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With less than a three days until election day, candidates for Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Lagos branch—Bolatumi Animashaun, Yemi Akangbe and Adebola Lema took to the debate stage Tuesday evening. Moderated by Imran Oladapo Shitta Bay, this debate took the form of a town-hall-style meeting, during which the candidates took questions from audience members as well as the moderator.
First Round
Yemi Akangbe says major problem affecting integrity of the bar is inability to properly uphold ethics. He says a very efficient and effective monitoring and prosecuting committee will make an average lawyer think twice before cutting corners. He says the standard of a lawyer must be raised high as the society expects lawyer to have utmost integrity.
Adebola Lema believed that non catering for law school graduates is a major problem but in his solutions agreed with Mr. Akangbe that ensuring ethics are upheld is a very crucial solution.
On the second question as to how to improve the bar and the bench, Mr. Akangbe says he believes an improvement in Bar-Bench relationship will result in a better, more efficient Judicial system. To this end he said his major plan is to create an effective bar and bench forum constituting respected members of the bar and some members of the bench who are going to meet regularly with a point of reference. He believes that this will pave way to better system like electronic cause list, more respect for the bar by the bench, regularly addressing issues that will improve justice delivery system and so on.
He further stated that Rules of court have been amended overtime but the problem is not only in the rules, as they won’t fix much, but rather in the stakeholders enforcing the Rules.
On what are the creative ways each candidate will be looking at in raising funds as the conventional way is go round and ask for donations for program. Bolatumi Animashaun said “we can’t be tired of asking big law firms since they are not tired of giving.”
Second Round
Candidates were thereafter asked questions by the audience and Akangbe’s sound and precise responses were applauded vigorously.
He presented to the audience his Human Capital Development program known as CBD where bodies will issue certifications to lawyers, he told the audience that he has started having conversations with SEC, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, CITN etc to commence these certifications at cheap rates.
He intimated the audience of his desire to build a befitting Bar Center—an [upcoming] incredible milestone for the Premier bar.
Furthermore, Mr. Yemi Akangbe mentioned that conversation with medical insurance providers are at the concluding stage and there are providers who will agree to a very cheap rate due of the number of lawyers at the Premier bar. Free ante natal care for expectant women lawyers will be considered among other things.
The debate wrapped up at about 5:30pm with each candidate giving a closing remark.
After brilliantly addressing all questions by the moderator and members of the audience, Akangbe was the last candidate to give a closing remark. He recapped his plans and reiterated that Young Lawyers will be the greatest beneficiaries of his administration. The hall resonated with applause, cheerful noise in excitement and a lot of members of the audience stood in ovation.
The chairman of Electoral Committee, Mr. Ayodele Akintunde, SAN, thanked all candidates and members of the audience. He announced that elections will go on as planned Friday and thereafter worked voters through the modalities.
