THE WEIGHT OF SILK: A SALUTATION TO THE INNER BAR’S NEWEST CUSTODIANS | Clementina E. Ukiri, Esq. (De Dominus Litis)
There is an unspoken atmosphere that fills the room whenever a lawyer steps into the Silk. It is not merely the lustre of the gown or the privilege of front-row seating before the Bench. It is the undeniable aura of a journey forged in sleepless nights, endless briefs, fierce advocacy, and an unwavering commitment to the rule of law. To attain the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is to prove oneself in the furnace of legal practice. It is the ultimate testament to grit, intellect, and character. Today, my heart swells with immense …
STATEMENT BY DR CHARLES DIOHA, CHAIRMAN, NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION, ANAOCHA BRANCH: EFCC HAS NO GENERAL STATUTORY POWER TO REGULATE LEGAL PRACTITIONERS’ PROFESSIONAL FEES
My attention has been drawn to a statement attributed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), warning legal practitioners against charging their clients professional fees in foreign currencies and threatening prosecution for doing so. The statement was reportedly made following a meeting between officials of the EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 and the NBA Lagos Task Force on Illegal Practice of Law. As Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Anaocha Branch, I consider it necessary to state that the EFCC must distinguish its…
MOSHOOD ABIOLA INSPIRES 2026 NEW WIGS AT NBA LAGOS BRANCH INDUCTION PROGRAMME
It was a privilege to speak at the NBA Lagos Branch New Wigs Induction Programme for the 2026 Call to Bar set on the topic, “NBA & You: You’re Called to the Bar, Now Learn How to Navigate It.” I had the opportunity to engage with our newest colleagues on the importance of active participation in the Bar, continuous professional development, networking, mentorship, ethics, and service to the profession. The future of our profession is in capable hands, and I am excited about the energy, enthusiasm, and promise displayed by the new wigs.…
AGBARAGU EMERGES NBA OLEH BRANCH CHAIRMAN, PLEDGES TO STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIP WITH JUDICIARY FOR A JUST SOCIETY: AN INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY TIMOTHY AGBARAGU, ESQ.
Newly sworn-in Executive Officers of NBA Oleh Branch taking the oath of office. From the left: Benjamin Orieghe (Publicity Secretary), Jude Itedjere (Secretary), Timothy Agbaragu (Chairman), Mrs Okemena Okole (Vice Chairman), and Daniel Onianwa (Treasurer). The newly sworn-in Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Oleh Branch, Timothy Agbaragu, has pledged to foster synergy with the Judiciary to ensure the swift dispensation of justice within the jurisdiction. Agbaragu made this commitment today in Oleh, the headquarters of the Iso…
COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE 2026 NBA LEGAL EDUCATION SUMMIT
Please find attached the Communiqué issued at the 2026 NBA Legal Education Summit held on 25 May 2026 at the NBA National Secretariat, Abuja, under the theme: “Accelerating Legal Education Reform in Nigeria: Progress, Problems and Prospects.” The Summit brought together key stakeholders across the legal education ecosystem to critically examine the state of legal education in Nigeria and chart a sustainable pathway for reform. Following extensive deliberations, participants adopted far-reaching resolutions and recommendations aimed at stren…
THE ANATOMY OF A MANDATE: PROFESSIONAL SOLIDARITY AND THE "GROUNDWORK GAP" | Amb. Barr. Clementina E. Ukiri (De Dominus Litis)
The recent courtroom drama involving the social media influencer Chidiebere Mark (Justice Crack) and his erstwhile counsel, Marshall Abubakar, at the Federal High Court Abuja, is more than a viral headline. For the discerning legal practitioner, it is a sobering case study on the fragile intersection of professional etiquette, the law of agency, and litigation strategy. When seniority is invoked as a sword rather than a shield, and when a client’s family undermines counsel in open court, the resulting legal skeleton reveals a systemic failu…
DR TOLU ADEREMI DEMANDS JUSTICE AND URGES THE NBA TO TAKE ACTION OVER THE ALLEGED POLICE KILLING IN EFFURUN.
