By TheNigeriaLawyer Editorial

It is no longer a news that the upcoming Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is just few weeks away (specifically coming up on the 26th – 29th of August, 2020). It is also of common knowledge that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 60th conference shall be the first NBA’s conference to be held virtually.

Among the programs slated for the event include sessions on Executive Order and Democratic Governance and Security and Extra Ordinary Killings in Nigeria.

The advert for the conference also shows that there will be session for entertainment which shall feature artists.

MATTERS ARISING

No doubt the conference may be one of the best ever, but there are issues that need to be addressed.

The fundamental issue is the entertainment performance. Would the artists to be featured be hired for free or they will be paid? If the answer is in the affirmative, does NBA really need to spend money on entertainment?

“NBA will pay for a performance to be watched virtually while many lawyers are not finding it easy to fee their families?…please let’s cancel all entertainments and stick to CLE programs that will enable us redefine our practice instead” reaction of a lawyer when he read about the planned entertainment performance

It is submitted that spending money on entertainment performance is a misplaced priority. The welfare of vulnerable and disadvantaged members of the Association is paramount. Such monies can be channeled to them.

It is of common knowledge that most law firms are not in full operation and income has reduced leading to nonpayment of salaries to employees, temporarily reducing lawyer and staff compensation by furloughing (granting leave of absence to) staff whose jobs cannot be performed remotely while some firms have terminated small numbers of employees (including lawyers).

Where then would the young and vulnerable lawyers get money from to buy data to watch entertainment performance? Is that what they really need?

As it is now publicity for the conference, with the greatest respect, is poor. E-flyers for the conference are being circulated by Executive members of the Association but no blog or any other traditional media is carrying any news regarding the conference.

Procurement of an artiste for one of the 2019 AGC evening programs was done by MTN and the said artiste was paid N2,625,000.00 by MTN. It is hoped that the artiste for the 2020 AGC is not billed to be paid directly from the purse of NBA as doing that would be wrong in the circumstances.

It is also hoped that at the end of the conference, report will not capture millions of naira as expenses for publicity and entertainment performance.

Before dropping my pen, may I seize this opportunity to commend the leadership of NBA for its decision to give Young Lawyers of 1-4 years post-call who have paid their Bar Practicing Fee as at 31st day of March, 2020 the sum of #10,000 each as COVID-19 palliative fund sequel to the recommendation of the Babalakin led NBA COVID-19 Welfare Committee which submitted its report to NBA with the total sum of N92,884,505.00 realized.

However, that does not change my position that Young and vulnerable members of the Association are going through tough times as a result of the covid-19 pandemic. Paying artistes for performance during the upcoming AGC is unnecessary and indeed a waste of resources. Funds meant for it should be added to the palliative funds for distribution to vulnerable members.

TheNigeriaLawyer Editorial