An Open Letter To The Nigerian Bar Association Executives (NBA) Heal The Ills: By Oluwaseun Bankole Esq, ACIArb

Edibles and multitudinous number of both alcohol dependent and nonalcoholic consumable liquids went down in a bid to celebrate the success we are yet to see under the umbrella of “conference”.  I heard Peruzzi was also invited; obviously he was paid to perform that lawyers may shamefully dance to the beat of poverty the future is beating for the younger generation.

Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) was created 1933 with the aim of promoting the Rule of

Laws, “promote the welfare, security, economic, and professional advancement of legal practitioners in Nigeria”, among others.  Giving the circumstances that have paraded the affairs of this penetrable Association over the years, losing its core values to mediocrity, greed and selfishness; can we say this Association has diligently pursued its goals or journeyed on a path that can possibly lead to a landmark achievement of its kernels? To a large extent, I answer in disagreement.

I think it is high time we put pen to paper, that we may spell our ‘blessings”, if there’s any, instead of glorying in lost battles while pretending to be victorious when things are obviously falling apart while we mask our thoughts against the ills eating deeper at every breaking of the day.

Since the time of old, the legal profession has been a decent path to thread for whoever seeks a long-lasting respect, prestige and honor among men. A prestigious profession exclusive to those that can endeavor to pay with time and legal tender(money) being the demands, with the hope of lulling fate into an endless smile after getting gowned and wigged. Every family anxiously looks forward to having one in it, every friend desperately wishes to have one as an ally and some as in-laws with the unflinching belief in the competence and capability of those that can relate with the mantra “the law”. Some families explored the option of taking loans to bid for a place for their sons and daughters in the profession and some accessed community support to book a number at the Supreme Court Number.

Unfortunately the Association of intellectuals saddled with the responsibility of catering for it objects so as to uninterruptedly sail towards its goals and objectives has nonchalantly neglected it duties and chosen to pursue a path that will only aggrandize those at the helms of affairs at the expense of the sweat and blood of both the young and the old.

Lawyers defray handsomely to join the profession, they do till the end. The exorbitant charges on lawyers by NBA stirs a few questions, what are lawyers benefitting from this age-long loyalty to an association that has seen itself walked through, by fearless advocates of class with astute personality? In what way has this association come through for it youngest members that are less familiar with what transpires in the labor market?

An association can reasonably be placed side by side or be labelled a mother that goes through gruesome pain to birth its offspring with the hope of mothering till they are matured enough to face their fears. Giving the case of this our “noble” Association, the perfect comparison can be to that of a lackadaisical mother hen that runs into safety at the attack of an eagle neglecting its offspring without providing for an attack or a defense that will undeniably repel the attack and save them for the next light. Sad!!!

It grieves my heart that a plethora of young lawyer after spending a minimum of 6 years paying our dues, burning late night candles just to be relevant in life, yearly come into the labor market with high hopes, an extremely high one after being made to pay back-breaking charges which includes a practicing fees before being called to the Nigerian Bar and made to repeat same in less than five months. Only to come and witness a shocker after fulfilling such obligations.

Hopes disappear and confidence became butchered in just one interview.

Employer: May I meet you briefly?

Employee: XYZ Esq

Fast forward to the emotionally draining comment. “You don’t have the requisite experience to work here or we can’t pay more than 40k per month and that’s one of the highest on the mainland. Those on the island have their stories as well” (Lagos the hub of business in Nigeria).

Then the heart begins to beat fast in an attempt to comprehend the reality that just unveiled in a wee period of time. After giving it another shot in a different place and a worst case unearths, the young lawyer left with no choice will have to acquiesce to the minute tip for 30days of existence.

There and then, the ardour and the age long accumulated peppiness to become one of the A-list lawyers in some years becomes dashed and slaughtered. Survival becomes the issue. What happened to the Association looking into a practicable way of catering for young lawyers for the first 3 years of practice after NYSC or compulsorily mandating every organization that demands the service of a young lawyer not to pay below a certain amount?

