Immediate Past President of the National Association of Catholic Lawyers (NACL), Lagos Archdiocese, Florence Atuluku, has reflected on the achievements, challenges and progress recorded by the Association under her leadership between 2022 and 2026.
Atuluku presented her President’s End-of-Tenure Report at the Association’s 2026 Annual General Meeting held at the Holy Cross Cathedral Hall, Catholic Mission Street, Lagos, on Sunday, 20 September 2026. The report provided an account of the outgoing administration’s stewardship and the implementation of its 2022–2026 Strategic Roadmap.
According to Atuluku, the administration commenced its tenure with priorities that included strengthening membership, deepening professional development, empowering young Catholic lawyers, expanding prison advocacy, improving financial stewardship and communication, and diversifying the Association’s sources of funding.
Membership and Parish Development
One of the areas highlighted in the report was the strengthening of the Association’s membership structure. The administration undertook a membership verification exercise, with more than 162 members completing online registration. By the end of the tenure, NACL Lagos had grown its database to over 600 registered members across the Archdiocese, although the number of financial members remained below 200.
The administration also sought to strengthen NACL’s presence at parish level. Meet-and-Greet activities were held across the Ikeja, Maryland and FESTAC Deaneries, while new NACL chapters were inaugurated at the Catholic Church of the Transfiguration, VGC, and Catholic Church of the Resurrection, Magodo. The Catholic Church of Divine Mercy, Lekki chapter was also reactivated, with an interim Executive Committee constituted.
Over 300 Inmates Released Through Prison Advocacy
Prison advocacy emerged as one of the significant areas of intervention highlighted in the President’s report.
According to the report, 83 inmates had been released through the Association’s interventions by December 2024. This increased to about 170 by 2025, while by the end of the administration’s tenure, over 300 inmates had been released through NACL’s pro bono interventions, court representation and prison outreach activities.
The administration also pursued rehabilitation and reintegration initiatives in collaboration with the Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) and other partners, recognising that the release of inmates was only one aspect of helping them rebuild their lives.
Investing in Leadership and Professional Development
Leadership development was another priority of the administration. Between 2023 and 2026, Archdiocesan Executive members, Parish Chapter leaders and Committee members participated in annual leadership retreats at the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery, Sangotedo, Lekki.
The 2026 Leadership Retreat, themed “Leading with Legacy, Transitioning with Purpose,” featured a presentation by Professor Fabian Ajogwu and formed part of efforts to prepare younger lawyers and other members for future leadership responsibilities within the Association.
Professional development also featured prominently during the tenure, with training programmes organised in areas including Google Workspace, Artificial Intelligence for Lawyers, legal research and document management, client service, Business Law, Immigration Law, Taxation, and technology and innovation in legal practice. The programmes were aimed at equipping members with relevant skills for an evolving legal profession.
Keeping Faith at the Centre of Professional Service
Beyond its professional programmes, the administration maintained the Association’s Catholic identity through retreats and spiritual formation, parish apostolate activities, prison outreach, charity initiatives, its annual conference, New Legal Year Mass and Catholic Lawyers’ Day with the Archbishop.
In her report, Atuluku emphasised that the Association’s vocation remained rooted in “service, justice, and faith.”
The Unfinished Work
While reflecting on the achievements of the administration, Atuluku also identified areas requiring continued attention from future administrations.
Among these is the proposed Rehabilitation Centre Project for the reintegration of released inmates. Although the Association implemented interim rehabilitation initiatives and helped reconnect some released inmates with their families, the proposed dedicated Rehabilitation Centre remained a work in progress at the end of the tenure.
Other priorities requiring sustained attention include strengthening financial systems, completing membership records, increasing parish participation, expanding pro bono services, deepening leadership development and establishing a collaborative Catholic Lawyers Network to support the Archdiocese and parishes and advocate for the rights and needs of the lay faithful.
Funding diversification was similarly identified as unfinished business. Despite efforts to broaden the Association’s financial base, its funding continued to depend largely on annual membership dues and donations from Elders, members and benefactors. Atuluku consequently called for continued engagement and innovative fundraising strategies to sustain the Association’s programmes.
“The Work Continues”
Looking back on the four-year tenure, Atuluku said the administration was leaving behind improved membership records, strengthened financial processes, revitalised parish structures, hundreds of indigent inmates released, expanded professional development programmes, renewed leadership formation and sustained spiritual and charitable activities.
She expressed appreciation to the Association’s Elders, Patrons, sponsors, partners, Spiritual Director, Parish Chapter Chairpersons, Coordinators, Committee members, volunteers and Catholic lawyers across the Archdiocese for their contributions to the administration’s work.
Concluding her report under the message “Faith in Action: Justice in Service – The Work Continues,” Atuluku noted that the end of an administration did not mean the end of the Association’s work.
She expressed the hope that succeeding leadership would build on what had been started, strengthen areas requiring improvement and complete outstanding projects, while NACL Lagos continues to serve the Church, the legal profession and society.
“May God continue to guide NACL Lagos as we serve the Church, the legal profession, and society with charity, equity, and justice,” she stated.