By Sylvester Udemezue
Over the last fourteen years, and even before then, the Nigerian Bar Association’s Annual General Conference (NBA-AGC) has hosted an impressive array of distinguished personalities delivering keynote addresses: from Nobel Laureates to heads of state, eminent jurists, global business leaders, and celebrated thought-leaders. Each address has been memorable in its own right. A quick look at the record tells the story:
- NBA-AGC 2012: Keynote Address by Professor Wole Soyinka.
- NBA-AGC 2013: Keynote Speaker was Professor Jonas Isawa Elaigwu, Professor of Law.
- NBA-AGC 2014: Keynote Speaker was Dr. George Amale Kwanashie, distinguished historian.
- NBA-AGC 2015: Keynote Address by Dr. Willy Munyoki Mutunga, Chief Justice of Kenya.
- NBA-AGC 2016: Keynote Address by Mr. Johnston Busingye, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of Rwanda.
- NBA-AGC 2017: Keynote Address by Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, Acting President of Nigeria.
- NBA-AGC 2018: Keynote Address by H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana.
- NBA-AGC 2019: Keynote Address by Horacio Bernardes, then President of the IBA.
- NBA-AGC 2020: Keynote Address by Hon. Dame Linda Dobbs, Judicial Institute for Africa.
- NBA-AGC 2021: Keynote Address by Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah.
- NBA-AGC 2022: Keynote Address by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, acclaimed author.
- NBA-AGC 2023: Keynote Address by Tony O. Elumelu, Chairman of UBA Group.
- NBA-AGC 2024: Keynote Address by Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, GCON, WTO Director-General.
- NBA-AGC 2025: Keynote Address by Julius Malema, South African political
Indeed, the speeches have been powerful, eloquent, and often inspiring. This year’s keynote by Julius Malema was no exception: it was electrifying, provocative, and memorable. Yet, a sober question must be asked: Beyond the oratory, how much do these keynote addresses truly contribute to solving the practical, everyday challenges of the Nigerian legal profession?
PRESSING PROFESSIONAL QUESTIONS LEFT UNANSWERED
If a keynote address, however moving, does not help the NBA and its members confront urgent systemic problems, then the exercise risks being more ceremonial than substantive. Consider just a few of the challenges:
- JUSTICE DELIVERY: Our courts remain congested; cases drag for decades. Did Malema’s keynote offer ideas to unclog procedural bottlenecks or improve judicial efficiency and effectiveness?
- EMPLOYMENT FOR LAWYERS: Thousands of young Nigerian lawyers remain underemployed. Did the keynote outline strategies to expand the law practice’s employment space?
- POLICE PROSECUTIONS: Lay police officers still prosecute criminal cases in Nigeria, daily. Did the keynote galvanise NBA action to reclaim this legal professional role for lawyers?
- IMPLEMENTATION OF Section 66(3), Police Act 2020: Enforcing this provision would create thousands of legal jobs. Was this priority highlighted?
- LEGAL DEPARTMENTS IN LGAS: Every local government undertakes contracts and governance with legal implications, yet few have in-house lawyers. Did the keynote encourage NBA advocacy in this regard?
- LEGAL UNITS IN MDAS: Many government agencies still operate without Legal Departments and in-house counsel. Did Malema’s speech inspire action to address this costly gap?
- LEGISLATIVE ACTIVISM: A vibrant Bar should push bills and subsidiary legislation that would directly improve lawyers’ welfare and economic advancement: from mandatory legal representation in land deals to incentives for legal start-ups, to justice reform to welfare of lawyers and the legal profession. Did the keynote stimulate such initiatives?
- JUSTICE SECTOR REFORMS: From technology-driven courts to specialised tribunals, Nigeria needs urgent systemic reforms. Did the keynote push the NBA to leverage its influence here?
- LAWYERS IN PUBLIC SERVICE: Unlike doctors or engineers, government-employed lawyers often suffer poor working conditions. Did the keynote address provide any roadmap for NBA advocacy on this front?
If the answer to these questions is “no,” then the invitation of Julius Malema, however well-intentioned, might not have served the best interests of the Nigerian Bar Association.
THE CORE DUTY OF THE NBA
The NBA-AGC should not merely be a platform for captivating speeches. It should be a forum to debate, adopt, and implement resolutions that improve the practice of law, the welfare of lawyers, and the efficiency of the justice system. While it is commendable for the NBA to lend its voice to wider societal issues, defending democracy, speaking truth to power, and championing human rights, this must never overshadow its primary obligation to advance the professional and economic interests of Nigerian lawyers.
Malema’s presence underscored one key truth: rhetoric inspires, but reform transforms. It is time for the NBA to insist that keynote addresses do more than dazzle; they must directly drive policy, advocacy, and reform in the legal profession.
In due course, I shall return to analyse this matter in fuller detail.
Respectfully,
Sylvester Udemezue (Udems)
Proctor, The Reality Ministry of Truth, Law and Justice (TRM)
📞 08021365545 |
✉ udems@therealityministry.ngo.
wwww.therealityministry.ngo
(25 August 2025)