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Tag: urges

  • Idigbe urges lawyers to embrace technology

    Technology has transformed legal practice and lawyers must embrace it to remain relevant, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Anthony Idigbe, has said.

    According to him, lawyers must acquire the requisite skills to thrive in the era of technology and globalisation.

    Idigbe delivered a keynote address at the 2018 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Kaduna Branch Law Week. Its theme was: A profession gasping for breath: modern challenges, prospects and opportunities of legal practice.

    According to Idigbe, who is a Senior Partner at Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors, developments in the judiciary indicate that judges are becoming more technically prepared for the future than the lawyers.

    He warned that lawyers could face challenges in court if they do not embrace the new technologies.

    Idigbe said: “Clients are becoming more demanding and they are no longer ready to pay too much for legal services. At the same time they want speed and efficiency from lawyers.

    “They don’t want a waste of time and the volume of work is increasing. So, the only solution is to apply technology. It will enable lawyers to do the work within a very short time.”

    He was of the view that technology is increasingly being appreciated and deployed in Africa, but that there was still some challenges with technologically-driven legal services delivery.

    “What we need is more education, more commitment. That is why I appreciate what we have done. We have spoken to lawyers at the grassroots, explaining to them what the variables are and the imperatives for change, and that if they don’t change, technology is going to come anyway,” he said.

    Lawyers, according to Idigbe, are contending with competitive market forces involving non-lawyers, with clients having more alternatives.

    He added that fresh law graduates are not prepared to face the challenges because the training they receive does take cognisance of the changes that have been brought about by technology.

    Idigbe, therefore, called for a review of legal education and advised lawyers to  specialise, emphasising that the era of general legal practice was long gone.

    Lawyers, he said, must network. “You must learn how to cooperate to become more efficient. I am not saying you must form partnerships.” he said.

    Quoting Jomati report, Idige said lawyers must be capable of handling cross-border work. According to him, top 50 law firms control between 30 to 35 per cent of the fees, but employ less than 2,000 lawyers, leaving the vast majority of about 188,000 to scramble for about 65 per of the market.

    “Survival of law practice for many will depend on their creativity. How many lawyers made money during the Banking crisis in Nigeria?” he asked.

    He said challenges of the legal practice include competition among lawyers/non-lawyers, economic uncertainties and artificial intelligence, among others.

  • Lagos CJ urges new magistrates to shun graft

    Chief Judge of Lagos Justice Opeyemi Oke has urged new magistrates to shun corruption.

    She spoke when she swore in three new magistrates and 50 presidents and members of the Customary Court.

    She urged them to dispense justice without fear or favour, affection and animosity.

    The event held at the CJ’s courtroom at the Ikeja High Court.

    The number of magistrates has thus increased from 130 to 133; the number of Customary Court presidents and members rose from 145 to 195.

    Justice Oke told the magistrates: “Be diligent in the discharge of your duties and constantly exhibit integrity, patience, open-mindedness, courtesy, tact and courage.”

    The new magistrates are Abosede Ogunjobi,Tanimola Ajose and Oluwatosin Akingbesote.

    Justice Oke said with their sound knowledge of the law and background in the legal profession, they are to “uphold and observe the rule of law, promote and foster the course of justice, maintain a high standard of judicial conduct and refrain from engaging in conducts unbecoming of an arbiter of justice”.

    Justice Oke emphasised that the state Judicial Service Commission has zero tolerance for corruption.

    She warned that she would sanction any officer found guilty.

    She said the oath of office they took is a reminder “of their testament and fidelity to God, the law and the people of the state”.

    Justice Oke stressed the need for them to be firm and unwavering in the discharge of their duties.

    “You must remain blind to personality and status and remain the hope of all men, common or uncommon,” she said.

    The Chief Judge said they must not compromise the integrity and impartiality of the courts.

    “It is only by personal integrity and strength of character that you will hold fast the high ideals and ethical demands of contemporary judicial life and service,” she said.

    Justice Oke reminded the presidents of the Customary Courts that the new Customary Court Law 2018 has ushered in greater responsibilities for them.

    According to her, they are responsible for the interpretation of the law in accordance with the Constitution as well as the mechanism for resolution of disputes for the purpose of equal Justice under native law and customs.

    She urged them to update their understanding of the law.

    Justice Oke said the positive advancement of customary courts and the burning desire to achieve distinction constitute the ultimate goal of enhancing the capacity of the grassroot court system.

    Lagos State Judicial Service Commission Executive Secretary Mrs Olufunmilayo Salami reminded the new magistrates and Customary Court members that their conduct and carriage would become subject of public scrutiny.

    She, therefore, stressed the need for them to maintain a high standard of professional competence and integrity to be able to dispense justice to all manners of people.

