The Chairman of the Lagos Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Mr Ikechukwu Uwanna, has on Monday, during the 2022 law week demanded for true democracy for Nigerians.
In his welcome address to mark the commencement of the 2022 edition of the NBA Lagos branch law week, held at the Civic Centre in Lagos, Uwanna noted that “we must view our democracy not as final but as a living and changing organism which needs continuous interrogation, tweaking and balance to ensure that it satisfies the yearnings of Nigerians”.
Read his speech below;
Welcome address by NBA Lagos Branch Chairman, Ikechukwu Uwanna.
On behalf of the Members and Executive Committee Members of the Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA) Lagos Branch, may I welcome all the participants to this intellectual harvest: the 2022 NBA Lagos Branch Law Week.
The Law Week of the NBA Lagos Branch has over the years been an opportunity for lawyers, academics, politicians and other professionals to converge to cross fertilize ideas on how our polity can be better.
As the American actor, Ilka Chase said, “democracy is not an easy form of government, because it is never final; it is a livmg, changing organism, With a continuous shifting and adjusting of balance between individual freedom and general order.” Ours is not different.
We must view our democracy not as final but as a living and changing organism which needs continuous interrogation, tweaking and balance to ensure that it satisfies the yearnings of Nigerians and foreigners that have relationship with Nigeria
It is in this prism that the organisers of this year’s Law Week programme have chosen the topic, “Democracy and Legal Order: Shaping the Future.”
This theme provides us with an opportunity to interrogate our Hedging democracy vis a vis the legal order upon which it stands and provides thoughts on how we can build a greater democratic Nigeria to shape our collective future.
I will now stop, because my role here today is not to lead the discourse on this very important theme, but to welcome us.
However, before I leave the podium, may I call your attention to the very innovative career fair, and in-house and corporate counsel session that are parts of this year’s Law Week.
I implore you to seize the opportunity to participate in these innovative events.
We hope that the career fair will provide an opportunity for employers to have good hands that will form part of their organisation, and for job seekers to meet prospective employers.
We also anticipate that the session will provide information on what is required while finding a job.
Also, as is one of the goals of this administration, we hope that the in-house counsel session will provide an opportunity to review the issues being faced by our colleagues that are in house and in public service and by so doing involve them in our branch activities.
ln concluding, may I thank the 2022 Law Week Planning Committee, led by Mr. Adewale Adesokan, SAN. The Committee has ably put together an interesting and educational law week and in doing so, has collaborated with our Advisory Committee led by Mr. Ade Adedeji SAN, the New Wig Induction and Placement Committee led by Bode Olanipekun, SAN and the ln-house and Corporate Counsel Committee led by Ms. Justina Lewa.
I also thank every member of the Law Week Committee and our distinguished speakers and panelists.
May I also thank all our sponsors for donating so generously to this event. We are very grateful.
I welcome everyone who have taken time off their busy schedule to participate in this event and urge us all to enjoy this excellently structured law week and reap the benefits.