By Adekola Afolabi

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The Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has charged the new leadership of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, to emulate exemplary leadership qualities exhibited by immediate past leadership of the association under  Olumide Akpata,  for the benefit of all.

Akeredolu, specially congratulated the immediate past President for providing courageous leadership at crucial moments, saying posterity would remember the members of the Executive Committee under his exemplary leadership, for good.

He lauded Akpata for being able to take bold decisions for the benefit of members devoid of skewed partisanship and carrying members of the NEC with him, even as he enjoined the new leadership to tow this path of progress in the overall interest of the Bar.

The Governor who is also a Life Bencher and former President of the Bar stated this in a statement titled, “The Bar Must Remain United And Focused”, which he personally issued.

He, however, condemned, in very strong terms, what he called the growing tendencies which predispose members of the great association to act in manner considered very strange to the established tradition anchored on diffidence, respect and dignity.

“Let me start by congratulating our Association for the largely successful annual conference held in Lagos. I must congratulate the immediate past leadership for the reawakening in the Bar. An especial mention must be made of the former President, Olumide Akpata, Esq, for providing courageous leadership at crucial moments.

“Posterity will remember the members of the Executive Committee, under his exemplary leadership, for good. The administration left an indelible mark which will be difficult to erase. The tenure was hugely successful.

“I must also not fail, however, to condemn, in very strong terms, the growing tendencies which predispose members of our great association to act in manner considered very strange to the established tradition anchored on diffidence, respect and dignity. It is not for ordinariness that we are called learned.

“Our rigorous training, at various levels, culminating in the Call to join the club of eminence, the age-long reverence with which our professional forbears were treated, the enormous responsibilities imposed on us by the very circumstances of our emergence as learned gentlemen and the expectations of the generality of the people, leave us no option other than to uphold the practice of excellence.

“I have read several comments arising from the statement credited to my friend, brother and colleague, Chief  Niyi Akintola, SAN. I am acutely aware of the passion with which he pursues his conviction on any matter. I am sure that he will, at a reflective moment, agree with all colleagues and reasonable people that our immediate past president, though junior in age and length of membership of our great association, cannot be referred to as a boy biologically or otherwise.

“As the President of our Association, he was the number one lawyer in the country without regard to the camp to which he belonged during the Bar elections, his religion, ethnicity and political affiliation. There are set rules for the executive leadership of the association.

“No elected member of the committee can act outside the scope permitted and envisioned. There are also established guidelines for redress in case of perceived infractions or infringement on the rights of persons or groups. The President of the Bar is primus inter pares.