    Mrs Salami said the new Customary Court Law of 2018 compulsorily accommodates lawyers as Customary Court President and graduates as members.

  • Ovia urges NAICOM, NCC, CBN on financial inclusion

    To  acheive Financial Inclusion, the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) and the  Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) must approve the use of mobile phones to sell micro insurance to the poor and excluded adults in the country, Founder and Chairman, Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia  said yesterday.

    He spoke at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja,  during the 2018 Insurance Industry National Conference, entitled: “Insurance Industry and Financial Inclusion.”

    He said while NAICOM has released a new micro insurance guideline in this respect, this will not change if operators would still need to sell the product in the old traditional way.

    He said: “NAICOM has a new guideline on micro insurance but it is not being deployed through mobile telephony. The Commission can’t deploy micro insurance through the traditional old ways. It should be done through new means which is technology. The Commission, NCC and CBN need to approve mobile telephony for the distribution of micro insurance urgently,” he said.

    Meanwhile, NAICOM yesterday said it has concluded plans to launch the Nigerian Insurance Industry Development Plan (NIIDP) in order to boost financial inclusion.

    The commission said it had already concluded work on the NIIDP, with KPMG, a consulting firm monitoring its implementation to ensure each segment of the market kept to date with their assigned responsibilities.

  • CJN urges new Justices to be courageous

    Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen has urged new Court of Appeal Justices to be courageous in the dispensation of justice.

    He spoke after administering the oath of office and allegiance on them. The new Justices are  P. A. Mahmud; F. O. Ojo; I. A. Andenyangsto; G. O. Kolawole; B. B. Aliyu; Ebiowei Tobi; J. G. Abundaga; A. S. Umar; A. M. Talba; A. M. Bayero; A. M. Lamido and Mohammed Idris.

    Chief Justice Onnoghen said: “The Court of Appeal has now been enhanced with more hands to carry out its statutory responsibility of dispensation of justice to all, irrespective of their status, because the workload there is heavy.”

    He reminded the Justices, both old and new, that they are men of honour; adding that to whom much is given, much is expected.

    He said their elevation to the Appeal Court Bench was an invitation to more hardwork.

    He said: “Adhere to the code of conduct, the constitution and judicial precedent, then you can go home and sleep with your two eyes closed.

    “It is only when you apply shortcuts that you invite problems. Be courageous because everything in the country is on your head in terms of the dispensation of justice. When you adhere to the code and the constitution, the institution will be there to support you

    “You have to abide by the Constitution and the Code of Conduct, which actually is an extension of the oath of office that you have just taken.

    “When you adhere to your oath of office, the code of conduct, the constitution and the application of the law to the task before you, and abide by judicial precedent, you will be home and dry. You will continue to sleep and snore.”

    Chief Justice Onnoghen said the Bench needs to exercise even more caution as politicians get desperate ahead of next year’s election.

    “It is now time for politics. Things will be done to raise the temperature of this country within and outside of the political space.

    “You have to be very, very careful not to be used as instruments for settlement of personal squabbles and intra party disputes. Your duty is to look at the law and use the law to settle the matter.

    “One party must win and one party must loose; the two of them cannot win at the same time. You should be guided by judicial precedent, particularly in election and election related matters.

    “The responsibility of a judge is to resolve disputes in accordance with the dictates of the law and to always apply the law in resolving cases brought before his court, without bothering who wins and who loses.”

    He noted that the Financial Autonomy Bill to  states Houses of Assembly and the Judiciary, recently signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, did not just provide financial autonomy to the Judiciary as being erroneously implied, saying that the provision has always been in the Constitution.

    He said: “Section 121 of the Constitution has always been there. What has always been the problem is the absence of courage, political will in the executive arm of government to implement and enforce this provision. That is all. Some state governments have done the right things, others are ready to do. Those, who are yet to, we encourage them to enforce and implement this provision.

    “This is because the independence of the Judiciary, particularly its financial independence, is the bedrock of democracy itself. We have gone too far to go back.

    “We are under a democratic dispensation; a constitutional democracy for that matter. That is why I keep on saying that the rule of law is the solution to all of our problems.

    “If we operate under the rule of law and are bound by the rule of law, which is the bedrock of democracy, then impunity, which is the bane of our democracy, will disappear.

    “Please let the judiciary remains the last hope of Nigerians, whether a superman or a common man.”

  • Airtel urges corporates on giving

    Airtel Nigeria has urged corporate organisations to give to less privileged members of the society. It added that there is joy in giving to people one doesn’t expect anything from in return.

    Its Managing Director/CEO, Segun Ogunsanya, who spoke during the premiere of Season 4 of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, Airtel Touching Lives at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, said there is no limit to how kind anybody can be. He urged corporates not to spend their time asking why there are poor people in the world.

