“I have received with trepidation your intention to contest for the presidency of the NBA. I know your intention is borne out of a genuine desire to serve and correct the obvious maladies affecting lawyers and the country. But I must tell you that NBA politics is as bad as the country’s politics. They do so many terrible things to win elections. Lawyers will not vote for you if you don’t bribe them with money. Some will take your money and mobilise for another candidate. I know you will make a big difference if you become the president of the NBA but can you withstand the betrayal, backstabbing, frustrations, deceit, outright falsehood and many shenanigans that are involved. Pls, think very well about these before you commit yourself into it.”
I have in the past few days received calls and messages similar to the above, about the financial implications of contesting for NBA Presidency, what goes on in the Branches, in the regional groups and so on. I’m totally amazed that this is what Bar elections have come to, where an average of N500m is said to be the conservative budget to contest the office of President of the NBA.
I believe that the NBA NEC has a duty to sanitize the whole process to create a level playing field for all aspirants, rich and poor, young and old, male or female. We cannot have a vibrant Bar taken over and hijacked by money bags and bourgeoises and still expect to make any impact on the state of affairs in Nigeria.
I believe that the time has come to audit the finances of ALL aspirants that have declared their intentions so far, prove the accounts of the Branches and declare war on money-bag politicians within the NBA.
This is a big challenge for all of us or we just altogether scrap the NBA!
Ebun-olu Adegboruwa, SAN
Lekki, Lagos.
11/03/2020.