NBA-SPIDEL Chair tasks planning committee with building a conference that shapes legal scholarship, strengthens institutions and influences public policy
NBA-SPIDEL Chair, Associate Professor Uju Agomoh, has challenged the Section’s newly inaugurated 2026 Conference Planning Committee to think beyond organising another annual gathering, urging members to deliver a conference capable of influencing legal scholarship, enriching public policy debates and leaving a lasting legacy for Nigeria’s justice system at a defining moment for the rule of law.
Speaking during the virtual inauguration of the 2026 Conference Planning Committee on Thursday, Agomoh said the annual conference had evolved into far more than a meeting of lawyers, describing it as one of the Nigerian Bar Association’s foremost platforms for advancing public interest advocacy, shaping policy conversations and promoting professional development.
She stressed that the committee’s assignment was not simply to organise another successful event but to produce a conference that reflects the ideals of justice, accountability and national development for which the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) has become known.
“Our goal is not simply to organize another conference,” she said.
“Our objective is to deliver an intellectually stimulating, professionally enriching, technologically seamless and administratively efficient conference that reflects the values and aspirations of NBA-SPIDEL.”
Her remarks come at a period when debates over constitutional governance, judicial independence, public accountability, electoral reforms, policing, human rights and institutional integrity continue to dominate Nigeria’s legal and political landscape, placing renewed expectations on professional bodies to contribute practical ideas capable of strengthening democratic institutions.
Against that backdrop, Agomoh said every aspect of the conference—from technical sessions and delegate experience to sponsorship, logistics, publicity and stakeholder engagement—must reflect excellence.
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She reminded members that their appointment was earned through demonstrated competence, integrity and commitment, describing it as a call to service rather than a ceremonial recognition.
“You have been carefully selected because of your proven competence, integrity, commitment and capacity to deliver,” she said.
“Your appointment is not merely an honour; it is a call to service.”
The SPIDEL Chair urged members to embrace innovation, communicate effectively, respect timelines and work collaboratively, noting that enduring success is built on teamwork, discipline and accountability rather than individual brilliance.
She assured the committee of the Executive Committee’s full support but emphasised that the ultimate success of the conference would depend on members’ dedication, creativity and willingness to work across subcommittees in pursuit of a shared vision.
Agomoh also expressed appreciation to members for accepting the responsibility despite demanding professional and personal commitments, describing their willingness to serve as a demonstration of confidence in SPIDEL’s future and its expanding role within the Nigerian Bar Association.
She formally inaugurated the committee and charged members to approach their assignment with “purpose, passion, integrity and professionalism,” expressing confidence that their work would produce a conference capable of advancing legal scholarship, stimulating meaningful public discourse and strengthening institutions.
The 2026 Conference Planning Committee is chaired by Ejike Ezenwa, SAN, with E.T.O. Ogunjide serving as Alternate Chairman, while Dr. Lilian Ojimma will coordinate the secretariat as Secretary, assisted by Daniel Kip.
The committee brings together an accomplished mix of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, academics, former public officials, constitutional lawyers, development experts and public interest advocates drawn from across the country, reflecting SPIDEL’s commitment to broad professional representation and collaborative leadership.
Among its members are former Minister of Aviation Osita Chidoka, former Senators Dino Melaye and Emmanuel Bwacha, constitutional lawyer Chinyere Moneme, SAN, veteran legal practitioner Ikhide Ehighelua, actor and lawyer Kanayo O. Kanayo (Anayo Modestus Onyekwere), public interest advocate George Itodo, alongside several professors, senior advocates and development professionals.
The committee will also receive strategic guidance from members of the SPIDEL Executive Committee and regional representatives as preparations begin for what the Section hopes will become another landmark conference.
Over the years, the NBA-SPIDEL Annual Conference has established itself as one of the Bar’s leading platforms for examining constitutional democracy, public interest litigation, judicial reform, electoral integrity, anti-corruption, policing, human rights and the administration of justice.
For Agomoh, however, sustaining that reputation will require more than meticulous planning.
It will require a conference whose conversations endure long after the closing ceremony—one capable of generating ideas that strengthen institutions, enrich legal scholarship and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s democratic journey.