Lawyers mandatorily pay for seals and it gets delivered after some numbers of months must have passed, these same seals are subject to expiration. What happened to a permanent seal that comes in form of a stamp customized for every legal practitioner and presented to every lawyer at the call ceremony? Obviously, it’s a better gift than the book encompassing the names of those that were called and the brochure that becomes literarily useless after a while. The stamp is cheaper when looking at financial intelligence.

Lawyers are made to pay to become an Accredited Agent of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), why not gun for a free registration for lawyers? This will unarguably help young lawyers save some funds pending the time fate will smile on us. What is the Association doing despite all these financial commitments?

Lawyers are made to pay for common identity cards and this simple act of production takes ages to be effected and delivered. These rigorous and laborious processes are enough to completely annihilate the interest of a young lawyer who is willing to comply with these procedures. What happened to having a stand at every NBA branch offices to speedily respond to these requests without making it look like it’s a rocket science? Why always embracing archaic practices as if they are casted in iron when better options can be explored for a better result?

A young lawyer does not have any visible or feasible hope of surviving after being called if not lucky enough to work with top tiers law firms based on credibility or connection. Yes, the smart ones that could represent it on papers (results) are automatically employed by the top law firms, yes! Agreed. Then what is the hope of those that could not make a first Class or a 2’1 due to the grading system? It has been reviewed, yes, I have that within my knowledge. The review will make the whole thing more destructive as against the accolades it is presently enjoying from those that have not really invested time in thinking it through. Now the Association will be “proud” of over hundreds of it members walking through life with its “first class” and “2’1” without a job, maybe this will tap its (Association) consciousness and inform it that the pride is stylishly disappearing regardless of the grade which stemmed from lack of proper organization and running of it affairs; who knows?

Thanks for the review, it is a good development, at least colleagues were able to display one of the haps that lifted their spirits throughout the exorbitantly financed conference that spanned for over 3 days where a lot of visages appeared at least with feigned smiles, and green ropes bearing the weak name (NBA) appearing in their best attires, adorned in the best of designers just to display their anticipated prosperity and achievement in practice. Deep down, we know the inside is not in agreement with the smile the face is presenting. How long are we going to keep quiet, hoping on God on when our rain will fall, which will enable our grass grow? When we have all the tools and apparatus to make the profession a better and an enviable path. Intelligence without money to show for it is just like a pot belly, prestigious, but contains nothing.

The last campaign witnessed a good number of promises by aspirants flaunting their unique approach to issues in an embellished grammatical dispositions promising to heal the ills. We are pleased to inform you that we did not swallow bait, neither did we fall for the deceit we only exercised our franchise hoping, as usual that things will transmogrify in due time.

But can we boldly assert that there has been any apparent change?

Lawyers get bullied by police officers, but the Association doesn’t seem to care or do anything to salvage or curb such act simply because we have forgotten the essence of the Association. Unity only plays a visible role when its time for payment of levies, dues and election.

NBA (executives) when are you going to stop taking from us just to gratify your numerous selfish desires or let me say when will you start giving back to lawyers? When will our noble Association rise to the challenges greed and selfishness has put before us? When is that glory going to return?

With the little efforts expended so far on the issue of bully and incessant police harassment, I’d love to use this medium to appreciate Segun Awosanya popularly known as (segalink) an extraordinary senior colleague of repute, sir, you have penned your mark on the blanket of life, and posterity will always remember you for good.

For those that will soon be called to join the pool of unemployed lawyers on the street of life, don’t be too high in your expectations, tell your family members to embrace patience, abreast them on what’s obtainable in labour market, it won’t be hard for them to bear with you for you to find your feet before calling for tips, as per “the law”. Brace yourself and pray for grace. It is an “independent hustle”.  The Association is still sick.

For those that might be considering choosing law as a career path, if you know your dad or mum does not closely know anyone big enough in the profession to lead you through, I will advise you don’t try it to avoid depression. You merit a good life.

And to the senior lawyers not in the executive arm of the Association, but doing the little they can to take lawyers who are interested in practice without undermining their intelligence off the street in a bid to expose them to the nitty-gritty of this profession, we appreciate.

Might be too young to become the NBA president, but not too young to speak my mind, which might as well be the mind of a large number of gentlemen with right of audience in court.

   “You can only make impact when you are alive, in your own capacity, HEAL THE ILLS”

Till some other time, accept my warmest regards.