Fiery Bar Leader, Mrs. Cordelia Eke has emerged as the pioneer female Chairman of the influential Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Port Harcourt Branch.

Eke defeated Madam Felicia Nwoke and returnee contestant, Mr. Geoffrey Joseph to clinch the coveted prize.

CITY LAWYER recalls that Eke was also the pioneer female Secretary of the branch.

In a titanic electoral face-off which pitched the Integrity Group which had held power in the branch for years against the Progressives, dubbed the new-kid-on-the-block which vowed to “return power to the people,” Eke polled 255 votes to defeat Nwoke, her closest rival, who polled 220 votes.

While Eke was backed by the Progressives, Nwoke was sponsored by the Integrity Group which had remained invincible until yesterday’s poll. Joseph placed a distant third, polling 74 votes.

Meanwhile, congratulatory messages have started rolling in for the new chairman. Firing the first salvo, the International Federation of Women Branch (FIDA) Nigeria, Rivers State Branch in a statement signed by its Chairperson, Lady Adata Bio-Briggs, wrote: “The entire Executive Committee and members of International Federation of Women Branch (FIDA) Nigeria, Rivers State Branch congratulates her member, Mrs. Cordelia U. Eke as she emerges as the first female Chairman of NBA Port Harcourt Branch 2024 – 2026.

“We at FIDA Rivers are proud to see one of our own emerge. We celebrate your achievement and declare that your tenure will be marked by wisdom, courage and progress.

“Congratulations once again.”

CITY LAWYER recalls that NBA Port Harcourt Branch recently honoured Eke with an “Award of dedicated service” in recognition of her “dedicated service to the branch at the National level.”

Eke has held several sensitive positions at both branch and national levels including Secretary of the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA) and also Secretary of the NBA Electoral Reform Committee (NBAERC).

Currently a Director in the Rivers State Ministry of Justice where she holds sway as a no-nonsense criminal trial prosecutor, Eke has been actively engaged in mediation, civil and criminal litigation at the high court, Appeal court, and the Supreme court for over 20 years.

She is also the President of the influential 1995 Law School Class. A Rivers State Representative in the Eastern Zone Management Committee of the NBA Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL), Eke holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Degree from the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (now Rivers State University), Port Harcourt, and a Master of Laws (LLM) in Public International Law, from the University of Kent, Canterbury in the United Kingdom.

More recently, the respected Bar Leader was named among Africa’s Top 100 Female Lawyers during the unveiling of this year’s “Courtroom Mail 100 Women 2024.”

A citation by the organisers noted that Eke is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators ICMC Nigeria, a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants, and an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Nigeria. She specializes in Criminal Law and Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Eke has held several leadership positions in the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), African Bar Association (AFBA), African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA) Nigeria, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria and the Law Officers Association of Nigeria (LOAN) at state and national levels, including being Council Member of the NBA Human Rights Institute and the National Executive Committee. She is presently a member of the NBA National Remuneration Committee.

The popular Bar Leader is acclaimed as an ace prosecutor and has also held down several roles at the Ministry of justice, including, being the Team Lead, Committee on Drafting of Prosecution Manual and Code of Conduct for Prosecutors and Team Lead, Attorney-General’s Special Committee which treated abandoned case files of over 350 awaiting trial inmates in the Federal prisons in Rivers State.

Her expertise in criminal law practice made her a much-sought-after Speaker, Trainer, and Resource person on legal and other subjects. She has presented papers to members of the Bench and the Bar among others at various seminars, workshops and conferences including the NBA Annual General Conferences and NBA Continuing Legal Education (NBA-CLE) programmes among others.

Reputed as a cerebral lawyer, Eke is the author of the fast-selling book, CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN NIGERIA: A PRACTICAL GUIDE. She has also published articles and edited legal works and newsletters.

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