In a few days Ms Carol Ajie, the Nigerian Bar Association will be electing a new set of officers to run the affairs of NBA for two years. What policy direction would the new EXCO follow; an EXCO that you expect to be a part of, if elected?
As you know the President of NBA is the head of the administration, the General Secretary is there to take instructions from him and the National Executive Committee looking at Article 13(3) of the NBA Constitution 2001, the Chief Scribe is not the boss or power-house but may influence decisions only as long as it does not conflict with the President because the NBA is not like party politics where those who should serve engage in ego war. ln my twenty one years of Bar activism, the General Secretary only had leadership tussle only during the 2004-2006 regime. Those who have been groomed to serve NBA know the limits of the power of the Chief Scribe and would badly avoid a conflict because it has the tendency to de-stabilize the association. Also a General Secretary who is stuck on alcohol or associated with the use of thugs during campaigns, will not be able to serve and the association will be worse for it, whoever their sponsors are. The President will be the one to issue policy direction, not the General Secretary.
How ready are you for service to NBA? What are your credentials? Are you hoping to draw on sentiments to win because you are a woman or the most popular candidate?
Not a stranger to Bar activism, l got appointed into the National Executive Committee at a very young age of 3 or 4 years post-call by dint of hard work. Sir Clement Akpamgbo SAN of blessed memory was the first who recognized my potentials and then Mrs Priscillia Kuye followed, both brought me into NEC at a young age and greatly encouraged me to serve the only association we have. I am profoundly greatful to them and many others who helped me build-up and improve on my abilities. As the Secretary of Lagos premier branch, the most populous branch in NBA, l was the Editor of the maiden edition of the Bar journal Lagos Branch and a member of the
national editorial board. As secretary of Lagos branch, l gave puntuality prizes to the first twenty lawyers who arrived the venue of the meeting to encourage attendance and participation at meetings, at no cost to the branch. l was also good at fund raising and thereby brought us to the million Naira club range which we have maintained to date. My minutes were clear, my reports well articulated and information flow was free because we need a knowledgeable NBA, not one gropping in the dark over simple and unharmful information.
The Chief Scribe should keep an update of record of members and being in the internet age, being internet savvy, being computer literate that l am are great advantages to working an efficient and effective secretariat. in 1994, l joined the lnternational Bar Association and remained thereon till date. I started being rapporteur to conferences of NBA and African Bar Association when l was under ten years post-call. l bagged the distinguished service award of NBA in June 2004. l belong to several service and professional bodies and have traversed the continents of Africa, Asia, Europe, the Pacific Rim and America attending professional events and conferences. The experience and exposure garnered l will put at the doorstep of my colleagues. l have the time to give to NBA the best it deserves.
As the Executive Secretary of Rules Watch 2004 to date, l did organize successful international workshops and brought resource persons from UK and USA to talk about antitrust law, to compare our new court rules with those propounded by Lord Woolf in
England from where the Lagos High Court Rules was modelled. We shall not rest on our oars until we get our National Assembly to enact a legislation on antitrust, the new economic world order.
I am not running this election on sentiments. Women are human beings with right to aspire to be any position in life, so says Hillary Clinton.They say what is good for the goose is also good for the gander. Let us not fight a gender war; women are our mothers, wives, sisters and daughters; men are our fathers, husbands, brothers and sons. We are in this world for each other, in the legal profession to recognize and complement one another and create semblances of gender balance following global trends where the merit of the situation allows it. Let us advocate for competence irrespective of sex, let us not see competence and de-recognize it because the cloak is a lady's, that will break the heart. We have elected a male President for NBA free of rancour, giving him a capable woman General Secretary becomes a natural choice. ln Nigeria women head sensitive ministries. A woman is EFCC Chair, women have been Presidents of ICAN, CIBN etc and the NBA is not an exception to empowering women. We had a woman General Secretary of NBA in the person of Hon. Hairat Balogun thirty years ago, great woman, great achiever, competent secretary she earns my profound respect any day any time. Many think it is time to try another woman after thirty years, if they found one that is competent and that squarely rests on me, l have been adjudged a competent secretary, even the lawyers who support other candidates concede that l am the best secretariat material this year.
