LET THE TRUTH BE TOLD! MY TAKE ON THE ELECTION CRISIS ONGOING IN THE NBA

I am shocked, but honestly, I am not surprised at the festering crisis in the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). It is as though I foresaw this when I officially retired on the 31st of July, 2022. I had my valedictory court session on the 22nd of September, 2022.

On that day, I delivered a speech, part of which I will reproduce here as evidence of my subtle advice regarding NBA elections.

I am very passionate about the NBA. I was a national officer before my appointment to the Bench. I served as the 2nd Vice President when Austin Alegeh, SAN, was President, while the current NBA President, Afam Osigwe, SAN, was the General Secretary.

Aside from the NBA, I do not belong to any other association or social club, whether open or secret, except a Church friendly society. This is a matter of personal choice. The aims and objectives of the NBA have moulded my outlook towards life, and the legal profession to which I belong enjoins us to be at the forefront of the fight against injustice and unfairness in all their ramifications.

I am, therefore, disturbed, to say the least, by the discordant tunes surrounding elections into offices of the NBA.

Many outside the inner circle of the “powers” behind the scenes cannot know what truly goes on. Persons have gone to court in the past over the outcomes of NBA elections. Those who did so know why they did.

The extract from my valedictory speech in 2022 speaks for itself. I hereby reproduce it:

“I belong to the NBA by reason of my profession. I want the best for the Association, especially for it to evolve a democratic and transparent method of electing its officers. I am of the firm view that the election of the President of the NBA ought to transcend a situation where the next President is known before a new one is sworn in. I see danger ahead if the means of electing officers is not amended. I say this because I was informed that a particular person was going to take over after the current President, even before the immediate past President, Olumide Akpata, Esq., left office. I asked myself how this could be possible, knowing fully well that star-gazing or clairvoyance are not courses in law. I therefore propose that on Election Day, all lawyers interested in voting should go physically to their respective branches to cast their votes electronically, as is done by INEC. This will ensure transparency in the NBA’s electoral process.”

Flowing from this extract, I support every move and every action aimed at ensuring transparency in the NBA’s electoral process. Consequently, I support the use of the National Identification Number (NIN) for lawyers desirous of voting in NBA elections.

We do not need any outsider to monitor the election of an association of legal practitioners.

Long live the Nigerian Bar Association!

Hon.Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo J(rtd)
Former 2nd Vice President, NBA(2014-2015)
Past Chairman, NBA, Lagos Branch (2011-2013)
Past Secretary NBA, Lagos Branch

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