•By Johnson Pius Ayah Esq.
In the legal family, when it comes to financial commitment, young lawyers within 1-7 years of call to the Nigerian Bar are always considered to be the upcoming professionals not endowed with wealth to afford high pay as such they are given low fees; Annual Practicing Fee, Annual General Conference and other events etc are good examples.
The Annual General Conference (AGC) is a core event for lawyers in Nigeria which take place once in a year, and it serves as an avenue for lawyers to acquire more skills, wisdom and knowledge to grow their legal carrier.
The opportunity to attend Annual General Conference (AGC) gives practicing lawyers and the likes of them great advantages in enjoying some privileges as such many lawyers do not joke with the prestigious conference when the Notice of date for same is announced by the NBA president. This great gathering comprises of justices, judges, magistrate, senior advocates, Director General of the Nigerian law school, Director General of the Corporate Affair commission, law lecturers, Attorney General of all States, all legal practitioners in Nigeria to mention but a few. 
The Annual General Conference (AGC) fee is categorised according to the year of call to the Nigerian Bar.
The payment of the fee gives the members the license to attend the reputable gathering and participate in the continuous legal education and enjoy other useful activities.
The fees categorised to be paid by the attendees are not usually outrageous but rather a token fee within average fee affordable by lawyers in their different categories, but few years down the line the members of this noble profession, especially the NBA Young lawyers have experienced serious challenges in paying the AGC fee due to serious financial challenges. 
It is true that currently lawyers are considering whether to advocate the need to get rid of NBA Annual General Conference from one of the event annually held as its essence seems to have been lost.
The conference serves as an opportunity for the large body to have their Annual General Meeting and within make their major decisions but fees especially this year will prevent many lawyers from attending the AGC.
It is true, my president that there is high inflation in Nigeria as to hosting a prestigious event like the AGC, but the importance of the conference to lawyers should be highly considered and bring to bear the spirit of sacrifice by having a downward review of 2024 Conference fee in such that will favour large number of lawyers especially, young lawyers.
The Nigerian Bar Association annual general conference is not a profit making event, and should not be regarded as such as it is being misrepresented by some members.
Many opined that the reputable NBA President, Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau 2022-2024 is known as a compassionate, competent and an understanding leader that would not like to end his tenure on a bad note.
Especially, many young lawyers are proud of his exceptional leadership qualities and strongly believe a revisit on conference fee, 2024. Juxtaposing the five years down the line 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024 conference fees the disparity is far obviously clear comparing the past years conference fees with this year 2024.It is obvious at this juncture to check the right section of NBA constitution 2015 (As Amended in 2021): PART 11, SECTION 13; Sub (1). The annual General Conference shall hold on such dates as may be determined by the National Executive Council Provided that the Annual General Meeting shall be held in the course of the Annual General Conference.
(2). The president, in consultation with the National Executive Council, shall set up an annual general conference planning committee.
(3). The National Executive Council shall determine the business to be transacted at the Annual General Conference.
For the purpose of this work, we shall make reference to the conference fee,2024 registration for young lawyers only as approved by NEC; Category-1-9 years early Bird Rate N50,000.00 Regular Rate N75,00.00 Late Registration N200.000.00 while On Site Registration N250,000.00 .
A close look at the NBA constitution it is obvious that Appealing to the president, NBA NEC and the already constituted committee for AGC for downward review of this year’s fee for annual general conference especially for young lawyers in the whole federation is not out of place. it is clear from the section of the NBA constitution that it is the president and the National Executive Council (NEC) that determines the conference fee. One may ask who comprises the National Executive Council (NEC)? Over 89% of NBA Branches in the whole federation always elect their leaders after two years who usually form the bulk of NBA NEC Members.
PART 11, SECTION 8; Sub (1) The national executive council shall comprise the following: (a) National Officers.
(b) All past presidents and General Secretaries.
(c) All chairmen and Secretaries of registered Branches.
(d) Chairmen and Secretaries of sections and for
(e) Other deserving members of the association co-opted by the National Executive council.
The above form the NBA NEC members that determine the NBA Conference fee every year as such we must not only channel our complain to the NBA president only rather the NBA NEC and the AGC Planning Committee,2024 already set-up should also be notified. Above all the NBA president, Y,C MAIKIU SAN has strong influence to decide what can be the NBA conference fee. Globally, war, natural disasters and man-made inflation etc has caused high rate of inflation in the world and Nigeria today. It is obvious that the Nigeria economy is going through technical surgery and young lawyers nation-wide are feeling the negative impact.
High percentage of young lawyers in Nigeria today feed from hand to mouth as some Senior Advocates and Senior Lawyers have refused and neglected to pay common minimum wage. Some young lawyer receives twenty thousand (N20,000), Thirty Thousand Naira (N30,000), Forty Thousand Naira (N40,000) and Fifty Thousand Naira (N50,000) as monthly salaries in this unfriendly economy weather.
•Johnson Pius Ayah Esq.,
FORMER YLF CHAIRMAN NBA BWARI BRANCH (CRADLE BAR)
