NEWS RELEASE

IKEJA BAR FORUM: TOWARDS A BOLD, NEW AND EGALITARIAN BRANCH

This is a wake-up call as we take this bold step towards achieving unity in a highly diverse Bar.

It is a call for the institutionalisation of the principles of fairness, equity and justice, in the running of the affairs of branches of the Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA).

A call for an all-inclusive approach and template, carefully designed for the actualisation and establishment of an efficient, secular, virile, transparent, non ethnic and non-religious IKEJA BRANCH NO. 2.

This call is motivated by the emergence of some parochial minded forces with hugely irreconcilable tendencies, that are unwilling to compromise their beliefs on how an Association should be run for the benefit of her members, rightly or wrongly.

It is therefore imperative, just like the Biblical separation of Abraham and Lot, to avoid unending bitterness and acrimony, that have pervaded the Branch, to fashion out a forensic solution to these unending challenges.

This shocking and outlandish state of affairs, is the handiwork of a tiny clique of lawyers, propelled by very strong primitive and selfish considerations, often coloured in ethnic garb.

It is therefore apparent, that this unforgiving and tiny clique, with over-bloated ego issues, now believe, that the NBA, Ikeja Branch, which is our collective heritage and rallying point, belongs to them exclusively.

They see our dear Branch as their personal property, a conquered territory and a private fiefdom.

It is clearly their belief and understanding, that members from other ethnic zones, for the purpose of elections at the Branch, are now “visitors”, only good, in making financial contributions, for them to manage, superintend and administer, but not good enough to hold certain positions in the branch, and will go to any length to have their way, while pretending to midwife transition of power in the guise of elections.

The negative impact of this is evident in the dwindling number of membership of Ikeja Branch, as massive exodus of members, is the order of the day. Dissatisfied and aggrieved members have been migrating to other branches. Records can bear this out.

With all these in mind, and particularly, the pathetic fallouts from the recently concluded Branch elections, we, as a team, have resolved, by the demands of the times and the imperatives of necessity, to work towards the creation and actualisation of a NEW, virile and an all-inclusive BRANCH, to be carved out of the present day NBA, Ikeja Branch, and which may be known as NBA, IKEJA BRANCH NO. 2. or any other name(s), that may be appropriate.

The idea is to create enough room for these ethnic champions, to explore and express fully, their jaundiced and alien contrivances and gimmicks, in the running of the NBA, Ikeja Branch, which they now see as their birthright.

The birth of the IKEJA BAR FORUM, IBF, remains the first critical step towards the actualisation and formation of a new NBA, IKEJA BRANCH, NO. 2.

Consequently, we appeal to all lawyers of good conscience and goodwill, and all those who believe in equity, fairness, justice and inclusiveness, to identify with this great intervention and give same the requisite participatory support and visibility.

The IBF, is a platform that is tailored to be a model, that would nurture the birth of the NBA, IKEJA BRANCH, NO. 2.

We appeal to all liberal-minded and equity-driven lawyers of good conscience in the Present Ikeja branch, who are members and are dissatisfied with the state of affairs therein, but saw no avenues to ventilate their misgivings, to avail themselves of this opportunity, and identify with the IKEJA BAR FORUM.

This vehicle has enough room for everybody, enough room room for lawyers from every part of our dear country with total blindness towards Gender, Religion and Tribe.

Upon realisation of a full Branch status, all the ideals of good governance; accountability, equity and transparency, shall be entrenched and deployed in the running of the affairs of the Branch.

We have consulted widely and comprehensively, in the pursuit of these goals, and the hands of our clock shall never be reversed.

We are already enjoying tremendous goodwill, comradeship, followership and support from a large population of the members of the Ikeja Branch of the NBA.

We enjoy tremendous followership of an intimidating number of Lawyers across ethnic divides who are eager to witness the birth of an all inclusive Branch, where both the younger generation of lawyers and the older generation, would all have roles to play, and ethnicity shall be confined to the dustbin of history.

This is the right time to call off the bluff and excesses of these “self appointed owners” of the NBA, IKEJA BRANCH, who operate under the illusion, that as lawyers, life begins and ends at the Ikeja Branch Bar Centre.

I therefore appeal to all liberal-minded members of the NBA, Ikeja Branch, to join this movement, which is a product of very wide and intensive consultations, and unbiased distillation of ideas.

We have a near cancer situation on our hands and our curative response must be forensic, direct and surgical.

We shall adopt and deploy, well- tested and known principles of best practices, in the running of a cosmopolitan IKEJA BAR FORUM, as a forerunner, to the NBA IKEJA BRANCH NO. 2.

This is the only realistic and practical way, to deal with an organisation that has an ailment that is morally cancerous, driven by actors suffering from primitive and primordial sentiments, subtle arrogance and professional indiscretion.

It is beyond contention that these maladies are not just deadly, but have terminal consequences, and therefore deserve a near-radical curative approach.

Please be informed that the first meeting of this FORUM shall be coming up soon at the Bar Centre, or a venue to be announced, and adequately circulated.

You are therefore enjoined to be part of this historical train, by joining the Ikeja Bar Forum.
The number is increasing by the day.

Be therefore, a partner in this innovative and inclusive FORUM TODAY.

To join, just send your name, year of call and telephone numbers to :

EMAIL : IKEJABARFORUM@YAHOO.COM or WHATSAPP 0815 149 1879.

Please be rest assured that all the co-ordinators working on this project, are disqualified from holding any office, now or in future, once the Forum is properly constituted, to create room for principled and visionary lawyers, from every part of our dear country, to participate effectively in nurturing the FORUM.

Gentlemen, you are welcome.

IKEJA BAR FORUM: TOWARDS A BOLD, NEW AND EGALITARIAN BRANCH.

RICHARD NWANKWO
ODOGWU UMUOKPU
CO-ORDINATOR