Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and Human Right Crusader, Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa SAN has berated the Leadership and the Elders of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, for their fatal error of judgement in ratifying the suspension of the General Secretary of the Association, Joyce Oduah, while there is a pending court case against the purported suspension by the other EXCO members of the Association.
In a statement yesterday, Adegboruwa SAN warned that the NBA should not get to the Level of provoking the Bench.
He described the NBA action as “Sad Commentary stating that he was not surprised that the Federal High Court declared the action null and void.
SEE THE FULL COMMENT:
This was easily predictable. It is shocking that the “Elders of the Bar” could not extricate themselves from this fatal error of judgment.
We shouldn’t get to the level of provoking the Bench against us. NBA lost the battle for sanity, rule of law and due process on behalf of all lawyers and it is a sad commentary, given what the NBA President himself had represented in times past, at the NJC meetings, BOB meetings, etc.
This calls to question the quality of representation at the NBA NEC. I have admired the administration of Mr Olumide Akpata but when we fail to look at wrong in it’s ugly face, we end up the way it has ended at the Federal High Court today.
It was an unnecessary battle for the NBA, as to all intents and purposes, it has taken the shine off the on-going Conference.
What message are we preaching to other Nigerians with all the topics that we have beautifully outlined for the Conference if it was so difficult to observe common rule of law and due process, by the only Association of lawyers put together? The NBA failed the test. Charity should always begin at home.
A party sought for an ex-parte order, in very urgent circumstances, but in the very presence of the NBA President and counsel to the NBA, the court declined to make any order, as a sign of respect for the Bar, in the hope that by asking the plaintiff to put the defendants on notice, such reasonable gesture will be reciprocated by the defendants by respecting the authority and integrity of the court to keep matters in status quo. The NBA fell into the trap set by the judge, for if the defendants had as much reciprocated the good gesture of the judge, by for instance putting all matters relating to the contentious suspension on hold, the Bar would have commanded honour in the good estimation of all and sundry.
The sad impression so far created is that this is story of impunity across the legal profession in Nigeria, being a classical case of how the orders of judges suffer in the hands of the powers that be, and how the high and mighty have not the courts to be the last hope of the common man, any longer.
I’m surprised that His Lordship did not go beyond merely setting aside the purported ratification.