• My dream to rebuild the NBA, make leadership count •Judges must be God’s representatives on earth Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and a leading contender for the presidency of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Dele Adesina, in this interview with ...
Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a leading contender for the presidency of the Nigeria Bar Association , Dele Adesina, in this interview with MARCEL MBAMALU hints on the need to reform the NBA, create better welfare for lawyers, globalize legal practice and restore confidence in Nigeria’s judicial system.
However, the first experience of this that we had in 2016 left some misgivings, to the extent that it even ended in the court. The second one in 2018, ended in court litigation. That raises a lot of concern; it is not that we should not embrace court resolution of disputes, but I believe that it’s not right for an election of a professional association.
Some of us believe in the ideals; most of us do. The problem we have had over the years is in not dealing decisively with those who do not believe in the ideals, and that would not continue for too long. For example, sometimes in 2013, a politician who contested for the governorship election in his state came here, and said he was told that he lost; which means he didn’t believe that he lost. He went to the tribunal; he lost there.
Eventually, he went to Abuja to brief another SAN who went to the Supreme Court. On the day that case was to come up, the Supreme Court left the case and descended on the lawyer. They said he was one of those destroying the profession and that the knowledge of the law should have told him that it was not a matter to be re-litigated.
I granted an interview on TVC and was explaining why you might have two courts of coordinate or concurrent jurisdiction giving different interpretations to a particular situation, set of facts and the law. In Nigeria today, where that happens, we are quick to conclude that one judge had taken money; quick to say that judgment goes to the highest bidder; quick to say that the Nigeria judges sell judgments. Those are the kind of things you hear. Does this help the judicial system? No.
I am very clear-headed as to why I want to be president of the Nigeria Bar Association. The desire to ensure that things are done properly is my driving force. The motive is service alone. Within 60 days in office, we will set up a justice sector summit in this country to look at these problems. We have to approach it in a scientific manner; not a fire brigade approach or mentality. At that summit, some of the topical issues would be judicial corruption, why, by who and what is the way out.
What’s your take on the ongoing debate about whether, or not, Senior Advocates alone should lead the NBA as president? As a candidate, the factors I will want a general lawyer not to consider the fact that someone is a SAN or not a SAN in this coming election. It is not in the demand of the constitution but you must be guided by some democratic fundamentals if you want to make the right decision. The fundamentals are: You must be guided by the capacity of the cabinet, the capability of the candidates, competence of the candidates.
On this note, there are responsibilities on the part of individuals and on the part of the collective as lawyers in this country to reconstruct the NBA. If we do not do that, we cannot reconstruct the nation and the people are expecting us to reconstruct the nation. We have the ability to do that through constructive suggestions and engagements with the authorities.
The NBA at the time you were Secretary-General in 2002 intervened in Anambra State by putting something together for the family of Barrister Barnabas Igwe and his wife when they were murdered in Onitsha. Did you ever follow up to know what finally became of their children? I want to encourage them to be very decisive in their choice. Two, for the multitude of our juniors, I would like them to consider the five fundamentals of leadership I enumerated earlier. How rich or poor is not one of the fundamentals. Those fundamental qualities of leadership are in-born, cultivated and acquired. They should also consider who, among the candidates, has prepared for that leadership and I can say that no one has prepared more than I did.
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