Being the welcome address presented by NBA Asaba Branch’s Chairman, on the occasion of the Branch’s Annual Law Week, 2023.
It is my pleasure to welcome everyone to the Nigerian Bar Association, Asaba Branch Law Week which holds from the 16th to the 19th of November 2023.
The Law Week is the flagship event of branches of the NBA and a key feature within the two- year calendar of every successful NBA branch administration.
It presents legal practitioners with a unique opportunity to interrogate issues affecting the profession and to continue to seek new and innovative ways of delivering value added legal solutions to our communities and users of legal services.
With the theme, “Technology and the Future of Legal Practice in Delta State”, this year’s Law Week literally aligns with the thinking of this Branch’s administration from its inception which is “elevating the status of lawyers and members of the Asaba branch and improving their practice to a pedestal where they can favorably compete commercially with their peers within and outside Nigeria. It was thus our goal to give our members all the exposure and edification they will require to aspire to their highest potential.
Driven by the passion to see our lawyers excel in the modern world, we sought to adopt and integrate technology in our processes as a Branch. For ease of payments and to improve transparency, we have fully digitized our payment systems and dues collection at the Branch and discouraged cash transactions.
In July of this year, we successfully sought the collaboration of the family of the Late Hon. Justice Chukwunweike Idigbe, JSC to establish an E- Library and Resource Centre to commemorate his centenary at the NBA Asaba Bar Center.
This -Library comprises of 16 workstations, 10 All-in-One Desktop Computers configured with electronic resources and space for more resources for the benefit of our lawyers, power supply from an independent power source, a solar power station that ensures 24 hours power supply, fully air-conditioned room, and a HP LaserJet printer with capabilities for multiple printing, photocopy and scanning per minute.
At our September 2023 meeting, we launched a brand-new website for the branch which will serve us in many diverse areas in our processes at the branch. The website which was midwifed by the Law Week Committee served as the gateway we used for the registration of participants for this Law Week.
The Delta State Ministry of Justice and the Delta State Judiciary have also been proactive in the adoption of technology in their processes. With the amended Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2022, the Administration of Civil Justice Law, 2022, and the Delta State Arbitration Law, 2022, etc, piloted by the Ministry of Justice, the Delta State Government has introduced innovative procedures that are anchored on technology for their effective administration.
The introduction of technology will certainly ease legal service delivery in the justice sector of the State. The Delta State Judiciary under the able leadership of our Amiable Chief Judge, Hon. Justice TO. Diai has introduced landmark reforms in the administration of justice in the State with the adoption of the Nigerian Case Management System (NCMS) and E-Filing, making the State among the few to adopt computer-aided justice delivery in its judicial administration.
I thus have no doubt that this Law Week will stir up a policy revolution in our state, change our perception, and equip us with knowedge and tools to face the exciting future for legal practice in Delta State.
This year’s Law Week will not be all work, speeches, and talk, as there are several exciting sporting events and community cum social development aspects of the event.
Yesterday, the 16th day of November 2023, we had a Health Walk tagged “Walk for Law” held in conjunction with UN – IOM to sensitize the public about the vagaries of Human Trafficking and other social we also partnered with FADE Africa, promoted by the dessert warier, Dr. Newton Jibunoh to carry out a tree planting exercise.
The Branch pro bono and Administration of Criminal Justice Team also provided free legal and counseling service to indigent members of our community who came to seek legal help at the premises of the Bar Center, and the days climax was a welcome cocktail for all our guests resource persons, and participants in general.
Later today, the Law Week Committee will be hosting us to a novel grill night to afford us the opportunity to unwind and network, while tomorrow the 18th of November 2023 would commence with a novelty football match tomorrow between the NBA Asaba Football team and heir counterparts from the NBA Benin Branch, and end with the prestigious Law Dinner, which shall be a black -tile event We shall close the week-long event with a Thanksgiving on Sunday moming, and thereafter, pay a visit to a designated orphanage to give back from what we have been blessed with as an association.
The Low Week Committee under the capable leadership of Mr. Andrew Osemedua Odum, SAN, has done a lot in terms of planning in putting up this memorable event I cannot thank the committee enough; I also recognize the Secretary of the Law Week Committee, D. T. Make – Unuareokpa, and must acknowledge the zeal and energy of Mrs. Oluchi Uchegbu, as well as those co-opted by the Chairman to bring new energy into the Committee, AP. Maduemezia, Augustine N. Eseagwu, Nneka Obiagor, etc. I want to thank and commend members of my Executive Committee who have made themselves available for the success of this event, they were superlative in their performance. I am eternally grateful.
I want to use this opportunity to commend our silent partners in progress, ably led by the Honorable, the Chief Judge of Delta State, Honorable Justice T. O. Diai. My Lord, the Chief Judge had to cancel an already scheduled Judicial Service Committee (SC meeting to accommodate this opening ceremony and approved for lawyers to be excused from attending court for the period of this law week event The Honorable Justice C. N. Orishedere -Ojugbana, the President of the Customary Court of Appeal of Delta State, has been a mother.
The Solicitor General of Delta State, and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mr. Omamuzo Erebe gave all his support including mobilizing lawyers to register. I thank them for their leadership, support, and friendship with the Bar.
May I use this opportunity to specially commend all our sponsors and who made it a point of duty to provide their financial resources by way of sponsoring this event.
Many of them, distinguished Bar leaders in the branch have become major pillars of support to the branch. They stood by me and the Branch in all our activities from the inception of this administration. Your financial support and goodwill assisted us in no small measure to make today a reality. We thank you all.
I want to encourage our resource persons and other guests to take the opportunity of their presence in the Delta state capital to savor the beauty and richness of the really in the saying Asaba Amaka.
On behalf of the Asaba branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, it is my honor and privilege to welcome you to the 2023 law week of the branch and wish us all, a successful Law week.
Precious Nwadimuya, Esq.
Chairman,
NBA Asaba Branch.
2022 – 2024
