Nigeria Content Online

Abuja-based lawyer,
Joe-Kyari Gadzama, has announced his intention to contest for president
of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

In a letter of
intent to the bar, Mr. Gadzama called on the NBA to first clean up its
own ranks before it can effectively fulfil its obligations to the
larger public. “Despite the successes recorded, the truth remains that
the NBA is far from achieving its full potential,” he said. “Our
operations as a body remain marred by administrative inefficiency and
internal wrangling, and it is not surprising that we do not have full
participation by all members of the bar and that most young lawyers see
the NBA as a relic of the past; one which holds no relevance to them or
their careers.”

Mr. Gadzama said an association such as NBA deserves strong
leadership to ensure that it remains a vital organization and operates
in a manner consistent with its goals and objectives. He called for a
more inclusive leadership within the organisation and promised more
staff training facilities. Mr Gadzama said the bar was capable of
having a greater impact on the lives of the disenfranchised. He
announced the creation of a ‘giving-back’ initiative, where lawyers and
law firms would be required to meet a minimum pro-bono requirement
every year. “My primary goal would be to achieve unity within the NBA
by bringing together various factions and constantly mediating
different interests to find a common ground,” he said. “I have spent
the greater part of my adult years building bridges and connecting
people. This will also be brought to bear on the NBA.”