Controversy Trails 13th Gani Fawehinmi Lecture

By Akinwale Akintunde

The 13th Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture scheduled for tomorrow, January 15, 2017 might not hold as the two factions of the organising body, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja branch are currently disagreeing over the lecture date.

A faction of the NBA Ikeja branch led by Mr. Adesina Ogunlana had since last week sent out invitation to the effect that the annual lecture/symposium usually organised by the branch every January 15 in hounour the late Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Gani Fawehinmi would hold at the Airport Hotel, Ikeja.

But a statement from the Dele Oloke-led faction dated January 11, has denied involvement in the organisation of the lecture and called for postponement.

According to the statement, the said Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture purportedly coming up is being organised by an impostor to the office of the Chairman NBA Ikeja Branch who does not have the authority of the Branch to represent it in any way.

“Our attention has however been called to an advertorial making the rounds that the said Lecture/Symposium would hold on 15th January, 2017.

“This is to inform you that the NBA Ikeja Branch is not involved as a branch in the said Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture purportedly coming up on the 15th day of January 2017and organised by one Mr. AdesinaOgunlana and his dissident group. The Branch disclaim any arrangement to that effect as the said Mr. AdesinaOgunlana is an impostor to the office of the Chairman NBA Ikeja Branch and he does not have the authority of the Branch to represent it in any way.

“The General Public is hereby informed that the 13th edition of the annual lecture/symposium has been postponed and new date will be communicated by the Branch.

“The reasons for the postponement of the said 2017 GaniFawehinmi Annual Lecture/Symposium are listed below:

“That Mr. AdesinaOgunlana who is leading the group of impostors to organize the 13thGaniFawehinmi Annual Lecture/Symposium is presently at war with the NBA and its Trustees as the Claimant in Suit No. LD/1141GCM/16. 

“That Mr. AdesinaOgunlana participated in the Election into branch offices conducted by the NBA Ikeja Branch on the 12th day of June 2016 in defiance to the instructions of the NBA Branch Election Monitoring Committee headed by ChiefDafeAkpedeye(SAN) that he is not qualified and therefore ineligible to contest for the post of Chairman of NBA Ikeja Branch by virtue of Section 6(3) of the NBA Uniform Bye Law for Branches (2015).  

“That Mr. AdesinaOgunlana purported election into the office of Chairman was nullified by the NBA National Executive Committee at its meeting held on the 16th of June 2016 in Benin City and NEC further ordered that a Bye- Election into the office of the Chairman, NBA Ikeja Branch should be conducted. The NEC further appointed Mr. Nurudeen Ogbara (Former Chairman NBA Ikorodu Branch) to conduct the said bye-election and to report back to NBA National.

“That resultantly, at the end of the Bye-Election exercise conducted by the said Mr. NurudeenOgbara, Prince Dele Oloke was elected unopposed as the Chairman of the Branch. This election of Prince Dele Oloke was affirmed at the NEC of the NBA on the 22nd day of August 2016 and was also ratified and passed as one of the resolutions at the Annual General Meeting of the NBA held at Civic Center, Port Harcourt Rivers State on the 25th of August 2016”, the statement said.