When Would The NBA Come Home To Begin To Fight For Its Members, As It Does Fight For Other People?

(Does NBA really understand the difference between an
Annual Conference and a regular
Seminar/Workshop/Talkshow?)

By SYLVESTER UDEMEZUE (Udems)

Dear Benchers, silks, Profs seniors and colleagues, please I
have a question.The SPIDEL Annual Conference 2021 has come and
gone. Question bothering me are, what specific benefits has the
conference brought towards improving or promoting the welfare,
security and economic advancement of lawyers in Nigeria? How would
the outcome of the conference positively impact the lives of
lawyers in Nigeria? Of what benefits to the welfare of members of
the NBA, are the topics discussed at the Conference? How for
example has the presence of Bala Mohammed, Rochas Okorocha, Aisha
Yesufu, Dino Melaye, Seyi Makinde, etc contributed to solving or
will contribute to solving any one or more of the many challenges
facing members of the NBA?

Recall that the NBA was set up primarily to:

(1). Advance the interest of lawyers in Nigeria;
(2). Create opportunities for lawyers to prosper;
(3). Promote peace, unity and oneness among the various segments
within the profession.
(4). Redress any noticed injustice to any segments of the
profession;
(5) Assist in making legal education and law practice in NIGERIA
better;
(7) Guard jealously all jobs and rights exclusive to lawyers in
Nigeria;
(8). Make lawyers more relevant and useful to society; etc. Now, in
what ways would the papers delivered and the talkshows witnessed at
the Ibadan SPIDEL Conference 2021 help achieve any one of these and
others objectives of the NBA?

Meanwhile, you are not unaware that (1). Majority of Nigerian
Lawyers are jobless, and indeed feel frustrated, disenchanted and
disappointed as a result. Meanwhile countless UNTAPPED/UNOPENED
opportunities exist for employment for many lawyers in NIGERIA.
Nigeria is the only country without legal Departments in LGA’S and
without LAWYERS working as full-time Legal officers in the LGA’S.
NIGERIA is the only country without legal sections or Legal
Departments in its police departments and formations. Happily,
section 66(3) NPFEA, 2020 has directed the mandatory posting of
Lawyers as fulltime employees to all police Stations in the
country. What is the NBA waiting for to liaise with relevant
stakeholders to see that this beautiful mandate is implemented
without any delays, with a view to creating job opportunities for
lawyers in Nigeria as well as improving the human rights conditions
and records of the various Police locations across the country in
addition to decongesting our courts by controlling and minimizing
the filing of frivolous criminal charges?? Why didn’t the SPIDEL
CONFERENCE 2020 look at any of these? In Nigeria, over 90 percent
of all the MDA’s (Ministries, Departments and Agencies) have no
legal Departments and no lawyers in their employment as Legal
officers. Over 60 percent of all high and higher schools in Nigeria
have no Legal Departments and no lawyers in their employment as
Legal officers. Beside these, many aspects of the traditional jobs
of the Nigerian lawyers are being taken away (stolen) by intruding
non lawyers and foreigners. Very soon, UNLESS something drastic is
done to stop this ugly trend, lawyers in Nigeria may have only
little or no jobs to call their own. Even Deeds, land agreements,
tenancies are now drafted by non lawyers with impunity. Lest I
forget, illiterate land agents charge and are paid much more than
Lawyers are paid in conveyancing which is the lawyer’s traditional
job Space.

I had suggested and expected that the SPIDEL Conference should
have been devoted to talking about one or more of the many problems
that weigh the NBA and Nigerian lawyers down with a view to
dispassionately discussing same in a manner that would bring about
some positive results that would directly and positively affect
members of the NBA. Same suggestions I had made (without success)
in 2019 and in 2020.