Dr Tolu Aderemi has strongly condemned the reported killing of a young Delta State indigene by a police officer, describing the incident as a grave violation of justice and human dignity, and calling for urgent institutional accountability. The legal practitioner, who currently serves as Chairman of the NBA Lagos Branch Law Reform and Monitoring Committee and is a Partner at Perchstone & Graeys, expressed deep concern over the gruesome event said to have occurred in Effurun, Delta State. The incident, which has circulated widely in a dis…
.jpeg)
"NO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER HAS THE POWER TO ACT AS PROSECUTOR, JUDGE, AND EXECUTIONER.” | Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is disturbed by the viral video showing the extrajudicial killing of a suspect by police officers in Delta State, as well as the subsequent confirmation by the Police Public Relations Officer that those involved will be tried for murder. This is an arbitrary, unprovoked, and misguided show of power by a law enforcement agent. Not only did the act clearly show that the policeman took the law into his own hands, but it also portrayed the Nigerian Police Force in a bad light. This sordid act once more puts und…
BREAKING NEWS: NBA EFFURUN BRANCH UNVEILS NEWLY EXPANDED BAR CENTRE AHEAD OF LAW WEEK 2026.
EFFURUN, DELTA STATE – In a significant boost to legal practice infrastructure in Delta State, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Effurun Branch, famously known as the "Dynamic Bar", has officially completed a major expansion and remodelling of its Bar Centre. The project, personally overseen and showcased by the esteemed Chairman, William Onoriode Ewenode Esq., marks a new era for the branch. The redesigned facility features a modernised exterior, a state-of-the-art glass entrance, and a vastly increased interior capacity desig…
NBA LAGOS BRANCH: LOGO UNVEILED FOR THE BIGGEST LAW EVENT IN LAGOS.
Yesterday, the Nigerian Bar Association Lagos Branch officially unveiled the logo for its 2026 Law Week, setting the stage for what promises to be the biggest Law Event in Lagos this year. With the theme “Lawyering in the Digital Age: Navigating Technology, Justice & Innovation,” this year’s Law Week is designed to challenge perspectives, spark innovation, and equip lawyers for the realities of a rapidly evolving digital world. From forward-thinking panel sessions to high-impact conversations and unmatched social and networking activities,…
A LEGACY OF ADVOCACY: A TRIBUTE TO A DISTINGUISHED LIFE | Clementina E. Ukiri, Esq.
I once sat in a courtroom and watched, in quiet awe, as the distinguished Learned Chairman Emeritus of the NBA Ikorodu Branch addressed the bench. I studied his mastery of courtroom advocacy, taking mental notes on the precision and grace with which he navigated the law. How quickly time flickers by. Yesterday, he transitioned to eternal glory. While my heart is heavy, I am profoundly thankful for a life spent enriching the Nigerian legal industry. His passing is a reminder: we will not be young forever. Old age eventually brings its trial…
.jpeg)
IT IS AN ISSUE OF PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY, NOT WITCH HUNTING, MAZI AFAM OSIGWE, SAN TO CHIEF JIBRIN SAM OKUTEPA, SAN.
Dear Chief Jibrin Sam Okutepa, SAN, I read your write-up with more amusement than anger. In order to portray yourself as a victim of political oppression and a witch-hunt, you accused me of abuse of office, forgery, and, indeed, professional misconduct. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I would ordinarily have ignored your post but for the fear that your misleading public narrative may be believed and thereby portray me as one guilty of your allegations. You will, therefore, understand why I have to respond to you in the same medium…
THE COURT SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A STAGE FOR MEDIA BRIEFINGS.
Courtrooms in a constitutional democracy are open to the public not as arenas for performance, but as sanctuaries for the orderly administration of justice. Their openness promotes transparency and public confidence, yet it also imposes a duty of restraint on all who enter. Access to the courtroom is, therefore, a right exercised within boundaries of decorum, discipline, and respect for judicial authority. The courtroom exists solely for adjudication, and its openness cannot be stretched to permit activities unrelated to that purpose. It is…
SEXUAL ASSAULT ON WOMEN AT OZORO FESTIVAL IS A NATIONAL DISGRACE.