As you know the President of NBA is the head of the administration, the General Secretary is there to take instructions from him and the National Executive Committee looking at Article 13(3) of the NBA Constitution 2001, the Chief Scribe is not the boss or power-house but may influence decisions only as long as it does not conflict with the President because the NBA is not like party politics where those who should serve engage in ego war. ln my twenty one years of Bar activism, the General Secretary only had leadership tussle only during the 2004-2006 regime. Those who have been groomed to serve NBA know the limits of the power of the Chief Scribe and would badly avoid a conflict because it has the tendency to de-stabilize the association. Also a General Secretary who is stuck on alcohol or associated with the use of thugs during campaigns, will not be able to serve and the association will be worse for it, whoever their sponsors are. The President will be the one to issue policy direction, not the General Secretary.
How ready are you for service to NBA? What are your credentials? Are you hoping to draw on sentiments to win because you are a woman or the most popular candidate?
Not a stranger to Bar activism, l got appointed into the National Executive Committee at a very young age of 3 or 4 years post-call by dint of hard work. Sir Clement Akpamgbo SAN of blessed memory was the first who recognized my potentials and then Mrs Priscillia Kuye followed, both brought me into NEC at a young age and greatly encouraged me to serve the only association we have. I am profoundly greatful to them and many others who helped me build-up and improve on my abilities. As the Secretary of Lagos premier branch, the most populous branch in NBA, l was the Editor of the maiden edition of the Bar journal Lagos Branch and a member of the
national editorial board. As secretary of Lagos branch, l gave puntuality prizes to the first twenty lawyers who arrived the venue of the meeting to encourage attendance and participation at meetings, at no cost to the branch. l was also good at fund raising and thereby brought us to the million Naira club range which we have maintained to date. My minutes were clear, my reports well articulated and information flow was free because we need a knowledgeable NBA, not one gropping in the dark over simple and unharmful information.
The Chief Scribe should keep an update of record of members and being in the internet age, being internet savvy, being computer literate that l am are great advantages to working an efficient and effective secretariat. in 1994, l joined the lnternational Bar Association and remained thereon till date. I started being rapporteur to conferences of NBA and African Bar Association when l was under ten years post-call. l bagged the distinguished service award of NBA in June 2004. l belong to several service and professional bodies and have traversed the continents of Africa, Asia, Europe, the Pacific Rim and America attending professional events and conferences. The experience and exposure garnered l will put at the doorstep of my colleagues. l have the time to give to NBA the best it deserves.
As the Executive Secretary of Rules Watch 2004 to date, l did organize successful international workshops and brought resource persons from UK and USA to talk about antitrust law, to compare our new court rules with those propounded by Lord Woolf in
England from where the Lagos High Court Rules was modelled. We shall not rest on our oars until we get our National Assembly to enact a legislation on antitrust, the new economic world order.
I am not running this election on sentiments. Women are human beings with right to aspire to be any position in life, so says Hillary Clinton.They say what is good for the goose is also good for the gander. Let us not fight a gender war; women are our mothers, wives, sisters and daughters; men are our fathers, husbands, brothers and sons. We are in this world for each other, in the legal profession to recognize and complement one another and create semblances of gender balance following global trends where the merit of the situation allows it. Let us advocate for competence irrespective of sex, let us not see competence and de-recognize it because the cloak is a lady's, that will break the heart. We have elected a male President for NBA free of rancour, giving him a capable woman General Secretary becomes a natural choice. ln Nigeria women head sensitive ministries. A woman is EFCC Chair, women have been Presidents of ICAN, CIBN etc and the NBA is not an exception to empowering women. We had a woman General Secretary of NBA in the person of Hon. Hairat Balogun thirty years ago, great woman, great achiever, competent secretary she earns my profound respect any day any time. Many think it is time to try another woman after thirty years, if they found one that is competent and that squarely rests on me, l have been adjudged a competent secretary, even the lawyers who support other candidates concede that l am the best secretariat material this year.
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