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The address of NLA
President, Benjamin Okeke, Esq., delivered at the Annual NLA Banquet/Dinner Dance held
on JULY 10, 2004
I am honored to welcome you to the 2004 Award Dinner of Nigerian Lawyers Association. This night is indeed a special one. We have gathered with our friends, colleagues and well-wishers to once again pay glowing tribute to our noble profession and our heritage. I know that some of you had other plans that you had to cancel in order to be with us this night. On behalf of the executive, board of directors and members of the association I will like to extend our gratitude for your presence in our midst this night.
Nigerian Lawyers Association is a not-for-profit, non partisan professional association that was incorporated in 1999. The membership of the association is open to people of Nigerian descent as well as non-Nigerians. We also have honorary members that include some judges. Justice Laura Douglas who is in our midst tonight is one of our honorary members. Some of our members are lawyers who are self employed. Others are working for various law firms in this country. We also have members who are employed by various corporations and public interest establishments. The association has law students as members as well.
The association was formed with several objectives namely: (a) to cultivate the science of jurisprudence; (b) facilitate and advance the fair and equitable administration of justice; (c) serve the needs of its members as a networking tool and; (d) serve the legal needs of the Nigerian community as a whole. To achieve some of these goals the association has organized seminars on various aspects of the law, namely immigration, real estate, tax, privatization, amongst others. These seminars were open to the public at no cost whatsoever. They also serve as tool for members to obtain the necessary credits for Continuing Legal Education.
The association also reached out and helped the victims of Ikeja Military Cantonment disaster in Nigeria by donating some money for the relief effort. Although the law prohibits the association from conferring any benefit or reward to its members, we have managed on individual basis to assist family members upon death of a member. In our midst tonight is one person who can attest to the effort of the association in this regard.
The association instituted the Merit Award as a means to acknowledge and/or reward a distinguished Nigerian. The recipients of the two prior awards were highly distinguished in financial sectors. The last year’s recipient of the merit award is the current Finance Minister of Nigeria, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonji-Iweala. This year the association resolved to expand the scope of the merit award. In this regard the association resolved that it is important to acknowledge the effort and determination of a Nigerian to fight the societal ill that has become an impediment to development. Corruption is a festering disease in Nigeria that an attempt to confront or fight it is usually met with stiff resistance. Nigeria has continually been recognized (infamously) as one of the most corrupt nations on earth. The recipient of 2004 Merit Award, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, (Order of Federal Republic of Nigeria) clearly exemplifies the noble ideals that influenced the formation of our association. Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai is presently the minister of Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Mallam El-Rufai’s academic excellence is outstanding We observed with delight and hope the effort that Mallam El-Rufai made to expose corruption even at the risk of his personal life against the status quo in Nigeria. His effort in this regard clearly shines a light to a path that Nigeria must follow in order to fulfill and realize the immense human and natural resources that it is endowed with. His fight against corruption is a symbol of support and encouragement. Additionally, his effort and determination to bring about orderly development in the Nation’s Capital, Abuja is commendable. We know that by taking such step, he is clearly stepping at the toes of people (indeed well connected people) who over the years erected or permitted erection of structures at places that violates the original master plan of Abuja. Again, we know that he is doing so notwithstanding the risk to his personal life. But we know and believe that when you are fighting a just cause for the majority, posterity will always reserve a place for you.
Prior to his current portfolio as the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Mallam El-Rufia was the chief executive officer of privatization agency in Nigeria. This agency was responsible for the reform of the Nigerian economy by selling to the members of the public shares of public companies and entities. By so doing the government raised huge amounts of money that was invested in social sectors of the economy. The companies that were privatized were effectively weaned from inefficiency and corruption that they have come to symbolize for decades. Mallam El-Rufai is one of Nigeria’s new generation of technocrats that have brought about competence, commitment and integrity to public office while implementing a difficult and controversial reform program.
The speakers this night are equally distinguished in their own fields. Starting with Attorney General and Minister of Justice of Nigeria, Chief Akinlolu Olujinmi, Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Chief Olujinmi is an excellent attorney general and the country is proud to have such a quality lawyer as its attorney general. Chief Olujinmi’s professional excellence resulted in being conferred with prestigious honor of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in September 1997. He has received several awards from various institutions, clubs and organizations in Nigeria in recognition of his commitment/service to the legal profession and his community. Chief Olujinmi was appointed attorney general and Minister of Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on September 18, 2003.
