Senior lawyer Dr. Ubani, SAN, has called for a safe, dignified and professionally supportive environment for lawyers, stressing that the independence of legal practitioners remains essential to an effective justice system and the protection of the rule of law.
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Ubani made the call while delivering the keynote address and serving as Chairman of the Occasion at the Nigerian Bar Association, Oron Branch Annual Law Week, held under the theme, “Legal Administration and Legal Practice in a Secured Environment.”
The event also featured the foundation-laying ceremony for the proposed NBA Oron House, Bar Centre, which Ubani said should be developed beyond a physical structure into an enduring professional institution for lawyers and the wider public.
According to the senior lawyer, security in legal practice goes beyond the presence of security personnel or the provision of physical facilities. He said it encompasses protection from threats and intimidation, freedom from unlawful interference, protection of confidential information, digital security and institutional arrangements capable of preserving the assets and continuity of the Bar beyond individual administrations.
Ubani maintained that lawyers must be able to discharge their professional responsibilities without fear of retaliation or intimidation, particularly when challenging unlawful conduct or representing clients whose interests may be unpopular with persons in positions of authority.
Turning to the proposed Bar Centre, he described the project as more than a building, saying it should serve as a professional home where lawyers can meet, exchange ideas, access continuing legal education and mentorship, and coordinate legal aid and public-interest initiatives.
He urged the Branch to ensure that the facility is properly planned and equipped with functional meeting spaces, legal research resources, private consultation rooms, administrative offices, reliable utilities and adequate security arrangements.
He also stressed the importance of making the Centre accessible to persons with disabilities and establishing a sustainable maintenance framework that would preserve the facility for future generations of lawyers.
Ubani warned that the success of the project would depend not merely on the quality of its construction but also on the integrity, transparency and accountability of those entrusted with its implementation.
He called for proper documentation of contributions and expenditure, regular progress reports, adherence to professional standards in procurement and construction, and a realistic plan for completing and managing the facility in the long term.
According to him, the Centre must not become the personal property of any administration, faction or group within the Branch, nor should it become an exclusive facility reserved for a privileged few.
Rather, he said, it should remain an enduring institutional asset open to lawyers across generations and professional backgrounds.
Drawing from his experience in NBA leadership, including his service as Chairman of NBA Ikeja Branch, Second Vice-President of the Association and Chairman of NBA-SPIDEL, Ubani said the strength of the Bar lies in the willingness of its members to work together in pursuit of a common professional cause.
He urged lawyers to place the collective interests of the profession above personal differences, electoral divisions and individual ambitions, noting that leadership tenures would eventually end while institutions established on sound principles could endure for generations.
Ubani also called for greater investment in younger lawyers, saying the proposed Bar Centre should provide opportunities for mentorship, practical training, professional development and continuing legal education.
He noted that young practitioners face several challenges, including the cost of establishing legal practice, rapid technological changes, professional competition and the pressure to maintain ethical standards in a difficult economic environment.
According to him, a well-managed Bar Centre could help address some of these challenges while strengthening professional fellowship and preparing younger lawyers for greater responsibilities in the administration of justice.
The senior lawyer further urged NBA Oron Branch to use the Centre as a platform for public service through legal awareness programmes, pro bono initiatives and constructive engagement on human rights, criminal justice reform, electoral integrity, constitutional governance and access to justice.
He maintained that the credibility of the legal profession should not be measured only by the respect lawyers command in courtrooms, but also by the confidence ordinary citizens repose in them.
Ubani appealed to members of the Bench, government, traditional institutions, corporate organisations, business leaders, philanthropic individuals and friends of the legal profession to support the project.
He, however, stressed that any partnership entered into for the development of the Centre must not compromise the independence of the Bar.
Concluding, Ubani commended the leadership and members of NBA Oron Branch for initiating the project and urged them to sustain the commitment that made the foundation-laying ceremony possible.
He said the ultimate value of the Bar Centre would not be determined merely by the beauty of the completed structure, but by the lawyers it develops, the public it serves and its contribution to justice and the rule of law.
He urged the Branch to build the project on the foundations of unity, integrity, transparency, accountability and service, expressing hope that NBA Oron House would become a lasting symbol of professional excellence and institutional progress.
The event was attended by the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Hon. Justice Ekaette F. Obot, who was represented by Hon. Justice Effiong Offiong of the State High Court.
The Attorney-General of Akwa Ibom State, Uko Udom, SAN, was also represented by a Director in the Ministry of Justice.
Several judges, magistrates and Bar leaders from Eket, Uyo and Ikot Ekpene attended the event, including Sam Etuk.
The Chairman of NBA Oron Branch is Ikara O. Ikara, Esq., while Chief Godwin Effiong served as Chairman of the Annual Law Week Planning Committee.
The foundation-laying ceremony for the Bar Centre was led by Justice Effiong Offiong on behalf of the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State.
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