My people, e don happen! Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Ernest Ojukwu, don pull serious gbege for di legal arena. E don waka go public talk say, make dem no dey bring any pluralistic bar structure wey go fit co-exist with di Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). E no dey gbadun di idea of two bar associations dey jost for one legal space, and e clear say for him mind, na wahala dem dey bring come.
As e dey happen, di koko wey start this whole matter na di discussion wey dem get during di public hearing for di Legal Practitioners Bill 2025. Chief Mela Nunghe (SAN) wey dey represent di Nigerian Law Society, na im be di person wey start di fire. But Ojukwu no gree keep quiet. He say, ‘Abeg, we no fit get two bar associations wey dey oversee di same legal jurisdiction, e go dey cause wahala!’ Hmmm, wetin you expect na?
Ojukwu no just stop there o! E carry plenty examples come show how other countries dey manage their legal affairs. For England and Wales, dem get Bar Council wey dey represent barristers while dem get Bar Standards Board wey dey regulate dem. Di Law Society dey handle solicitors matter. Na so e dey for Canada and di US too. All dis places no dey allow make two different bodies dey share responsibility for di same legal jurisdiction, and Ojukwu don hammer am well.
Him talk say di Nigerian Constitution no gree support any funny arrangement wey fit create alternative bar associations. E mention say, di Nigerian Law Society fit exist as voluntary group, but dem no fit call demself another bar association wey wan start to dey compete with di NBA. Na di truth be that!
As e dey run, Ojukwu don see how di mutual wahala between di NBA and di NLS dey stop progress. He call make di NBA drop di attitude wey dey block di NLS while he also dey advise di NLS may just calm down on di issue of wanting to be recognized as parallel bar. ‘E no dey happen for anywhere wey people dey follow law,’ he talk.
For Nigeria, Ojukwu don make am clear say di NBA gat serious responsibilities under di Law wey dey regulate di legal practitioners, and anybody wey wan practice law must join dem. He don call attention to plenty court decisions wey don affirm di status quo, and dem no dey play with am.
Di Legal Practitioners Bill 2025 just dey solidify di place of di NBA as di only bar association wey dey work for Nigeria. Ojukwu don talk say NLS fit operate as professional body for welfare, advocacy, and networking, but if dem try dey share governance with di NBA, na serious gbege dem dey follow go meet.
Na di way di matter be, my people! Ojukwu don dey hot for dis matter, and e no go gree make anybody spoil di legal fiesta wey dem don set for Nigeria. Make we dey watch as dis palava dey unfold, abeg!
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