As the 62nd Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference (NBAAGC) with the themed “Bold Transitions” approaches, preparations for the event are in top gear.
Lawyers from all corners of Nigeria will in a matter of days, converge on the audacious Eko Atlantic City in Lagos for the AGC that has over the years, been known to be the largest gathering of Lawyers anywhere in the world.
As the August 19th date for the commencement of the Conference draws close, and with the Technical Committee on Conference Planning (TCCP) having unveiled the various Conference activities, indications are emerging that the Olumide Akpata-led NBA administration is on course to deliver a legacy conference, that sets a standard that will become a benchmark for subsequent NBA conferences.
Tobenna Erojikwe, the TCCP Chairman, had earlier said the core objective of the NBAAGC 2022 is “to host a world-class conference, with in-depth discourse on critical issues affecting the legal profession and the country, facilitated by the most eminently qualified resource persons able to galvanise all Conference attendees towards the path of becoming better legal practitioners and experts in their chosen fields; shape public opinion on critical issues; and inspire Lawyers to build the law firms of the future”.
So far, the activities lined up for the 2022 Annual General Conference are generating a high level of interest and enthusiasm among Lawyers. One exciting event for many Lawyers who have registered for the Conference, is the Presidential Candidates’ session, where the candidates of the major political parties in the 2023 Presidential election are expected to speak on “Democratic Transitions in 21st Century Nigeria: 2023 and Beyond”. Already, the TCCP has confirmed that two of the four leading candidates, Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP), have given their word that they will be present, while Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) are yet to confirm their availability.
Underscoring the importance of the Presidential Candidates’ plenary, a first in the history of the NBA AGC, the TCCP said it would present an opportunity to critically assess Nigeria’s democratic journey since 1999, identify key challenges which have perennially bedevilled the polity, and evaluate sustainable solutions to these challenges. The session will also aim at encouraging greater citizen participation in the governance of Nigeria, with Lawyers playing a leading role.
“With the poor state of our economy, mounting insecurity, comatose educational system, decaying infrastructure, persistent inter-ethnic crises and general high cost of living, the 2023 elections may be a watershed moment for Nigeria. This session will provide a platform for the key Presidential candidates in the 2023 elections, to give insights on their respective roadmaps for addressing Nigeria’s key challenges and leading Nigeria’s next democratic transition”, Erojikwe said.
Many prospective participants are also looking forward to the Keynote Speech by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author of Purple Hibiscus, Half of a Yellow Sun, Americanah, and several other works. The multiple award-winning author who has delivered two landmark TED talks – her 2009 TED Talk “The Danger of A Single Story” and her 2012 TEDx Euston Talk “We Should All Be Feminists” – will be speaking at the opening ceremony of the Conference.
