Nwobike Donates Bar Centre  to NBA Isiokpo, Rivers

Wale Igbintade

Known for his humility and philanthropic gestures, a Lagos-based lawyer, Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN), has singlehandedly built and donated an ultra-modern Bar Centre to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), lsiokpo branch, Rivers State.

Nwobike made history for being the first person in the state to single-handedly build and donate a befitting Bar Centre free to any NBA branch in Rivers State.

The Bar Centre, named as ‘Dr. Joseph Nwobike SAN Law Centre’, was erected on an expansive land at Alimini Isiokpo town in Rivers State, and was officially unveiled on June 23, 2023, by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Simeon Amadi.

While inaugurating the Bar Centre, Justice Amadi said with the donation, Nwobike has written his name in gold, and made the jobs of lawyers in Isiokpo easy, as they now have a befitting office to carry out their legal-related activities.

The Chief Judge commended him for his kind gesture and promised to support the centre with other needs.

He stated that Nwobike has made giant strides in the legal profession, adding that building a modern Bar Centre for the Isiokpo branch is laudable and worthy of emulation by others.

In his remarks, Nwobike, said the donation was an expression of his commitment to sustaining the branch and giving back to the profession from which he has benefited immensely.

“This project, I must confess, is one of my little ways of giving back to the profession from which I have derived so much. In all, I want to thank God for providing the means, grace and divine understanding which clearly enabled the completion of this project within this time,” he stated.

According to Nwobike, “It all started on August 22, 2022, when some Isiokpo-born lawyers and other members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Isiokpo branch, visited his chambers in Lagos on the activities and challenges facing the branch, as well as problem of office accommodation confronting the branch since its creation in 2002.

He said he accepted to support the branch, and immediately directed one Stephen Alu to source for land in Isiokpo for that purpose.

“I purchased the land, and on September 22, 2022, handed over the ownership of the two plots of land to the branch at a ceremony attended by the executives and members of the branch, at that event, the branch Chairman, Dr. Cashmia Ofurum, in his address, pleaded for my assistance to their quest to construct a befitting secretariat for the branch. Following this plea, I announced my decision to build and deliver a befitting secretariat on that land to the branch within the shortest possible time. What we are gathered here today for is the highpoint of that unconditional commitment made by my humble self to the NBA Isiokpo branch on that day,’’ he said.

Nwobike thanked members and executives of the branch for naming the secretariat after him, and that he was indeed humbled by this gesture.

He also commended the Chief Judge of the state, the Judges of various High Courts, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the members of the Inner and Outer Bar, traditional rulers and other dignitaries present at the occasion.

Earlier, in his welcome addresses, the Chairman, NBA, Isiokpo branch, Dr. Cashmia Ofurum, expressed appreciation to the donor for putting smiles on the faces of members of Isiokpo branch.