‘BOSAN IS UNDERMINING NBA PRESIDENT,’ SAYS TAIDI

The immediate past Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) General Secretary, Mr. Jonathan Gunu Taidi has blasted the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) for allegedly undermining the office of the NBA President.

In a statement made available to CITY LAWYER, Taidi, who is vying for the position of NBA President in the forthcoming elections, said that instances of alleged undermining efforts “have become intolerable and deserving of serious condemnation, even sanction.”

He stated that “The latest of these catalogue of breaches is the attempt to subvert the existing order of precedence during the Valedictory Court Session in honour of retiring Justice of the Supreme Court Ejembi Eko, J.S.C. where some senior members of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) caused the altering of the existing protocol which rightly recognizes the President of the NBA ahead of the Chairman of BOSAN.”

Taidi warned that “the NBA President is the president of all, irrespective of whether or not they belong to BOSAN, or whether or not they belong to the inner bar or outer bar,” adding that BOSAN should focus on major challenges that hobble the judiciary “instead of this quibbling over who should be recognized first at a public forum.”

Saying there are BOSAN members with serious disciplinary issues, the former NBA scribe stated that “rather than this tendency to use every opportunity to undermine the Bar leadership, it is advisable that BOSAN directs its energies at redressing some very gross acts committed by the rank of its membership, some of which are so heinous that they are included in the law reports. Undoubtedly, such acts are inimical to the progress of the noble profession and should be discouraged.”

The statement reads:

The recurring attempts by some senior members of the inner bar to undermine the office the NBA President have become intolerable and deserving of serious condemnation, even sanction. A series of egregious actions which seek to reduce the leadership of the bar has recently come to fore and it is clear that a group within the inner bar is determined to wage an unnecessary war of attrition on the NBA, which is the umbrella body of all lawyers in Nigeria.

The latest of these catalogue of breaches is the attempt to subvert the existing order of precedence during the Valedictory Court Session in honour of retiring Justice of the Supreme Court Ejembi Eko, J.S.C. where some senior members of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) caused the altering of the existing protocol which rightly recognizes the President of the NBA ahead of the Chairman of BOSAN.

For the avoidance of doubt, the NBA President is the president of all, irrespective of whether or not they belong to BOSAN, or whether or not they belong to the inner bar or outer bar.

I believe that the judicial system of this country has serious problems requiring immediate remedy, issues that go to the very heart of the practice of law in this country, issues that should rather engage the erudite minds of our senior advocates instead of this quibbling over who should be recognized first at a public forum.

I humbly suggest that BOSAN as a body focuses its efforts on mentorship in its respective jurisdictions and preparing young minds to take maximum advantage of emerging opportunities for legal practice. Indeed, rather than engage in a needless tussle vide order of precedence, BOSAN will do well to ensure that its members who have been indicted for all kinds of infractions receive the discipline they deserve.

In other words, rather than this tendency to use every opportunity to undermine the Bar leadership, it is advisable that BOSAN directs its energies at redressing some very gross acts committed by the rank of its membership, some of which are so heinous that they are included in the law reports. Undoubtedly, such acts are inimical to the progress of the noble profession and should be discouraged.

It bears repeating that attempts at undermining the status of the President of the Nigerian Bar Association are unwarranted from anyone, and even more invidious when they come from an associate body like BOSAN.

Jonathan Gunu Taidi, Esq.
NBA General Secretary (2018 – 2020)

BOSAN could not be reached for comments at press time.

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