    “The right question is what can we do to change it? We are always going to have poor and unfortunate people among us. What next is what you can do to affect their circumstances and I am encouraging you to do something,” he said.

    Vice President’s wife, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, commended Airtel for its commitment to helping the underprivileged.

    She said: “I remember attending Airtel Touching Lives Season 2 in Abuja and I still remember how inspiring it was. I congratulate you on the CSR as you have effected it in producing Airtel Touching Lives Season 4.

    “I look forward to watching the episodes, I look forward to hearing the stories of those who need help and have found help, I look forward to it being an encouragement to all of us that can share to help those that need. I wish you a delightful event; once more, congratulations Airtel Nigeria.”

    Minister of Communications Technology Adebayo Shittu, urged other corporate organisations to follow the footsteps of Airtel Nigeria in extending a helping hand to those in need.

    “I think that the companies doing business in Nigeria who have been benefiting from the enabling environment in Nigeria and the individuals and businessmen who have been benefiting must certainly come to the rescue and multiply what Airtel has been doing,” he said.

     

  • Shell urges contractors on safety

    The Vice President, Shell Companies in Nigeria (SCiN) and Gabon, Peter Costello, has urged contractors working for and with SCiN to prioritise safety and be relentless in discussing the challenges they face.

    He noted that the international oil giant was poised to help improve safety performance throughout the energy industry.

    “Safety is our top priority. Everyone who works for us, or with us, has an important part to play in making SCiN a safer place to work. We cannot succeed in isolation and we must share the challenges by building strong partnerships to further improve our safety culture,” Costello said at the 7th edition of annual SPDC JV Contractor, CEO Safety Leadership Conference in Lagos.

    “We expect our staff and contractors to comply with safety rules and regulations relevant to their work; to intervene to prevent unsafe conditions; and to respect fellow workers and the communities in which we work,” he said.

    In his remarks, Managing Director of The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) and Country Chair, SCiN, Osagie Okunbor, described the annual event as an opportunity to share learnings and ensure alignment, common ground and shared commitments on Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) in Shell’s joint operations.

    “We cannot be too careful with safety issues. Through engagement, we ensure that the right competence is in place and we create opportunities for our staff and contract staff to speak openly about dilemmas. The collaboration must be continually strengthened so as to make Shell a safety model in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.” Okunbor said, adding that SPDC “more than ever before, is committed to delivering energy responsibly and safely, with total prevention of harm to our employees, contractors, local communities and the environment.”

  • NOTAP urges varsities on intellectual property policy

    The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), has advised universities to develop a comprehensive intellectual property policy. This, it said, will take care of problems associated with ownership of intellectual property among institutions and researchers in Nigerian universities.

    Its Director-General, DanAzumi Ibrahim, who gave the advice during the commissioning of Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO), in Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, said it is part of efforts geared towards strengthening the operations of Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO).

    Represented by the Director, Consultancy Services Department, Adamu Tandama, the DG stated that a well scripted and comprehensive IPTTO policy was necessary to guide the universities in clearly spelling out the ownership of IP.

    Ibrahim said: “NOTAP, in carrying out the Registration of Technology Transfer Agreements, which is one of its major mandates, realised that there was a very weak Intellectual Property culture in Nigeria especially within knowledge institutions.”

    According to him, this situation has resulted in poor technology development of the country, adding that the establishment of IPTTOs in knowledge institutions has the capacity have to trigger innovative activities in the country.

    The DG said over 90 per cent of technologies that power the economy are alien, stressing that for a nation that is striving to be amongst the 20 strongest economies in the world, the knowledge institutions should be more innovative to turn out Research and Development (R&D) results that can solve industrial needs.

    He said for a country to develop technologically, the knowledge institutions must be abreast of the global technology needs, stressing that there should be a strong and strategic linkage between the industry and the academia for this to happen.

    Ibrahim said technologies are outputs of inventive and innovative activities and research is the  primary function of the knowledge institutions, adding that while the multinationals operating in the country depend on their mother companies for research works, Nigerian knowledge institutions carry out research for career progression and not to solve industry problems.

    He maintained that IPTTO is exposing the researchers to engage in research that will solve human needs and not just for academic and career progression, saying that in developed countries, there is strong linkage between the academia and industry as industry depends largely on the knowledge institutions to solve their problems.

    Ibrahim said Nigeria has the largest knowledge infrastructure in the West African sub-region with over 156 universities, 126 polytechnics, 98 colleges of education and more than 300 research institutions but is yet to give the world any global products from their researches.

    Earlier in his welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Chigozie Ogbu, expressed appreciation to God for making it possible that the IPTTO is established in the university.

    He said the commissioning would bring positive changes to the institution and urged the IPTTO coordinator to ensure an all-inclusive programme that will galvanise the numerous researches being undertaken by the university in a highly coordinated manner.

