Dear Colleagues,
Over the weekend, you made history by overwhelmingly electing me to become the next President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), at the end of the tenure of our dear President, Mr. Olumide Akpata, towards the end of August 2022. I can confirm that that was a significant contribution from you towards building the Bar of our collective dreams.
I appreciate all the support, hard work, commitment, and sacrifices from each of you towards the electoral victory. I certainly do not take these for granted. But beyond appreciating you for the victory at the polls, I am writing to also reassure you that the promises I made during the electioneering campaigns were not merely intended to usher me into this office. I remain truly committed to them, and I will justify the confidence that you have reposed in me.
The current purpose-driven leadership of the NBA has set the pace by initiating and pursuing various member-centric programmes and has commendably also set the foundation for institutionalising many of the processes at the NBA. The aspiration is to improve on these and do even more for you as our members and for the generality of the Nigerians, who continue to look up to the NBA and the legal profession for guidance and direction in difficult times such as the present.
So, with a great sense of humility, I wholeheartedly accept the mandate to serve you. In doing so, I must appreciate my friends and brothers against whom I had the privilege of contesting. Both my brother Silk, J.K. Gadzama, SAN and Mr. Jonathan Taidi are thoroughbred Bar leaders, and it was a pleasure to be on the ballot with them. Their true sportsmanship and commitment to the progress and unity of the Bar was exemplified in their acceptance of the outcome of the elections. I certainly plan to seek their counsel and work with them in building and sustaining the Bar that we all envision.
Lastly, while congratulating all others who were elected to various positions to serve with me as National Officers, I would like to appreciate the members of the Electoral Committee of the NBA under the leadership of Mr. Ayodele Akintunde, SAN for the transparent and independent manner in which they executed the rather difficult task of conducting the credible polls of 16th July 2022.
I thank you again and reassure you that we will do our best to deliver on our promises. I look forward to seeing you at the forthcoming NBA Annual General Conference in Lagos at which I will formally take the Oath of Office.
Sincerely,
Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, SAN, FCIArb. (UK)