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Tag: Okey Wali

  • NBA seeks corruption-free, viable judiciary in 2014

    NBA seeks corruption-free, viable judiciary in 2014

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on Saturday expressed the need for corruption-free judiciary in 2014, saying that all necessary machinery should be put in place to achieve it.

    The NBA President, Mr. Okey Wali (SAN), made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    Wali said as the year was gradually coming to an end, adequate steps should be taken to promote a more efficient judicial system in the coming year.

    He said that 2014 should be characterised by a more efficient judicial system with adequate working machinery that would enhance effective justice delivery.

    He said at present, judges were still saddled with the rigour of taking down proceedings in “long-hand,” saying that these were some of the problems to be remedied in 2014.

    “A major problem which requires redress in the judiciary is the issue of funding, and this simply entails the provision of more working facilities to enhance a smooth operation of the system.

    “The Nigerian judiciary is one that I know in this age and time, where judges still take down proceedings in longhand.

    “If automated recording devices are provided in all our courts, proceedings will definitely be faster, and this will promote the speedy dispensation of justice,’’ he said.

    Wali, however, noted that although some of the delays were caused by lawyers, litigants and judicial officers, such situations could be dealt with following practice direction of courts.

     

     

  • NBA to FG: Rescind sack threat to ASUU

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to rescind its decision to sack striking university lecturers who failed to return to the classes on or before December 4.

    The call is contained in a statement signed by the President of the association, Mr. Okey Wali (SAN),) in Abuja.

    “Our attention has been drawn to the seven-day ultimatum to return to work or be sacked, given by the Federal Government to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) due to the ongoing strike action by ASUU.

    “The NBA implores the Federal Government to rescind the said ultimatum, as that evidently will not resolve the crisis.

    “While we call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to set aside the ultimatum given to ASUU, we also call on ASUU to hearken to the appeals from several segments of the society and call off the strike action,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the NBA statement as saying in the statement.

    According to the statement, calling-off of the strike will ensure that students, who have been away from school for so long, can go back to school.

    “Besides the harm and dislocation of academic work, the enormous anti social problems associated with keeping children away from school for this long cannot be over-emphasised.

    “We encourage both parties to continue discussions and negotiations while the schools are in session in earnest.

    “ Negotiation is about give and take. The interest and welfare of the students must at all times remain paramount,’’ the statement added.

     

  • NBA rejects calls for national conference

    NBA rejects calls for national conference

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on Friday said Nigeria does not need to convene a sovereign national conference to address its problems.

    NBA President, Okechukwu Wali (SAN), at a press conference, said the country “does not need another gathering in Abuja.”

    He said rather than convening such a national conference, attention should be paid towards amending the Constitution on a piecemeal basis according to the needs of Nigerians.

    “Any modification to the Constitution can be done through the National Assembly. We recommend piecemeal amendment of the Constitution. We don’t think we need to create another gathering.

    “We do not call for a sovereign national conference, because are we going to get people elected to do that? We don’t think it’s necessary,” Wali said.

    In a communiqué read by Wali at the end of its Annual General Conference in Calabar, Cross River State, NBA, however, said the Constitution, as it currently operates, does not truly reflect the people’s yearnings and aspirations.

    It added that ordinary amendments to its provisions may not necessarily cure the fundamental flaws in it.

    “There is, therefore, a dire need for a people-oriented Constitution, which will be subjected to a national referendum and will be self-enforcing,” NBA said.

    The association called for the enactment of a law to regulate the granting of amnesty to repentant criminals.

    It said such important government policy should not be executed at the discretion of the President or the executive alone.

    “It is high time to legislate and enact laws on amnesty in Nigeria with a view to regulating its application,” NBA said.

    The NBA condemned the deplorable security situation in the country and “challenged” the Federal Government to review the strategy for fighting the menace of kidnapping and other forms of criminality.

     

     

     

  • NBA Presidency: Yoruba lawyers meet on candidate

    Ahead of the July 2014 election of new officers to run the affairs of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), members of Egbe Amofin (lawyers in Southwest) have met to strategise on who will be the next president.

    They gathered in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital at the weekend.

    On the agenda is the selection and possibly, endorsement of the candidate who will fly the banner of the Egbe at the elections.

