Purported Yoruba Lawyers’ Pact: We Cannot Afford To Be Divided Along Ethnic Lines — Gov. Akeredolu Condemns Rising Division In NBA Ranks

*It’s Wrong To Refer To Akpata As A Boy, Akeredolu Tells Akintola
*Congratulates Akpata’s Led NBA Administration For Successful Administration
*Condemns Actions Of Members That Which Are Strange To Tradition of Discipline
*Appeals To Members To Embrace Peace Towards Ensuring The Progress Of The Association

The Governor of Ondo State and Life Bencher, Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN has reacted to ongoing divisions in the Nigerian Bar Association along the lines of ethnicity and disregard of traditions of respect and dignity, stating that the Association cannot afford to a divided or weakened Bar.

In a statement made available to TheNigeriaLawyer, Gov. Rotimi congratulated the Association for its successful Annual General Conference held in Eko Atlantic City,Lagos, particularly the immediate past President, Olumids Akapata leading the Executive Committee to what the governor tagged as ‘courageous leadership at courageous moments”.

He expressed his immense gratitude to the leadership of the Bar under the Akpata for the honor bestowed on him alongside Chief Folake Solanke, SAN by naming the two NBA Institute buildings after them.

Reacting to the rising division along the lines of ethnicity, the Governor strongly condemned the actions thus: “I must also not fail, however, to condemn, in very strong terms, the growing tendencies which predispose members of our great association to act in manner considered very strange to the established tradition anchored on diffidence, respect and dignity. It is not for ordinariness that we are called learned. Our rigorous training, at various levels, culminating in the Call to join the club of eminence, the age-long reverence with which our professional forbears were treated, the enormous responsibilities imposed on us by the very circumstances of our emergence as learned gentlemen and the expectations of the generality of the people, leave us no option other than to uphold the practice of excellence.”

The Governor went on further to address the statement made by Akintola SAN stating that soon enough he would come to a realization of the errors of his statement. “I have read several comments arising from the statement credited to my friend, brother and colleague, Chief Niyi Akintola, SAN. I am acutely aware of the passion with which he pursues his conviction on any matter. I am sure that he will, at a reflective moment, agree with all colleagues and reasonable people that our immediate past president, though junior in age and length of membership of our great association, cannot be referred to as a boy biologically or otherwise.” He said.

According to the Governor, as the President of the Association, he was the number one lawyer in the country without regard to the camp to which he belonged during the Bar elections, his religion, ethnicity and political affiliation. There are set rules for the executive leadership of the association. No elected member of the committee can act outside the scope permitted and envisioned. There are also established guidelines for redress in case of perceived infractions or infringement on the rights of persons or groups. The President of the Bar is primus inter pares.

Furthermore, he went on to clarify that the area of practice a lawyers engage in doesn’t define intelligence and relevance in the legal profession. To buttress his point, he made reference to his colleagues in academia who have attained prominence and have become persuasive authorities in the profession.

Gov. Rotimi appealed to members to embrace peace highlighting that the Bar could not afford to be weak or divided. His words read thus: “I beseech all our colleagues to shun all temptations to deepen this current misunderstanding in the interest of the association and, particularly, the people who look up to us for direction at crucial moments. My current engagement as the Governor of Ondo State has limited my participation, severely. I appeal to all senior members of the Bar to refrain from exacerbating the current situation. The Bar belongs not only to the professionals. The people of the country also lay claims to ownership deservedly. They cannot afford to have a divided and weakened Bar along ethnic or other divide.”

Finally, he admonished the present administration to work seriously on the discontents which threaten to tear the Association apart, reasoning that the judgement of history will be harsh on all those who engage in activ6which lower rating in the estimation of reasonable and good people of the legal profession.