WELCOME/OPENING ADDRESS BY UJU AGOMOH PhD – THE CHAIR, NBA SECTION ON PUBLIC INTEREST AND DEVELOPMENT LAW (NBA-SPIDEL), AT THE VIRTUAL INAUGURATION OF THE NEWLY APPOINTED SPIDEL REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES/COORDINATORS AND THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NEWLY CONSTITUTED NBA-SPIDEL COMMITTEES

Friday, 10 July, 2026

Protocol

It is with profound gratitude to Almighty God and a deep sense of honour that I warmly welcome you all to this virtual inauguration of the newly appointed Regional Representatives/Coordinators and the leadership of the newly constituted Committees of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL).

Today’s event is an important milestone in the life of our Section. It is not merely the inauguration of officers; it is the formal commencement of a strengthening of partnership in service, leadership and collective responsibility towards advancing the ideals and objectives of NBA-SPIDEL.

Permit me to extend my heartfelt congratulations to every Regional Representative/Coordinator, Committee Chair, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, and member of the various committees. Thank you for accepting the call to serve. Your appointments reflect the confidence reposed in your competence, integrity, commitment to the legal profession and passion for public interest law. We are delighted that you have accepted this responsibility, and we look forward to working closely with each of you.

NBA-SPIDEL occupies a unique position within the Nigerian Bar Association. As the foremost platform dedicated to promoting public interest law, constitutionalism, the rule of law, accountability, human rights, access to justice and sustainable development, our relevance is measured not merely by our aspirations but by our actions and the impact we make on society.

To achieve these objectives, we require an active, innovative and coordinated structure. That is why today’s inauguration is particularly significant.

To our Regional Representatives/Coordinators, you serve as the face, voice and bridge of NBA-SPIDEL within your respective regions. You are expected to deepen the presence of the Section at the grassroots, strengthen collaboration with NBA branches, identify emerging public interest issues, mobilise participation in our programmes and ensure that the vision of NBA-SPIDEL resonates across every part of the country. Your role is strategic in expanding our reach and making our programmes truly national in outlook.

To the leadership of our Committees, you have been entrusted with driving the intellectual, administrative and programmatic work of the Section. Each Committee has a clearly defined mandate designed to support the strategic objectives of NBA-SPIDEL. Your success will depend on purposeful leadership, teamwork, creativity and diligent execution.

As you assume office today, I urge you to carefully study the Terms of Reference issued to your respective Committees. They provide the framework within which you are expected to operate and deliver measurable outcomes. I encourage every Committee to develop a clear work plan, establish timelines, generate funding for their work, convene regular meetings and maintain effective communication with the leadership/Executive Committee of SPIDEL.

Our expectation is simple but ambitious. We expect every Committee and every Regional Representative/Coordinator to be active, responsive, accountable and productive. We expect initiatives that address contemporary public interest issues, policy advocacy, legal reforms, capacity building, strategic partnerships and meaningful engagement with stakeholders. We expect collaboration rather than isolation, innovation rather than routine, and measurable impact rather than mere activity. We expect the Advisors to leverage on their contacts, experience, wisdom and other support to advance the work and impact of the respective committees and SPIDEL in general.

As we prepare for the forthcoming NBA Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt and other strategic programmes during this administration, your contributions will be indispensable. The success of NBA-SPIDEL will not depend solely on its Executive Committee but on the commitment, dedication and effectiveness of every Regional Representative, every Committee Chair, Vice Chair, every Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Advisor, and every member serving under this structure.

I therefore encourage all of us to embrace this opportunity with humility, excellence and a genuine spirit of service. Let us work together across regions and committees, support one another, share ideas freely and remain focused on our common vision of building a stronger, more visible and more impactful NBA-SPIDEL.

Permit me to also express my sincere appreciation to members of the Executive Council for their dedication. Their commitment to strengthening the institutional framework of our Section has made today’s inauguration possible.

To everyone being inaugurated today, remember that leadership is not a privilege to be enjoyed but a responsibility to be discharged faithfully. History will judge us not by the titles we held but by the difference we made.

I have every confidence that with your collective experience, professionalism and commitment, this team will deliver exceptional service and significantly advance the mission of NBA-SPIDEL.

On behalf of the Executive Council of NBA-SPIDEL, I congratulate you once again and wish you a productive, impactful and successful tenure.

Thank you for accepting this call to serve.

May God grant us wisdom, strength and unity as we work together in the service of justice, accountability, the rule of law and sustainable development.

Thank you.

God bless the Nigerian Bar Association.

God bless NBA-SPIDEL.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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