    By the calculation of the NBA politics, 2014 is the time for the Southwest to produce the President of the association. Whoever is elected will be expected to play a very significant role in the history of the country, 2015 being a general election year.

    Egbe candidates in the last NBA in Abuja did not perform too well and members are still very angry at the result that produced the incumbent President, Okey Wali (SAN). Members blamed their leaders for the poor performance in the last outing.

    The meeting, which held at the home of the Chairman of the NBA, Abeokuta branch Mr Adebayo Ayodele was well attended.

    A committee to screen the contestants was appointed, with Duro Adeyele (SAN) as chairman; Muyiwa Akinboro (Secretary), Alhaji Lekan Yusuf (SAN), Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), Banke Olagbegi, Segun Onakoya and Owoseni Ajayi as members.

    A lawyer, Olasupo Ojo, said the committee’s main job will be to come up with the most suitable and popular candidate, particularly for the presidency of the Bar. He, particularly, insisted that the candidates should get endorsement from different branches across the southwest to determine their popularity as done in the past to determine the most acceptable candidate.

    At the meeting, three candidates signified their interest to contest for the presidency of the Bar.

    In attendance were members from the 25 branches of the association in the Southwest. Also present were Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Mr Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), MrTaiwo Taiwo, Monday Ubani, Niyi Idowu, former Asst. Publicity Secretary of the NBA, Gbolahan Gbadamosi, Bisi Ade Ademuwagun, Chief Obafemi Adewale, among others.

     

  • Lawyers urge caution on foreign colleagues

    Lawyers urge caution on foreign colleagues

    AKEYs feature of this year’s Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Section on Business Law (SBL) conference was the international dimension which it took.

    It was as a result of the call by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for countries to open their gates to lawyer from other jurisdictions to practise law in a globalised world.

    The conference examined other numerous topics, and had the theme: “The role of lawyers in an emerging economy.”

    Lawyers, who spoke to the The Nation after the conference, scored high. They also spoke on how they benefitted.

    NBA President, Okey Wali (SAN)

    NBA President, Okey Wali (SAN) said: “Well, if you had aggregated everything that was said here today, one thing has come out clearly and that is the fact that we have to be careful.

    “As I said, I recognise the fact that in opening the doors, we could actually be opening the doors for jobs for lawyers, We have to be every careful on what we are doing.

    “We have to be sure that the regulatory steps are in place, it is very key and very critical to what we are discussing and I still make my point that there is a reciprocity, if we open our doors for everybody to come and practice law here, do we have such opportunities in their jurisdictions, if that is not addressed, I am afraid that it won’t be an easy sell to Nigerian lawyers.”

    For the chairman of the SBL, Mr. Gbenga Oyebode, the conference was a huge success.

    He said: “The conference has gone extremely well, we have met the usual standards of our conferences and we have also surpassed those standards.

    Oyebode

    Oyebode said: “The conference was very well attended, our keynote speakers sent the massage that we wanted them to send, Governor Kayoed Fayemi of Ekiti State, Mr. Harold Prisner of BLP and our key sessions in the afternoon; firstly, lawyers as catalysts in an emerging economy and the second one about international law firms looking at entering the Nigerian market. The plenary sessions went on extremely well and we surpassed the registration numbers that we had last year, so, I am very happy and enthused.”

     

    Dr. Gbolahan Elias (SAN)

    Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, Dr. Gbolahan Elias (SAN), said: “ I am highly impressed by the number of people that attended the conference and the quality of presentations, I am indeed impressed.
    “We are happy that so many people have taken off time from their busy schedules to be here with us today, it is indeed  a worthwhile experience, we tried so hard to put up sessions that would have something for everybody.”

    Chaiman, Intellectual Property (IP) committee of the SBL, Mrs. Chinyere Okorocha

    Chaiman, Intellectual Property (IP) committee of the SBL, Mrs. Chinyere Okorocha, said: “I am delighted with the conference, we had a full house, the attendance was fantastic. This year, the Intellectual Property committee has chosen the theme “Intellectual Property issues in an emerging economy.

    “As we all know, intellectual property helps to drive the economy in terms of innovations, new ideas that ultimately can be commercialised and lead to some sort of income generating venture for the nation and help to improve Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), so I had a wonderful panel of experts who did justice to the session ad we eventually had a lot to learn to help the IP world.”

