Notice Of Intention To Contest The Office Of NBA General Secretary- Dr. Mobolaji Ojibara

Distinguished Learned Silk/ Bencher/ Colleague

My name is Dr. Mobolaji Idris Ojibara. I wish to formally inform you of my intention to contest for the position of the General Secretary in the election of the Nigerian Bar Association coming up on the 20th of July 2024.

I hold a Bachelor of Law degree (LL.B) from Bayero University Kano [1998], Masters of Law Degree (LL.M) from Obafemi Awolowo University, IIe-Ife [2010] and Doctor of Philosophy [Ph.D] (Law) from University of Ilorin [2018]. I was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2000 and appointed a Notary Public in 2008. I became a Fellow of the Institute of Human and Natural Resources in 2014.

I started my practice briefly with late Deji Sasegbon SAN in Lagos in 2000 before joining late Dr Aliyu Alarape Salman SAN, the doyen of Senior Advocates in Kwara State in 2001. I set up my practice, LOFTYHEIGHT, in 2008. I am a trained and experienced Arbitrator who has represented individuals and corporate bodies, as well as acted as party and court appointed arbitrator at various times.

As a member of Ilorin Branch of NBA, I was privileged to serve the branch, first as Publicity Secretary in 2005, then as Chairman in 2013. As a member of the National Executive Committee of the NBA, I served as Chairman, Exhibition Sub-Committee of the Technical Committee for Conference Planning [TCCP] for the 2015 AGC; as a member of Criminal Justice Committee in 2016; and currently serving as a member of General Purposes Committee of the NBA since 2022.

As a member of the NBA Section on Business Law, I have been privileged to serve as Head Rapporteur during the Annual Business Law Conferences of the SBL in 2016 and 2017; and as Chairman, Exhibition Sub-Committee for SBL Conferences of 2017 and 2018.

I have served on the Editorial Board of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, UK, Nigeria Branch; member of Dispute Resolution Section of the International Bar Association; and I am member of the Lagos Court of Arbitration. I was appointed by the Chief Judge of Kwara State as a member of the Working Group for the Establishment of Kwara State Multi-Door Courthouse in 2008.

I was rated in the Top 5 percent of All Nigerian Top Executives in the Law, Legal and Information Industries based on ‘the Company Size and International Business Network’ in 2015, and recognised in 2013 as Kwara State Legal Luminary of the Year. I was recognized by National Pilot as Law Personality of the Week in February 2013, by ThisDay as Legal Personality of the Week in September 2014 and by the nigerianlawyer as Legal Personality of the Week in February 2017.

The National Congress of Nigerian Students recognised me as a ‘Senior Ambassador’; and the National Association of Polytechnics Students as a ‘Trail Blazer’, in recognition of my ‘leadership acumen, immeasurable support towards nation building and contribution towards Youth Developmental Project/ Technology Advancement’ in 2015. I am a recipient of Sir Ahmadu Bello Platinum Leadership Award, 2018; and recently of Faculty of Law, Edo State University Award of Recognition (2024), among several other service awards.

MY PASSION TO SERVE AS THE GENERAL SECRETARY OF NBA

The office of General Secretary is pivotal in ensuring effective service delivery to the esteemed members of the Nigerian Bar Association. It serves as the cornerstone of our association’s commitment in ensuring seamless service delivery to its esteemed members.

As a candidate for the office of General Secretary, I recognize the critical impotance of aligning our strategies with the current trends and dynamics of the NBA. As a former Chairman of one of the foremost and most complex branches of the NBA, I come with tremendous experiences with extensive background in demonstrated leadership capacities which showcases my ability to navigate complex organizational structures effectively.

Dr. Mobolaji Ojibara
Candidate for the office of
General Secretary
Nigerian Bar Association