In summary, what exactly is the benefit of the just concluded
SPIDEL Conference to the Nigerian lawyer? Which of the countless
problems facing the Nigerian lawyers did the SPIDEL CONFERENCE look
at? Do we really understand the difference between an Annual
General Conference of a professional ASSOCIATION and a mere
seminar/webinar or worshop? I used to think that when an
ASSOCIATION organizes a Conference for its members, it is devoted
to looking at the various aspects of the internal affairs of the
ASSOCIATION and the lives of its members with a view to looking at
ways of finding solutions to the ASSOCIATION’s challenges and also
discussing how to move the ASSOCIATION and its members forward. I
thought that an annual general Conference is akin to an annual
retreat where only issues directly affecting the
organisization/ASSOCIATION and its members are focused on.
Occasional webinars, seminars and workshops on the other hand may
be devoted to discussing issues generally affecting society, in
line with the objects of the affected ASSOCIATION. In the case of
the NBA, all of its Conferences, webinars, seminars and workshops
are organized and devoted almost entirely to discussing problems
bedevilling other people, with no or little attention paid to the
challenges directly facing the NBA and its members. Please, i pray,
can the promising Akpata administration, in line with its campaign
promises, try to do something different for the Nigerian lawyers
and his profession. My own survey shows that majority of Nigerian
lawyers are disappointed with SUCCESIVE NBA Leaderships, and are
therefore disenchanted and rapidly loosing interest in the affairs
of the NBA. Major reason: the NBA hardly cares about the internal
challenges of its own members, but are more concerned about and
fighting vigorously about the headaches of other people. Example: I
commend NBA’s efforts towards ensuring financial Autonomy for the
Judiciaries in NIGERIA; I commend the NBA for assisting JUSUN over
90 percent of whose members are not Lawyers. I support financial
autonomy for the Judiciary. But, please, don’t you think that if
the NBA should apply the same vigor and energy with which NBA
fights for JUSUN, towards fighting to (1) create more opportunities
for employment for the teeming population of unemployed/jobless
lawyers in Nigeria, things would be better for the profession. If
the NBA should devote half of such efforts to fighting off
worsening encroachments and intrusions by non lawyers into the
legal practice Space, lawyers wouldn’t remain the same in Nigeria.
Think about this, especially about the difference between a
Conference and a seminar or workshop. My friend says NBA
Conferences are achieving their Objectives because NBA Conferences
are”for networking and closing deals”. Okay, my answer is this:
_”are we saying it is not possible to discuss these critical issues
directly affecting the organisization and its members (issues that
promote our own welfare) and still do the (1). networking, (2).
Closing of deals, (3) etc…? Please note that I am not against
conferences. I am a lover of conferences. All I am suggesting is
that topics discussed at these conferences ought to focus primarily
on issues directly affecting the NBA and its members”. Do not
forget, the NBA was set up primarily to make lawyers better. When
would the NBA come home to start fighting for its members, as the
NBA usually fights for other people–non lawyers? When?

I remain yours faithfully,

SYLVESTER UDEMEZUE
(Udems)
(28/May/2021)

(Does NBA really understand the difference between an
Annual Conference and a regular
Seminar/Workshop/Talkshow?)

By SYLVESTER UDEMEZUE (Udems)

Dear Benchers, silks, Profs seniors and colleagues, please I
have a question.The SPIDEL Annual Conference 2021 has come and
gone. Question bothering me are, what specific benefits has the
conference brought towards improving or promoting the welfare,
security and economic advancement of lawyers in Nigeria? How would
the outcome of the conference positively impact the lives of
lawyers in Nigeria? Of what benefits to the welfare of members of
the NBA, are the topics discussed at the Conference? How for
example has the presence of Bala Mohammed, Rochas Okorocha, Aisha
Yesufu, Dino Melaye, Seyi Makinde, etc contributed to solving or
will contribute to solving any one or more of the many challenges
facing members of the NBA?

Recall that the NBA was set up primarily to:

(1). Advance the interest of lawyers in Nigeria;
(2). Create opportunities for lawyers to prosper;
(3). Promote peace, unity and oneness among the various segments
within the profession.
(4). Redress any noticed injustice to any segments of the
profession;
(5) Assist in making legal education and law practice in NIGERIA
better;
(7) Guard jealously all jobs and rights exclusive to lawyers in
Nigeria;
(8). Make lawyers more relevant and useful to society; etc. Now, in
what ways would the papers delivered and the talkshows witnessed at
the Ibadan SPIDEL Conference 2021 help achieve any one of these and
others objectives of the NBA?