    Mr Tunde Ayeni

    Mr Tunde Ayeni said: “ This is brilliant, it cannot be better than this and I commend the organisers for this fantastic idea, this is what I refer to as a continuous legal education system.

    “ It has really exposed our members, we should really start doing things the way advanced countries do them, especially, if we want Nigeria to be a destination for investment, we must grow our legal system and this is the way to start it.

    “ I am happy with what is going on, and I associate myself with it I associate myself with the people that are involved, I congratulate the NBA President and the team that he has successfully put together to organise this.”

     

    Mr Matthew Egbadon

    Mr Matthew Egbadon said: “We all know the issues that are involved really and there is no doubt that lawyers have a major role to play in an emerging economy.

    “In turning things around in this country, as we aspire to be one of the 20 most prosperous economy in the year 2020, which is just few years away from now, we want to know exactly how ready we are , the number of things that need to be in place for us to attain that and as has been canvassed here since morning, the issue of knowing what the law is at any point in time is critical, certainty of the law, respect for the property of people and of course, respect for contracts, particularly when it involves international practice, these things are critical and a lawyer has a major role to play in ensuring that all these things are done so that if these things are put in place, we will be ready for the 2020 vision.”

    Mr Fubara Anga

    Mr Fubara Anga, who has qualification to practise law in three different jurisdictions, said: “My position is that those doors have to be opened whether we like it or not and my belief is that we should control the speed, the manner and the extent to which the door is opened and if we don’t open the doors, others will open the doors for us.

    “ Even from the panel today, you can see that Nigerians are practising law all over the world, now whether they are Nigerian firms practising law all over the world is a different matter.

    “What we are saying is that the nature of legal practice has become so global and so virtual that even without coming here, foreign lawyers are already practising here or taking a chunk of the legal briefs and not calling it Nigerian law. What I am saying is that the way legal services are delivered have changed and the Bar and Nigerians lawyers have to adapt to the times.”

     

    Former General Secretary, NBA, Ibrahim Eddy Mark

    Former General Secretary, NBA, Ibrahim Eddy Mark said SBL chairman and Council members put up a very good show.

    “ They have done very well and I wish that other Sections will borrow a leaf from them. From the cocktail to the opening session was well attended and the topics which they have chosen for discussion here are very apt.

    “Every lawyer that did not attend this conference has really missed a lot because as I have always said, these Sections and the professionalisation of legal practice is the best thing that has happened to us, this is the kind of conferences that our members should be attending because this is where they can get their optimum best, this is where they can acquire the best continuing legal education.

    “From participation in conferences like this, they will be bold claim that yes, I can now understand Alternative Disputes Resolution Mechanisms (ADR). I can understand aviation law, I can now understand international transactions, I can now understand trans border transactions and so on. It is only when you come to conferences like this that you will be able to know what you are supposed to do because you cannot sit in your law office and think that law practice is all about going to court, coming back and that is the end of things, no.

    “For instance, this morning, they were discussing about the World Trade Organisation (WTO) liberalisation of legal services, how the government will collaborate with the NBA so that we will get the best from this idea of liberalisation of legal services, all their programmes were really very good, it was indeed a very good conference.”

     

    Former President, International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA) Mrs Stella Ugboma

    Former President, International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA) Mrs Stella Ugboma said it was “a very good conference of international standard”.

    “I have really learnt a lot. As you know, in the past, the SBL has always been very good, so they have not changed.”

     

    Mrs. Mfon Usoro

    Mrs. Mfon Usoro spoke on allowing foreign lawyers practise in Nigeria.

    She said: “At the moment, Nigeria has not scheduled legal services in its schedule of specific commitments under the (WTO) and our Legal Practitioners Act (LPA) requires that somebody should be enrolled as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria after passing the Nigerian Law School examinations or by a special warrant before the person can practice law in Nigeria. These are the only people qualified to practice law in Nigeria.

    “But you should note that this law was drafted in 1982 and does not accommodate present day realities because they were not contemplated at that time. At the moment, the reality is that foreign lawyers are providing legal services in Nigeria through cross border, through consumption on board and even through some other ways, but these were not provided in our LPA.

    “I think that what we should do now is to develop the regulations that would be transparent and would put restrictions, limitations on areas that we do not want to grant access and national treatment to foreign legal practitioners, that is the way to go.”

