“Igwe bu ike” is a popular Igbo cliché which literally means “strength in number”.
Indeed, the Nigerian Bar Association can boast of numerical strength of over 100,000 members. It is said to be the largest Bar in Africa and its Annual General Meeting, one of the largest gatherings of Lawyers in the world after the International Bar Association (IBA).
The aggregate number of active and inactive members of the association might have informed the opinion and decision of the Court of Appeal in B.A. v. KEHINDE (2017) 11 NWLR (PT 1576) 225 AT 250 -251 paras H- A, where His Lordship NIMPAR JCA, stated as follows: “The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) was established for the purpose of regulating the affairs and conduct of all legal practitioners in Nigeria and upon being called to the Nigerian Bar, there is automatic membership into the NBA as a lawyer. See Chinwo v. Owhonada (2008)3 NWLR (Pt.1074)341. Hence, as long as one remains within the noble profession, he is a member and ought to comply with the directive of the Association”.
The question that should agitate the mind of every Lawyer in Nigeria is; has the NBA leveraged on its number for the social economic development of its members, since number is always associated as a determinant factor for strategic developments?
Perhaps, an answer to the question would be found in the Olumide Akpata ESQ led leadership of the NBA which has leveraged on the numerical strength of the association to achieve a milestone in the Health Insurance Scheme.
In this regard, the Nigerian Bar Association as well as branches of the NBA could equally explore opportunities of creating a mortgage housing scheme and low interest loans and welfare packages for the economic empowerment of its members. For the mortgage housing scheme, the NBA can partner with seasoned Estate Developers/Mortgage institutions as it is being done by some members of the Unity Bar, Abuja with the U-lawyers’ Cooperative Society.
All these and much more can be achieved by practical leadership at all levels of the Nigerian Bar Association.
Chidi Udekwe
Alternate Chairman
Covid-19 Committee, NBA Abuja Branch.
