we shall be completing our tenure, we would present a wholly completed bar centre. That is just a part of what we are going to do. In other areas, we intend to excel beyond the present government. What is expected of us is to leave the bar better than we met it. That is the driving force.
At the end of your tenure, what would you like to be remembered for?
By the special grace of God, by the time I would be leaving office, I want to be remembered as someone who came and fundamentally lifted the bar beyond all imaginations, beyond the level he met it. That would be my desire.
Towho do you dedicate your victory?
First of all, I am dedicating it to God Almighty, who made it possible. I am also dedicating it to the wonderful members of the Ikeja Branch, who defied the rain to come, from far and near, and cast their votes for me. I feel humbled and I am grateful to them for that, particularly, for defying all the odds to ensure my victory. The weather was not too friendly at a stage, but they weathered the storm and ensured that they cast their votes. I thank them all. I am also grateful to my campaign team, who traversed the area covered by Ikeja branch, campaigning and mobilising members to come and vote to ensure that I emerged the winner. I also thank the people in the Ministry of Justice, the OPD and the various parastatals and agencies.
