Heralding A Golden Era In The NBA Under The Paul Usoro SAN Presidency By Akanimo Ukpe, Esq., LLM

Paul Usoro SAN is no doubt a huge success story; with track records and imprints so visible that the blind can see. During the campaigns, he was portrayed as though he sat on the Board of basically every major blue-chip Company, including the Company initially seised with the conduct of the election. He has been successful in his own right. So were the other Presidential contenders in any case. With this background, and now that Paul Usoro has been sworn in as President, the critical issue is whether he will translate his personal successes and track records into an enviable success story for the Nigerian Bar Association. Will he, or will he not? There is no gainsaying that from a young lawyer’s perspective, the Nigerian Bar Association has been at its lowest ebb structurally, organizationally, results-wise and in terms of effectiveness. The legal profession has over the years, been reduced to the survival of the fittest. It has been plagued with the ceaseless churning out of new entrants who are faced with fewer and fewer opportunities to thrive. It has failed to peer into the future so as to broaden the horizon in order to effectively accord with the times. The profession is in urgent need of an injection of the dose of reality. For instance, there is still no nationwide enforceable system of chargeable fees for property-related transactions. The system is easily manipulated by Clients who intend to pay lawyers much less than they ought to under the Remuneration Guidelines. This has resulted in a terrible system where the profitability of most Lawyers is jeopardized while other professionals like surveyors, estate valuers, and even roadside property merchants make huge gains. Previous administrations at the Bar have done little or nothing to stave off this infamy or to even open up other areas of profitability for the ever increasing number of Lawyers in the Nigerian horizon. Thankfully, Paul Usoro’s agenda revolves around creating more opportunities for Lawyers to profit. He was also inundated with various complaints during his tour of Branches nationwide and he promised to tackle these issues headlong. Being a man of his word, the Paul Usoro Presidency must be made to work for everyone, because if it doesn’t, we would be sitting on a precipice; on an explosive ready to detonate, and this would occasion massive exile of lawyers into politicking, petty business ventures – and a departure of the glory of lawyering. The Paul Usoro NBA should also begin to speak again for every Nigerian as the NBA once did in the military heydays. In this climate of democratic tyranny and autocracy, the NBA should not be docile but should speak for the common man who is increasingly at the risk of detained in defiance to Court orders. We must not stand by and watch our Country drift apart into rudderlessness, ignominy and tyranny. ‘National security’ must not be allowed to parochially and clannishly undermine the rule of Law in Nigeria. Our increased advocacy would resonate with ordinary Nigerians and ensure a stable and prosperous country. Paul Usoro’s presidency represents an imminent golden era for the Nigerian Bar Association which must not be allowed to slip away from our hands. Akanimo Ukpe, Esq., LLM (Ibadan) is a Legal Practitioner and human rights activist based in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and can be reached via akanimoukpe@gmail.com or 07062726217.]]>