Congressman Charles Rangel is serving his seventeenth term as representative from 15th Congressional District of New York, located in New York City. He is a ranking member of the powerful ways and means committee, Deputy Democratic Whip of the House of Representatives, a co-chair of the Congressional Campaign Committee and Dean of the New York State Congressional Delegation. Congressman Rangel is a member of Trade Sub-Committee on Ways and Means, which has jurisdiction over all international trade. By virtue of his position Congressman Rangel pays particular attention to trade between United States and Caribbean as well as Africa. Congressman Rangel is an excellent attorney having worked as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. His service to the community is unmatched in annals of New York politics. He has shown an unwavering commitment to issues that affects his community and was instrumental in inserting in tax code one of the most effective anti-apartheid measures, denial of tax credits for taxes paid to then South African government. This measure forced several fortune 500 companies to quit doing business in South Africa under apartheid regime.
As lawyers so much of our efforts require a balance for the well-being of the profession. For example, balancing our professional and personal lives and balancing the responsibilities to our clients, our roles as officers of the court and our efforts in service to society in general. As a profession we also work to preserve sound precepts of law and practice, but also to advocate for constructive change in statutes, rules and procedures to better address today’s complex problems that beset our society. Lawyers have the privilege of practicing a profession which is highly visible to the public, and which is at the center of every issue of our time. Our greatest challenge must be to educate the public about the importance of rule of law, and the role of lawyers in a democratic society. We should endeavor to educate the public that rule of law must prevail over rule of men. The rule of law must prevail in the affairs of government and the public. To achieve this goal, the public must experience the fact that matters in dispute are being resolved by an impartial judge who is not susceptible to taking bribe from one side to pervert justice. Government must therefore enact legislation to hasten the removal of judges who take bribe to pervert justice. The separation of power between the three arms of government must be transparent to ensure the realization of rule of law in our society. Our society must establish measures to ensure that those charged with criminal activities and unable to afford counsel are provided with legal counsel. Furthermore, we believe in the adage “justice delayed is justice denied”. Accordingly, any accused person should be brought to trial within a reasonable time and if found not guilty be set free immediately. The situation whereby an accused person sits in jail for several years without trial is inhuman and intolerable. We note with concern the delay in finally resolving various petitions arising from last year’s election in Nigeria. It is nearly one year and half since the elections and yet the petitions arising therefrom are still pending in various courts. The government should promulgate legislation to ensure that petitions arising from elections are resolved within a given time period. Our association will continue to support the effort of government and well meaning Nigerians to ensure the independence of the judiciary. Independence of the judiciary will ensure that the government, and the well connected in society respects and are held accountable to the rule of law.
I would like to end this message with some personal commentary, and particularly recognition of some of the many people without whom this event will not be taking place.
Foremost, let me express my gratitude to all the members of our association for their effort that made it possible for you to be part of this event tonight. Any and all credit to this event tonight must be given to our members. Secondly, I must express my gratitude to our guests for honoring our invitation. You deserve a great deal of credit as well.
John Donne accurately observed that no man is an island. And no person could think of serving as president of NLA as a single individual. This task is truly a team effort. And the current NLA team is the greatest. Working with our honorable secretary Patrick Abohwo makes this job less stressful. The association is also indebted to our honorable vice president, Theo Ogune for his dedication and service to the association. The day I learnt that a dinner was being organized for the honorable attorney general I called Theo in Baltimore and appealed to him to attend the dinner on behalf of the association and to present the invitation for this event to the minister. Theo obliged and in spite of the heavy traffic that he encountered he managed to attend the dinner and presented the invitation on behalf of the association to the attorney general. Other members of the executive and board of directors have been exemplary in their service to the association.
Our association is privileged to have the services of an outstanding chair of the events committee. That person is Oliver Mbamara. I never knew the level of his commitment and dedication until he started working with this committee. The events committee is charged with the responsibility to provide the modality and framework as well as the execution of this event. Oliver personifies the work of that committee. The efforts of John Edozie, Placid Aguwa (even in the midst of personal tribulations), Francis Ononaji and Patrick Abohwo cannot be explained in words. On behalf of the association I hereby say thank you to these individuals and other members of that committee. The success of this event is attributable to this committee and its chair Oliver Mbamara.
Special thanks also goes to some of our members who heeded our appeals to invite their friends and colleagues to this event. They include Jennifer Ajah, Wuyi Ogunyika, Ihenji Ugenyi, the chair of board of directors, and Uche Emelumadu.
Finally, I must acknowledge the companies that supported this event. They include Ist Republic Mortgage Bankers (Paul Khani), Landquest Abstract (Wale Fakuade, Esq.), Judicial Title Insurance Agency, Metropolitan Homes, Inc., Madu, Edozie & Madu, Maduebuna & Cooper, LLP, Placid & Emmanuel, Capital Land Services, Ltd.,and others too numerous to mention here.
Thank you very much and God bless you.
Very truly yours,
Benjamin O. Okeke
President
Oliver Mbamara, Esq., reporting
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