    Prof Ogbu however stated that researchers as well as the university community will start enjoying the benefits of research as the IPTTO will refocus the mind of researchers towards a problem solving research.

  • SystemSpecs chief urges lawyers to brace for competition

    With the increasing rate of technology adoption sweeping across the globe, non-lawyers, aided by technology, would begin to offer services hitherto reserved for learned men, an indigenous software powerhouse, SystemsSpecs, has warned.

    Its founder and Chief Executive Officer, John Obaro, who spoke at a panel discussion on: Technology and Innovation during the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lagos Branch Annual Law Week programme, said some of the things lawyers do could be automated, adding that competition in the legal profession has moved from the local to the international arena.

    SystemSpecs is the firm that produced Remita, the software that is driving Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA) initiative that has helped mopped up trillions of naira from Federal Government ministries, agencies and departments (MDAs).

    Obaro said robots are increasingly gaining traction, adding that what is seen as disruption today would not be so in the foreseeable future.

    He recalled that 10 years ago, there was no financial technology (FinTch). He said today, FinTech is now assuming a full life of its own, making financial transactions, both payments and receipts, easy. He added that it was practically impossible for bank account owners to check their balances without first going into a physical banking hall, joining the queue and taking ‘tally number’ before doing so. Today, he said things have changed as people that could be done on the go via the mobile phone any time within the comforts of people’s homes.

    Obaro lamented that the policy environment was stultifying the growth of the industry, stressing that regulations and policies would always lag behind technology.  This, he blamed on ignorance. For instance, he said the needless controversy that greeted the full implementation of TSA was largely borne out of ignorance, adding that a lot of things would be happening soon in the FinTech space.

    Also speaking on the panel, President Fintech Association of Nigeria, Dr. Segun Aina, said technology is an enabler and not necessarily a disruptor. According to him, the rise of the internet has fundamentally changed the way business is run, adding that the association wants to make Nigeria the hub of financial technology.

    According to Dr Aia, banking would required while banks will not, adding that lawyers will no longer be needed in future.

    He said lawyers in the United States are jobless because of the rise and adoption of technology. He therefore urged lawyers to see themselves as people offering services with the use of technology.

     

  • Oshonaike urges support for local coaches

    Six-time Olympian Olufunke Oshonaike has canvassed support for Nigerian coaches to update their knowledge across all sports.

    She also urged corporate bodies to identify with table tennis, considering the laurels the sport has won for Nigeria in major competitions across the globe.

    Also, the Oshonaike annual U-21 tournament is expected to serve off on Thursday, at the Lagos Country Club (LCC) in Ikeja.

    The Germany-based former African champion spoke at a press briefing to herald the commencement of the tournament later this week, said she was willing to continue to lift the fortunes of the sport in the country.

    “I want to appeal to those in charge of our sports to support our coaches to update their knowledge in various sports across the country. There is no doubt that we have the talents that can withstand any team in the world, but our talents must also be supported by knowledgeable coaches that will complement their talents with the right coaching. I am passionate about table tennis and I am using this opportunity to appeal to corporate bodies to come to the aid of the sport so that we can produce more top-class players,” she said.

    For the three-day tournament, Oshonaike said this year’s tournament coincides with her 44th birthday and she intends to use it to lift the fortunes of the sport by staging a tournament that will throw up talents.

    For the chairman, Adna Hotel, Ehi Braimah, Oshonaike’s initiative needs to be supported, as it would help to discover talents.

    Braimah who is a passionate table tennis fan believes other ex-players should take a cue from Oshonaike by coming up with what they can do for Nigeria.

    In his remarks, Chairman, table tennis section of LCC, Charles Osuntunyi said the club will continue to support the initiative, promote and develop table tennis in Nigeria having staged several junior tournaments in the last two years.

    The tournament was supported by LCC, Adna Hotel and other well-meaning Nigerians who believe in the ideals of Oshonaike.

  • Dogara urges completion of Ajaokuta Steel complex

    The Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara has called for the completion of Ajaokuta Steel Company.

    Speaking yesterday while on an oversight visit to the complex, in Ajaokuta, Kogi State, he described the non-completion of the steel company as a national embarrassment.

    The Speaker ruled out concessioning of the plant, saying that such would amount to handing over the nation’s assets to ‘asset stripers’.

    He said: “Any patriotic Nigerian that visits this plant cannot but shed tears. Any foreigner who visits this plant cannot but agree that we are from shithole country.

    “Anyone who try to re-introduce concessioning as a way forward will definitely have problem with us at the house.”

    He said whatever it would take for the plant to be brought back to life for the benefit of all Nigerians, will be done.

    “We are aware of local and international conspiracy against the plant, but we are determined to get the money from every angle to complete it.

    The Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello advocated for the deployment of recovered looted funds towards the completion of the plant.