PROTOCOL
Firstly, may I, on behalf of the Idemili Bar Centre Commissioning Committee, welcome the Honourable, the Chief Judge of Anambra State, Hon. Justice Onochie M. Anyachebelu and all his brother Judges to this ceremony.
May I also welcome (in no particularly order) the Priests, Learned Senior Advocates of Nigeria, members of the Body of Benchers, the Chief Registrar, Learned Magistrates of all cadres, Presidents of Customary Courts, Chairmen of NBA Branches in Anambra State, Gentlemen of the Bar, respected Traditional Rulers and titled Chiefs, Ladies and Gentlemen who have found time to be at this Commissioning ceremony. 
Let me start this Address by making reference to the Holy Bible, the book of John Chapter 1 verses 1 – 3 (KJV), which state as follows:
“1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
- The same was in the beginning with God.
- All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. “
On the premises of the above, we give God thanks for all He has done. He gave us an opportunity to assemble today at this Commissioning ceremony. He gave us something to celebrate which is the Idemili Ultra-Modern Bar Centre in the High Court of Justice, Ogidi. What had seemed intractable, suddenly was achieved.
The Idemili Bar Centre was built within a space of about 10 months with all modern facilities and excellent finishing. The complex has some facilities which the Sponsors of the project decided to name after very eminent and distinguished jurists and lawyers of Idemili extraction who are role models for the present generation. The facilities are:
- Hon. Justice Michael O. Ajegbo, JSC Hall of Honour
- Chief Dr. Chimezie Ikeazor, SAN Library
- Prince Rob weka, SAN Relaxation Centre
- Hon. Justice Alfred Obi-Okoye Conference Room
- Hon. Justice Godfrey Ezekwe Administrative Office
- Two nos. Tuck Shops
Even the premises of the High Court of Justice, Ogidi, has been made to wear a new look. As men of goodwill, all that will be on our mind is, how did this happen?
To answer this question, we again give thanks to God Almighty for giving us Hon. Justice Pete Obiorah, the Administrative Judge of Idemili Judicial Division. My Lord hails from Nkpor, a town within the Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State. He is the first High Court Judge from that community.
My Lord was the one that caught the vision and immediately started running with it. He never looked back. He was not discouraged. He didn’t get faint and in his best eye view, he saw the Idemili UltraModern Bar Centre completed in its full glory as we are witnessing today. My Lord is a great mobilizer and an accomplished manager of men and resources; firm, unwavering, focused, full of wisdom and understanding. He took it as a challenge that Idemili Bar should have a befitting Bar Centre. He ignited the interest of members of the Branch and Idemili Lawyers in Diaspora to come together to sponsor the project. We thank my Lord for the selfless efforts he put in place for the realisation of this Idemili UltraModern Bar Centre.
We appreciate greatly all the contributors and sponsors of this project. The list of sponsors and the grades by which contributions were made can be seen in this Brochure. This is your day. We have seen that together we can do exploits for the good of the legal profession. Your immense sacrifices of your resources in the face of the economic gloom of the country made this project possible. May the Good Lord, the Giver of all good things, reward you abundantly and enlarge your coast.
One of the sponsors deserves special mention – Prince Rob Iweka, SAN. He was very enthusiastic about this project. He was the first person to make a contribution to the project. I had to single him out because he started with us very enthusiastically but he is not physically here today to celebrate with us.
May the soul of Prince Rob Iweka, SAN continue to rejoice.
At short notice, we got the Honourable, the Chief Judge of Anambra State who hails from Oraukwu in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State to agree to visit and Commission this project.
We also thank My Noble Lord for approving the project in the premises of the Court without whose approval the project could not have been done in the premises of the Court. Interestingly, my Lord the Chief Judge is on the Platinum Grade of sponsors of this project.
We also thank the Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Ilochi Okafor, SAN (Akajiani) for accepting to chair this occasion at a very short notice.
I want to at this juncture thank everyone here present. Your presence has greatly enhanced the beauty and joy of this ceremony. I urge you all to relax and participate in the programme of events to enable you have a full view and appreciate what the sponsors have done.
I enjoin all present, in appreciation for this beautiful edifice God has given unto us; to sing this hymn unto Him; SACRED SONGS AND SOLOS 23: TO GOD BE THE GLORY.
