A leading chairmanship candidate in tomorrow’s Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Port Harcourt Branch Elections,  Mrs. Cordelia Eke has outlined her key deliverables if elected as Chairman of the influential branch.

In a 10-point Agenda obtained by CITY LAWYER, the consummate ‘Bar-man’ and cerebral text writer highlighted “continued mentorship of young lawyers and welfarist programs” as well as promotion of a level-playing field among all members and blocs within the branch as some of her major focus.

Below is the full text of the 10-Point Agenda:

• 1. Continued mentorship of young lawyers and welfarist programmes
• 2. To provide economic empowerment for members by strengthening the Branch Cooperative.
• 3. To provide a level-playing field in branch affairs for ALL members irrespective of tribe, tongue, place of work, or affiliation.
• 4. To encourage activities that promote good health and well-being of members
• 5. To address issues militating against law practice through stakeholder engagement and recourse to expert advice.
• 6. To institute an effective and sustainable welfare scheme for members.
• 7. Financial Accountability and Transparency
• 8. Periodic stakeholder engagement and collaborations in the interest of the Bar.
• 9. Gender balance in Committee appointments.
• 10. To restore the age-old traditions of the Bar.

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).

A pioneer female Secretary of the branch, she is on course to also emerge as the pioneer female Chairman of the mega branch. 

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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