NBA Ibadan Holds Annual Dinner, Charges Lawyers to Work Towards a Better Nigeria

The Nigerian Bar Association, Ibadan Chapter has called on Nigerian lawyers to work to implement laws that would improve the country adding that if the society is failing, lawyers need to examine themselves and do better going forward.

The Association made this call at its annual professional dinner held on Thursday at the Aare Afe Babalola Bar Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan, the oyo state capital city.

On a night meant to honor the best and brightest legal minds in Oyo State, Mr. Asue Ighodalo, a name partner at Banwo & Ighodalo; one of the leading law firms in Nigeria, gave the dinner talk and charged the lawyers present to do everything in their power to help rebuild Nigeria by implementing enduring institutions.

In his words: “A society’s superstructure is its legal, social, cultural and political institutions which are based on its economic systems. There is so much we can do as lawyers to help rebuild our country through the development and implementation of free wills for enduring institutions that will aid good and fair conduct by all.”

He called for Nigeria to once again be a country of strong institutions, rather than being ruled by “strongmen” and asked that careful attention be paid to bills being considered by the national assembly so that we can all work for a better country together.

“Undoubtedly, if our laws are retooled and made to work, the infamous phenomenon in Nigeria of the rule of strongmen instead of the rule of strong institutions will change for the better. There are many angles to the mistrust and injustice which are the cause of most of the challenges we face in Nigeria today.”

“I believe that we can, through public interest litigation, and by paying careful attention to the bills being considered by the national assembly, especially those bills on proposed amendments to the constitution, address certain and specific issues, issues of political restructuring and inclusiveness, including the devolution of power from the centre to the federation states. Issues of policy and security architecture, environmental rights and protection.”

He also stated that a rekindled value system will make Nigeria better and asked for a standing public interest office to be set up to implement and monitor the suggestions made at the dinner.

He rounded up his speech by saying that every society reflects the quality of its lawyers and that if our society is failing, lawyers need to examine themselves and do better going forward.

Dignitaries present at the event included the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Hon. Justice M.L Abimbola and Chief Folake Solanke (SAN), among others.