*Insist That There Are Better Ways Of Dealing With Issues Affecting The Profession
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Following the letter of recusing Chief Wole Olanipekun as Chairman of the Body of Benchers by the NBA President, certain quarters within the inner Bar have made known their displeasure with the steps taken by the NBA president, including J.S. Okutepa, SAN.
The learned silk in an interview with Vanguard Newspaper noted that Olanipekun is (and remains) a senior member of the Bar and not just any Bar member; having served as a Past NBA president.
According to the silk, Okutepa, Chief Olanipekun is a “superior member of the Bar” and deserves the respect that comes with his office and rank within the profession.
“If I were to be in the position of the President…, I won’t write such a letter. I would go to meet with Chief Wole Olanipekun or involve senior members of the Bar, elders, and past presidents, and then meet with him and have a discussion because whether anybody like it or not, he is a leader of the Bar…”, Okutepa said during the interview.
According to the silk, although no one is above the law, however, the learned silk was of the view that there are better ways of addressing the issue, but declined to comment on whether the incident surrounding the request for recusal was valid or not, stressing the fact that ” …there are better and respectful ways of dealing with issues that affect the profession”.
According to Okutepa, “to do a letter to him (Olanipekun) and before he gets it, it is on social media… is a very terrible thing that he (Akpata) ought not to do.” Noting that the legal profession and the Institutions of the profession “…must be preserved by the decorum we accord ourselves”.
The comment by Okutepa, SAN, is coming following calls by the NBA, requesting the recusal of Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, as Chairman of the Body of Benchers following an earlier petition on professional misconduct filed by the NBA against one of the Partners at Chief Olanipekun law firm. The allegation borders on poaching clients and alluding to the firm having the necessary influence within the profession to obtain a favorable outcome in disputes.
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