I read a press statement credited to a group known and referred to as Egbe Amofin, relating to the just concluded NBA Election in which an overwhelming majority of lawyers cutting across tribe and religion, voted independently for Olumide Akpata.
Let me begin by emphasising that the NBA Constitution does not recognise any such group as Egbe Amofin. It is an illegal organisation, not known to law or the NBA. NBA is an Association made up of individual members and only such individual members, who are financially responsible, are recognised by the NBA to raise such concerns.
Kindly ignore this group as they do not represent the views of majority of lawyers in Nigeria, who spoke loudly through their ballot.
In the new NBA, there is no Igbo Lawyers, Yoruba Lawyers, Hausa Lawyers, Idoma Lawyers, Igala Lawyers, Eastern Bar, Western Bar, Northern Bar etc, there is only one NBA for all. In this new NBA, individual lawyers from all over Nigeria, are the determinant of our leadership choice, not tribal groups or forums.
NBA was not established to create ethnic, tribal or religious sections within its fold. The old clueless leadership succeeded in splitting the Bar to satisfy their primordial interests. That era is gone.
Lawyers who are Igbos, Yoruba, Hausa, Efik, Ikwerre, Urhobo, Igala and many others, voted for Olumide Akpata to emerge as President of the Bar. Therefore, a selected group that could not even field a unanimous candidate in an Election cannot claim or pretend to be speaking for and on behalf of the very wise Yoruba lawyers that i know to be very independent in reasoning when it matters most as they just did in the just concluded election.
I am an Igbo man and i have never recognised or subscribed to what the Eastern Bar Forum does in respect of deciding my choices when it comes to election – i will never be subjected to such an arrangement.
I call on my good friends and brothers from the southwest, on whose behalf this groul claim yo be speaking, to individually dissociate themselves from the rebellious action of this group.
The Bar is bigger than anyone or group or cabal. We have taken back our Bar and no vested interest can scuttle that.
Is Egbe Amofin speaking for you?
Silas Joseph Onu
Convener, Open Bar Initiative.
