While Nigerian women are still smarting over the rejection of gender bills by the 9th National Assembly (NASS) on Tuesday, 1 March 2022, Chairman of the Arbitration Commission of the International Law Association (ILA), Tolu Aderemi has called for the dissolution of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Women Forum, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, as well as other associations established to advocate for women empowerment.
Aderemi said the dissolution of the NBA, Women Forum (NBAWF) in particular is necessary to promote gender diversity in every facet of legal practice.
He made the call during a session at the Nigerian Bar Association Women Forum (NBAWF) Lagos State Chapter webinar, titled ‘Work-Life balance and the legal profession: A social responsibility or a competitive advantage”
Explaining that there is no NBA Men’s Forum, Aderemi said it is worrisome that out of 732 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, only a fraction of about 4% are women adding that out of the 37 Attorneys General in Nigeria, only 4 were female.
He then called for the dissolution of the NBA Women’s Forum to ensure gender equality in the legal profession.
Aderemi who noted that since 1960, there has been only 1 female president of the Nigerian Bar Association and only two female presidents of the Court of Appeal so far curiously advised that since there is no NBA Men’s Forum, female lawyers should demonstrate that are prepared for gender equality by promoting the dissolution of the NBA Women’s Forum.
The dissolution he advised should also extend to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Nigeria For Women Project, and those other Associations established solely for women ostensibly to advocate for women’s empowerment.
“It is disconcerting that of the 732 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, only a 4% fraction are ladies. Out of the 37 Attorneys General in Nigeria, only 4 are female. There has been only 1 female Chief Justice of Nigeria whilst, there have been only 6 Justices of the Supreme Court so far”.
Likewise, the former Attorney General of Ogun State, Abimbola Akeredolu, advocated the dissolution of women-focused empowerment associations.
In addition, Consultant Gynecologist at the Federal Medical Center, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Dr. Amina Ahmed, charged female lawyers to always conduct health checks periodically to live a cancer-free life.
She added that early detection of any cancerous cell(s) in the cervical goes a long way to determining the success of treatment of cervical cancer.
Ahmed charged women lawyers of the Nigerian Bar Association to take the lead in the advocacy of early detection.