     

    Damian D. Dodo (SAN)

    Damian D. Dodo (SAN) said: “ The biggest impression that I came out with is how well organised the conference has been. That is the matter I was discussing with my brother silk, Mr. Fabian Ajogwu (SAN), just some minutes ago, it shows that some preparations and planning has gone into the whole exercise and we have seen the fruits and the way it has turned out, so, we must commend the SBL for a conference well organised and in which we have very commendable numbers.”

    On his area of particular interest, Dodo said: “It has been in the area of competition law, but unfortunately, I was unable to attend that session today because of other commitments, but since I already have the conference materials with me, I intend to avail myself of the thoughts and perspectives of others who have looked at the issue and hope that it will help us to put in place, the proper regimes that will ensure that there is no dominance in any particular sector by any operator, so that competition becomes a key aspect of our economic and social life.”

     

    Fabian Ajogwu (SAN)

    Fabian Ajogwu (SAN) said: “ First of all, let me commend the organisers of the conference; it was well organised, but, most importantly is seeing globalisation and the impact it has on the way we work as lawyers.

    “We had a lot of things to learn; we have seen that you cannot practise law to the point of excellence in isolation. You have to learn what global best practices are, to improve the standards, emphasis on ethics and excellence in the profession.

    “And, finally, to look in the fields of disputes resolution, how to deal with disputes in terms of arbitration, mediation and conciliation and other modes of Alternative Disputes Resolution Mechanisms (ADR), there is something for ever body in this conference.”

     

     Aniedi Akpabio

    Aniedi Akpabio said: “ I have actually participated in this conference and I am mostly impressed with the quality of presentations from all the speakers. I took part in some sessions on the first day of the conference, one of them talked about the expansion of the frontiers of legal practice in Nigeria and what should be the role of the international law firms and from the presentations, we realised that there is need for collaboration, even if we don’t have competitions between the local and international law firms, there is actually the need for this collaboration for efficiency and high service delivery for our clients.

    “The theme of this conference itself is a very good one, the role of lawyers in an emerging economy and from what we gathered, is evident that there are certain skill that we need to be part of what is happening in the globalised world.

    “We have discovered that to do this, you need an entrenchment of the rule of law, we need law reforms and must ensure the independence of the judiciary.

    We were made to understand in this conference that a situation where you have cases lasting in courts for upwards of 10 years would certainly not encourage foreign investors to come into the country when they are not sure that if their commercial disputes are in court, they will not get justice until after such a long period of time. So, there is a need to develop and guarantee the independence off the judiciary for Nigerian lawyers to play their role in our emerging economy.”

     

     Tare Yeri

    Tare Yeri said having been a member of the SBL for six years, she feels it is a welcome development to the NBA.

    “It is a session that is driving the association to meet its needs in terms of being the largest gathering of commercial lawyers in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    “The different committees have done marvellously well in their respective sessions in terms of taking on relevant topics and highly qualified resource persons to deliver them. All the topics we dealt with and the seasoned resource persons that we brought here really brought out that knowledge and information that really helps young lawyers to grow and become better lawyers that play their roles well in an emerging economy.

    “We have this session on the Presidential Amnesty programme to talk about the value of the programme, the benefits that it has brought to the country regarding peace. Many people have different views about this laudable initiative of the Federal Government but we have seen that it is a welcome development, though it may not be the lasting solution to the Niger Delta problems, it brings the desired peace because a lot of these militants are being taken out of that environment that breeds fear and violence and are taken out to be trained.

    So, I always say that an idle educated mind is better than an idle uneducated man, once you give them that opportunity to be trained and become better persons, in turn, that brings about peace in the society and more income for economic growth and development”

    Former Abia State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Umeh Kalu

    Former Abia State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Umeh Kalu said: “Talking about the business session, which this conference is all about, it is the pivot of law practice if one must say. It touches on our economy and how we can go about issues involving the finances of state and commerce generally.

    “It was very well-organised. I am highly impressed with what I saw. I just left the ADR session and I am well impressed with the papers presented, the issues raised and the questions asked in the session.

    ”It is really a very good conference and is really what every lawyer should be involved as an annual event. It will really help not only in law practice, but in the quality of our service delivery to our clients and this will assist in the development of the legal profession in the country.”

     

    Mena Ajakpovi

    Mena Ajakpovi said: “Well, this is an improvement on last year’s conference and the issues that we have canvassed here will be harnessed to drive policies and to give directions to the face of business law practice in Nigeria.”