Meanwhile, you are not unaware that (1). Majority of Nigerian
Lawyers are jobless, and indeed feel frustrated, disenchanted and
disappointed as a result. Meanwhile countless UNTAPPED/UNOPENED
opportunities exist for employment for many lawyers in NIGERIA.
Nigeria is the only country without legal Departments in LGA’S and
without LAWYERS working as full-time Legal officers in the LGA’S.
NIGERIA is the only country without legal sections or Legal
Departments in its police departments and formations. Happily,
section 66(3) NPFEA, 2020 has directed the mandatory posting of
Lawyers as fulltime employees to all police Stations in the
country. What is the NBA waiting for to liaise with relevant
stakeholders to see that this beautiful mandate is implemented
without any delays, with a view to creating job opportunities for
lawyers in Nigeria as well as improving the human rights conditions
and records of the various Police locations across the country in
addition to decongesting our courts by controlling and minimizing
the filing of frivolous criminal charges?? Why didn’t the SPIDEL
CONFERENCE 2020 look at any of these? In Nigeria, over 90 percent
of all the MDA’s (Ministries, Departments and Agencies) have no
legal Departments and no lawyers in their employment as Legal
officers. Over 60 percent of all high and higher schools in Nigeria
have no Legal Departments and no lawyers in their employment as
Legal officers. Beside these, many aspects of the traditional jobs
of the Nigerian lawyers are being taken away (stolen) by intruding
non lawyers and foreigners. Very soon, UNLESS something drastic is
done to stop this ugly trend, lawyers in Nigeria may have only
little or no jobs to call their own. Even Deeds, land agreements,
tenancies are now drafted by non lawyers with impunity. Lest I
forget, illiterate land agents charge and are paid much more than
Lawyers are paid in conveyancing which is the lawyer’s traditional
job Space.

I had suggested and expected that the SPIDEL Conference should
have been devoted to talking about one or more of the many problems
that weigh the NBA and Nigerian lawyers down with a view to
dispassionately discussing same in a manner that would bring about
some positive results that would directly and positively affect
members of the NBA. Same suggestions I had made (without success)
in 2019 and in 2020.

In summary, what exactly is the benefit of the just concluded
SPIDEL Conference to the Nigerian lawyer? Which of the countless
problems facing the Nigerian lawyers did the SPIDEL CONFERENCE look
at? Do we really understand the difference between an Annual
General Conference of a professional ASSOCIATION and a mere
seminar/webinar or worshop? I used to think that when an
ASSOCIATION organizes a Conference for its members, it is devoted
to looking at the various aspects of the internal affairs of the
ASSOCIATION and the lives of its members with a view to looking at
ways of finding solutions to the ASSOCIATION’s challenges and also
discussing how to move the ASSOCIATION and its members forward. I
thought that an annual general Conference is akin to an annual
retreat where only issues directly affecting the
organisization/ASSOCIATION and its members are focused on.
Occasional webinars, seminars and workshops on the other hand may
be devoted to discussing issues generally affecting society, in
line with the objects of the affected ASSOCIATION. In the case of
the NBA, all of its Conferences, webinars, seminars and workshops
are organized and devoted almost entirely to discussing problems
bedevilling other people, with no or little attention paid to the
challenges directly facing the NBA and its members. Please, i pray,
can the promising Akpata administration, in line with its campaign
promises, try to do something different for the Nigerian lawyers
and his profession. My own survey shows that majority of Nigerian
lawyers are disappointed with SUCCESIVE NBA Leaderships, and are
therefore disenchanted and rapidly loosing interest in the affairs
of the NBA. Major reason: the NBA hardly cares about the internal
challenges of its own members, but are more concerned about and
fighting vigorously about the headaches of other people. Example: I
commend NBA’s efforts towards ensuring financial Autonomy for the
Judiciaries in NIGERIA; I commend the NBA for assisting JUSUN over
90 percent of whose members are not Lawyers. I support financial
autonomy for the Judiciary. But, please, don’t you think that if
the NBA should apply the same vigor and energy with which NBA
fights for JUSUN, towards fighting to (1) create more opportunities
for employment for the teeming population of unemployed/jobless
lawyers in Nigeria, things would be better for the profession. If
the NBA should devote half of such efforts to fighting off
worsening encroachments and intrusions by non lawyers into the
legal practice Space, lawyers wouldn’t remain the same in Nigeria.
Think about this, especially about the difference between a
Conference and a seminar or workshop. My friend says NBA
Conferences are achieving their Objectives because NBA Conferences
are”for networking and closing deals”. Okay, my answer is this:
_”are we saying it is not possible to discuss these critical issues
directly affecting the organisization and its members (issues that
promote our own welfare) and still do the (1). networking, (2).
Closing of deals, (3) etc…? Please note that I am not against
conferences. I am a lover of conferences. All I am suggesting is
that topics discussed at these conferences ought to focus primarily
on issues directly affecting the NBA and its members”. Do not
forget, the NBA was set up primarily to make lawyers better. When
would the NBA come home to start fighting for its members, as the
NBA usually fights for other people–non lawyers? When?

I remain yours faithfully,

SYLVESTER UDEMEZUE
(Udems)
(28/May/2021)