A society reveals its true character in how it treats its women. Where women are chased, stripped, groped, violated, and publicly humiliated by mobs under the guise of celebration, what is on display is not culture. It is barbarity. It is a collapse of conscience. It is a stain on our shared humanity. The deeply disturbing reports emerging from a recent festival in Ozoro, Delta State, are not just troubling; they are horrifying. Women were allegedly accosted in broad daylight, forcefully stripped of their clothing, sexually assaulted, and su…
OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUÉ: CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS FOR THE 2026 BRANCH JOURNAL AND LEGAL SERIES.
NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION (LAGOS BRANCH) EDITORIAL BOARD DATE: March 13, 2026 FROM: The Office of the Chairman, Editorial Board TO: All Members, NBA Lagos Branch Distinguished Learned Silks, Benchers, and Colleagues, The Editorial Board of the NBA Lagos Branch is pleased to announce a formal call for scholarly articles, personal commentaries, and practice notes for our upcoming 2026 Lagos Bar Journal and our high-visibility "Emerging Legal Areas" series, to be featured in national dailies including The Guardian , Punch , Ba…
CHARTING THE FUTURE OF LEGAL SCHOLARSHIP: THE NBA LAGOS EDITORIAL BOARD.
The 'Premier Branch' has always been the heartbeat of the Nigerian Bar, but the pulse of any great Bar lies in its intellectual depth. As Chairman of the NBA Lagos Branch Editorial Board, I am energised by the momentum we are building. Following our emergency strategy session on 28 February 2026, it is clear that our mandate transcends mere publication; we are here to set the global standard for legal discourse. I must commend the tireless energy of my Vice Chairman, Amb. Clementina E. Ukiri, Esq., and our Secretary, Henry Chukwu…
CELEBRATING A DECADE OF EXCELLENCE: MRS OYINKANSOLA BADEJO-OKUSANYA SAN, FCIArb, CELEBRATES NBA EFFURUN AT 10.
Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, FCIArb (Mrs B), has commended the Nigerian Bar Association, Effurun Branch, for what she described as a decade of remarkable growth, innovation, and institutional advancement in the legal profession. Reflecting on the Branch’s ten-year journey, she highlighted its forward-thinking digitisation initiatives, the strategic acquisition of a befitting Bar Centre, and the implementation of robust welfare packages tailored to improve the professional and personal well-being of its members. According to her, t…
A DECADE OF EXCELLENCE: WHY THE NBA EFFURUN 10TH ANNIVERSARY IS THE MUST-ATTEND EVENT OF 2026 | Onoriode Ewenode, Esq., Chairman, NBA Effurun Branch.
In the vibrant legal landscape of Delta State, few branches carry the reputation for tenacity and 'grassroots' advocacy quite like the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Effurun Branch. As the calendar flips towards 20 February, the legal community isn't just preparing for a meeting; it’s preparing for a milestone. Celebrating 'A Decade of Dynamic Growth and Development', the Effurun Branch is rolling out a three-day itinerary that perfectly balances the solemnity of the law with the warmth of the community. When a Bar br…
NBA EFFURUN BRANCH SET TO CELEBRATE LANDMARK 10TH ANNIVERSARY WITH THREE-DAY EXTRAVAGANZA | Clementina E. Ukiri, Esq.
EFFURUN, DELTA STATE – The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Effurun Branch, is gearing up for a historic milestone as it celebrates its 10th-Year Anniversary Ceremony from Friday, 20 February to Sunday, 22 February 2026. Under the leadership of the Branch Chairman, Dcn. Onoriode Ewenode, the 'Bar of the People' has curated a robust three-day itinerary designed to blend professional development, community outreach and social networking. The event will be held under the distinguished chairmanship of Hon. Justice T.O. Diai, the Chief …
NBA EFFURUN BRANCH: NOTICE OF THE BRANCH’S 10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION.
DATE: Monday, 9th February 2026 FROM: The Chairman’s Desk TO: All Members SUBJECT: CELEBRATION OF THE BRANCH’S 10TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY. Dear Learned Silks, Elders, Leaders, and Distinguished Colleagues, It is my pleasure to congratulate every one of us as Members of this great, dynamic Branch for clocking ten (10) years as a Branch. You will recall that our Branch was created out of the Warri Branch of the NBA sometime in February 2016, at the Jos National Executive Council (NEC) Meeting of the NBA. May I further share with you …