     

     Mr. Agada Elachi

    Mr. Agada Elachi said: “ The SBL conference has always been the flagship of all NBA activities and this year’s conference is no different. The organisers have done a wonderful job, the leadership of the section has done a fantastic work, bringing together the best brains to come and talk how to move business forward.

    “I had the privilege of going round a number of sessions, the plenary was fantastic, the key note address by the Governor Fayemi of Ekiti State was great, very deep and very intellectual.

    “The session that really stands out for me is that on competition law, it underscores the importance of the passage of a competition law quickly, it also underscores the importance of lawyers paying more attention to bills that go before the National Assembly. Right now there is a bill there that seeks to amend the Customs law which will bring about pure injustice and discouragement of trade and business in Nigeria.”

     Mr. Dele Oye

    Mr. Dele Oye described the conference as an eye-opener for everyone. “It is, indeed, a very rich conference because it touched on very serious national issues, where we have had a convergence of both the regulators and the practitioners meeting together.

    “In the session, which I chaired, the session on competition law, we had the permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade and Commerce as one of the speakers and someone from the Bureau of Public Enterprises and we all discussed the issue of competition law and the urgent and imperative need for competition law in Nigeria.

    “We also discussed the recent Customs bill which is currently before the National Assembly and why that bill should not be passed in its current form because it contains a lot of anti competitive provisions which needs to be re examined and amended so that we can have global competitiveness.

    “The bill also has some penal provisions which infringes on the fundamental human rights and also on the rights of other several other laws which gives the duties of several other agencies like that of the Police and other agencies to the customs, so we must find a way out of this and make some of those agencies self regulatory. The NBA has to find a way to stop the bill and ensure that all the critical stakeholders should have an input before the bill is passed.”

     

  • NGF imbroglio: Jang’s meeting illegal – Fayemi

    NGF imbroglio: Jang’s meeting illegal – Fayemi

    The governor of Ekiti state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi on Monday described a meeting of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum called by the Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State as illegal.

    He also disagreed with the call made by the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Okey Wali (SAN), seeking the dissolution of the NGF.

    Fayemi, who said he was not aware of any meeting of the Forum, said that only Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, who was duly elected the chairman of the forum, is competent to call a lawful meeting of the governors.

    “Any other meeting is illegal,” he said.

    The Ekiti governor, while responding to questions by journalists a thet Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, venue of the seventh edition of the NBA Law Conference, said the only meeting he was aware of was that called by President Goodluck Jonathan who he said has been meeting with the governors individually.

    “Most of us would attend meetings with the President because he is our president and we have to honour him,” he said.

    Fayemi described the NBA president‘s call as strange “because he is fully aware of the constitutional provision to freely associate.”

    “Just as the lawyers freely associate under the umbrella of the NBA without let or hindrance, the governors too have a right to freely associate with each other to exchange ideas and share experience,” he added.

    He said the NGF does not in any way distract the governors’ attention from governance of their respective states as they only meet once in a month on the eve of the National Executive Council of State meetings to articulate the position they would push at the meeting.

     

     

     

  • NBA hails declaration of emergency rule in ‘troubled states’

    NBA hails declaration of emergency rule in ‘troubled states’

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on Wednesday described as apt, the declaration of a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States by President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The President of the association, Mr. Okey Wali, told the News Agency of Nigeria in a telephone interview that the decision was a further resolve by the Federal Government to protect the country and its people from further aggression by undesirable elements.

    “We have no doubt that the President has received fresh intelligence that necessitates a harder measure to be taken to forestall further mindless attacks on Nigerians by insurgents.

    “We are indeed satisfied by the decision as it has not eroded the political structure of the three states; suffice to say that democracy is still in place in those areas.

    ”Our candid appeal is for the members of the Boko Haram sect to still leverage on the existing opportunities provided by the Presidential Committee on Amnesty,” the NBA president said.

     

  • Ezu River corpses may be victims of extra-judicial killings – NBA

    Ezu River corpses may be victims of extra-judicial killings – NBA

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) suspects that the floating corpses found in Ezu River, Anambra State might be victims of extra-judicial killings by security agencies.

    The umbrella body of lawyers in Nigeria also lamented that over N16 trillion worth of crude oil was stolen between 2003 and 2008, and 2011 and 2012.

