The flurry of complaints over the recent reconstitution of standing committees of the Body of Benchers continued at the weekend with Life Bencher and pioneer female Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Mrs. Hairat Ade-Balogun saying there was a “grievous error” in the exercise.

Often regarded as the conscience of the Bar, Ade-Balogun also, who is currently the Chairman of the elite Elders Committee, stated that Body of Benchers Chairman, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo SAN had “set up the committees like an Executive Chairman,” saying however that the embattled chairman could not assume such a role.

Meanwhile, former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Mr. Joseph Daudu SAN has rejected his appointment by Awomolo as a member of the Security and Safety Committee.

In a terse three-paragraph letter dated 18th May, 2024 and addressed to the Secretary of the Body of Benchers, Daudu, a Life Bencher, said he was rejecting the offer “for compelling personal reasons.”

He wrote: “I am in receipt of your letter dated the 8th of May 2024 on the above subject appointing me as a member of the Security and Safety Committee.

“Regrettably, I am for compelling personal reasons unable to serve or accept to serve as a ‘member’ of a Security and Safety Committee of the Body of Benchers.

“Accordingly, please notify the Chairman of my decision.”

In her more elaborate three-page letter obtained by CITY LAWYER and dated 14th May, 2024, Ade-Balogun, who was also the pioneer Attorney-General of Lagos State, stated that she has “detected that a grievous error in the establishment of the committees (was done) without the participation of the entire membership of the Body in a General Meeting.”

Continuing, Ade-Balogun, who is reputed as a stickler for ethical conduct, wrote: “You have set up the committees like an Executive Chairman which you cannot assume you (sic) as the action is clearly outside the RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE BODY.

“It is more worrisome that the committees are not in any way to perform the primary statutory functions of the Body of Benchers.

“These functions as you are well aware are that the Body of Benchers shall be responsible for the CALL TO BAR of graduates of Universities in Nigeria or of foreign Universities who have been admitted and passed through to the relevant Course with the Nigerian Law School. And DISCIPLINE of erring members of the Bar whose names are on the Roll.”

Turning to the longstanding issue of backlog at the Nigerian Law School, the octogenarian and pioneer female NBA General Secretary berated the Body of Benchers, saying that “It would seem to me that the Body has abandoned its responsibility for merely the tasks of keeping up existence as a Government Institution with no particular functions.”

Noting that her question as to the number of university graduates who are yet to be admitted to the Nigerian Law School remains unanswered, Ade-Balogun urged the body to review the admission of students of “Correspondence Colleges” vis-a-vis their university counterparts.

“I am challenging the Body to kindly deal with this matter as an EMERGENCY,” she wrote, warning that some of the affected graduates may be parading as practitioners “out of frustration.”

The Body of Benchers leadership is yet to respond to the flurry of complaints regarding the reconstitution exercise.

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