The Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola is set to declare open the eagerly awaited Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) Annual Conference. The Annual Conference will hold from August 3 to August 5, 2022, at the NBA Headquarters in Abuja.
Meanwhile, another Supreme Court jurist, Justice Inyang Okoro will deliver the Keynote Address at the Opening Ceremony on August 4, 2022, on the theme, “Undermining judicial authority in democracy: Causes, consequences, and solutions.”
Other confirmed Speakers at the annual conference include foremost human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana SAN; fiery human rights advocate, Chief Mike Ozekhome SAN; NBA President-elect, Mr. Yakubu Maikyau SAN; pioneer NBA-SPIDEL Chairman, Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama SAN; former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Kanu Agabi SAN, and Executive Secretary of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr. Tony Ojukwu SAN.
Other confirmed speakers for the eagerly awaited Annual Conference are the Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Mr. Modibbo Tukur; Lagos State Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo SAN; his Abia State counterpart, Mr. Uche Ihediwa SAN; former Jigawa State Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Sani Hussaini Garun-Gabbas SAN, two-time Lagos State Commissioner, Dr. Muiz Banire SAN and former All Progressives Congress National Legal Adviser, Mr. Babatunde Ogala SAN.
Also confirmed to speak at the Annual Conference are the President of the National Industrial Court, Justice Benedict Kanyip; Justice Mabel Taiye Bello of Federal High Court, Owerri Division; Associate Professor & Dean of Faculty of Law, Ave Maria University, Dr. Sam Amadi; Deputy Vice Chancellor of Afe Babalola University and United Nations Independent Expert on Business and Human Rights, Prof. Damilola Olawuyi SAN, and immediate past NBA-SPIDEL Chairman, Prof. Paul Ananaba SAN.
Others are former Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), Prof. Adedeji Adekunle SAN; former Senior Special Assistant on Justice Sector Reform & General Counsel to Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Oyinkan Badejo-Okusanya; former NBA General Secretary, Mazi Afam Osigwe SAN; pioneer United Nations Special Rapporteur on Summary, Arbitrary and Extrajudicial Executions in Nigeria, Prof. Valerie Azinge SAN, and Secretary of the Independent Investigative Panel (IIP) on Human Rights Violation by Defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and Other Specialized Units, Mr. Hilary Ogbonna.
NBA 1st Vice President and IIP Member, Mr. John Aikpokpo-Martins; Executive Director of Gender Awareness Trust (GAT) and IIP Member, Dr. Lydia Umar, and the Chief Executive of Law Pavilion, Mr. Ope Olugasa have also confirmed attendance at the annual conference.
Aside from speeches from NBA President, Mr. Olumide Akpata; NBA-SPIDEL Chairman, Dr. Monday Ubani, and Conference Planning Committee (CPC) Chairman, Mr. Chukwuka Ikwuazom SAN, Goodwill Messages will also be received from UNICEF Chief Child Protection Officer, Ibrahim Sesay and National Programme Manager, British Council’s Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (RoLAC), Mr. Danladi Plang.
Among the topics to be dissected by the array of confirmed speakers are “Disobedience to court order and the slide to state of anarchy;” “Strengthening judicial authority in a democracy through effective and sustainable strategies;” “The impediments to seamless execution of court orders in Nigeria: Any way out?;” “A disruptive approach to public safety and access to justice using technology,” and “Independent Investigative Panel (IIP) on Human Rights Violation by defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other specialized units: The process, enforcement of the panel’s decisions/rulings, challenges, achievements and lessons learnt.”
The facilitators for the sessions are Executive Director of PRAWA and Co-Chair of the NBA-SPIDEL Development Law Group, Dr. Uju Agomoh; NBA-SPIDEL Council Member, Mr. Emeka Nwadioke and NBA-SPIDEL Publicity Secretary, Mr. Godfrey Echeho while NBA-SPIDEL Secretary and Local Organising Committee Chair, Dr. Princess Frank-Chukwuani will deliver the vote of thanks.
The conference is laced with lunches, closing dinner and networking opportunities. To register for the annual conference, please visit www.nbaspidel.ng or www.nbaspidel.ng/nba-spidel-conference-2022. For enquiries, call 08034461082, 08063088182 or email info@nigerianbar.org.ng.