    The association said it has information that over 200,000 to 300,000 barrels of crude oil were also stolen per day in the year 2000.

    It promised to refer the matter to its anti-corruption commission for full investigation.

    The NBA President, Okey Wali (SAN) who addressed reporters in Abuja on the outcome of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Makurdi said the Federal Government must set up judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the Ezu River matter.

    He explained that the investigation became necessary following the report of NBA adhoc committee.

    Wali said, “NEC resolved that in view of the seriousness of the allegations on the possibility of the corpses being victims of extra-judicial killings, that a judicial commission of inquiry should be set up to look into the matter.

    “NEC hereby calls on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, to set up a high-powered Presidential Judicial Commission of Enquiry to investigate the causes of death, source and identity of the floating corpses with a view to bringing any culprit(s to book.

    “NEC, again, observed that security of lives and property of Nigerians should be of paramount importance to government and called upon the Federal Government of Nigeria to take the issue of security more seriously and to make every effort to address the menace of terrorism, kidnappings and assassinations.

    “NEC calls on the government and security agencies to act on the report of the NBA, Peace and Security Summit submitted to them by the Nigerian Bar Association.”

    The NEC condemned states that have refused to conduct Local Government elections.

     

  • Nigeria courts lack basic working tools – NBA

    Nigeria courts lack basic working tools – NBA

    The President, Nigeria Bar Association, Mr. Okey Wali, has called for the use of automated recording system in courts to enhance speedy dispensation of justice.

    Wali, who made the call in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday, said that Nigerian courts did not belong to the present dispensation technologically.

    He reiterated the need for the judiciary to improve on court processes in order to meet up with the increasing number of court cases in the country.

    The NBA president pointed out that the use of automated recording system would assist in the quick dispensation of justice.

    He said, “Our courts technologically speaking do not belong to this century and our judges cannot do much in this circumstance.

    “We do not have the facilities in the courts, so you have a situation where in 2013 our judges still take down notes in long hands and that is horrible.

    “If you go outside this clime and you watch court proceedings, you would discover that the whole thing is being recorded.

    “We have to technologically update our courts. There must be automated recording system in the courts.

    “There must be a way that the judge doesn’t have to take down notes in long hands.”

    Wali called for prompt attention with regards to the equipping of courts to meet up with present trends.

     

  • NBA national security summit holds Jan

    NBA national security summit holds Jan

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) will hold its national summit on peace and security before the end of January 2013. This was disclosed by the President of NBA, Okey Wali (SAN) in a chat with The Nation. The NBA President stated that the change in the date of the conference was to ensure that the quality of the conference meets international standards.

    The NBA President had in his inaugural speech, set up the committee to organise a national conference on peace and security in Nigeria. Inaugurating the Peace and Security committee chaired by Okey Amaechi (SAN), Wali said: “ There is too much insecurity and poverty in the land and this is totally unacceptable to us. Security of life and property is the most fundamental responsibility of the government and so this is the least we expect from any government, the government cannot continue to look helpless on this all important issue.”

    Wali stated: “ Let me quickly add that this country belongs to all of us and so everybody, the Bar inclusive, must contribute its quota in identifying problems and ensuring that they are solved. The NBA under my watch, will not only be fault finding, we will also be solution finding. We shall, therefore, on a date and venue to be determined, hold a Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) summit on the state of security and insecurity in our country.“

    “Stakeholders within and outside the Bar will be part of this all important summit on the security challenges facing our dear country for we are all involved. Similarly, similar summits will be held on other typical challenges facing our country.”

    The committee started work immediately after inauguration and tentatively fixed September 31 and November 1 as the possible dates for the summit.

    The NBA President said the change in date was necessited by the urgent and imperative need to add international dimensions and input into the summit to ensure a more fruitful and rewarding and result oriented summit.

    Amaechi (SAN) said: “ We are still strategizing, we had the October 31 and November 1 date initially, but before the president left for the International Bar Association (IBA) conference in Dublin, we were already considering a date in the first week of December. But now, we are settling for a January date because of the move to involve international organisations and resource persons in the summit.

    “We have engaged the services of an expert in that field and in the next few weeks, we shall conclude arrangements on that. We are also looking at the possibility of making the summit an annual event as obtained in other countries like Malaysia and other developed countries,” he said.