YEAR 2024 IN REVIEW
The year 2024 comes to a close today, and for most Nigerian Lawyers, it is ending with a mixed-bag of feelings. It was without any iota of doubt, a busy year. It was a year that witnessed the meritorious emergence of a new Chief Justice of Nigeria, the second female to occupy the exalted office, Hon. Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, GCON, and one in which 11 new Supreme Court Justices were sworn in, to make a full court of 21. It was also a year in which the salaries and allowances of judicial officers were finally increased, after about 17 years of stagnation. A year that saw impunity and rascality at State level, where some States are yet to implement the N70k minimum wage as agreed between the Federal Government and Labour. It was also a year in which the Supreme Court delivered a landmark judgement, granting the local government councils financial autonomy, while the Edo State Government, in defiance of the judgement, suspended elected local government Chairmen (and their Deputies). Indeed, 2024 was a potpourri of events for the Bar, the Bench and Nigeria. In this last edition of the year, we present a kaleidoscopic view of the major issues that shaped Nigeria in 2024
January 2, 2024
President Tinubu and NBA Presidents Pay Tribute to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN
The Nigerian legal community, the people of Ondo State, and indeed, Nigeria, witnessed the passage of the 24th President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and two-time Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, CON, SAN, fondly called Aketi, who joined the saints triumphant in the early hours of Wednesday, December 27, 2023 at the age of 67. Aketi certainly left his footprints firmly on the sands of time, both in his service to the NBA and the legal profession, and to his State. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, HE Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR and the current and Past Presidents of the NBA paid glowing tribute to this Legal Titan. Aketi, may the flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. Amen.
January 9, 2024 focused on Justice Sector Reforms ‘Government Must Publish Clear Policy Statement on Justice Sector Reform’
The Nigerian Judiciary is, sadly, the most neglected and most underfunded of the three arms of government. The crucial constitutional role this arm of government plays in the nation, is basically taken for granted and the least appreciated, despite the Judiciary being the stabilising factor in any constitutional democracy. The immediate past Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Ekiti State, Olawale Fapohunda, SAN took up critical issues about the justice sector in a chat with Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi, discussing possible and workable solutions from his wealth of experience as an administration of justice sector reform guru.
January 16 featured our interview with Asue Ighodalo who ran for the Governorship of Edo State in the 2024 election
‘My Vision of Transformative Leadership Will Benefit Edo State’
September 21st, 2024 would be the day that the people of Edo State would go to polls to pick their Governor. For the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, the ticket was zoned to the Edo State Central Senatorial District, with Asue Ighodalo being endorsed as the Senatorial District’s preferred candidate for the position of Governor. Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi tracked down this accomplished Corporate Lawyer and Boardroom Guru, for a chat. He spoke about his ambition, agenda, challenges and hopes to see the total transformation of Edo State, if and when he secures the Governorship mandate.
January 23 – Asserting Nigeria’s place in the Arbitration world
‘Nigeria Now Has World Class Arbitration Centres’
He is a distinguished legal practitioner par excellence, having held the topmost positions that the profession accords at various levels, including being the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)(2004) and Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (June, 2005 – May, 2007). Today, Chief Christopher Adebayo Ojo, CON, SAN, C.Arb, is internationally recognised as an Arbitrator. A member of the of the outstanding Nigerian Law School Class of 1978, Chief Bayo Ojo, SAN is currently the President of the African Arbitration Association and Editor-In-Chief of the Nigerian Journal of Arbitration and Mediation. He has authored and co-authored many publications on Arbitration and Mediation. In a chat with Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi, he shared his dreams about making Nigeria a major international arbitration hub, and deepening the practice in Nigeria, as well as touching on the highlights of the newly enacted Arbitration and Mediation Act 2023.
January 30 – Newly minted SAN, Olayemi Badewole, spoke on the fact that the number of female SANs are abysmally low, in this edition
“Nigeria’s Political Class Are Bad Losers”
Is the legal profession in Nigeria, biased against female Lawyers? Or why is the number of female Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), less than 10% of the total number? Or is it just a question of gender balance? These issues have been subtly discussed over the past few years, in the legal community. Mrs Olayemi Badewole, SAN rose and took up the gauntlet in a very engaging chat with Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi, in which she bared her mind on a plethora of professional issues, including that of the abysmally low number of female SANs, complexities in the Plateau lawmakers’ case, Election Petition jurisprudence, discipline of Lawyers and the challenges of juggling motherhood with active legal practice.
February 6 – Insecurity which has become so pervasive and a national malaise, grabbed our attention
Nigeria: In the Throes of Insecurity
Insecurity everywhere, Nowhere to run! This appears to be the plight of most Nigerians in the past few months, and there doesn’t seem to be any respite. The once serene Plateau State is now under siege, because of bandits and terrorists. Most worrisome is the fact that the nation’s Capital, Abuja, is not spared from the grip of kidnappers and bandits, and the situation appears to be getting worse. Reports reveal that, there are now daily kidnappings in Abuja and its environs. What is President Bola Tinubu’s plan, to safeguard the lives of Nigerians? Chief Aikhunegbe Anthony Malik, SAN; Jide Ojo; Emmanuel Onwubiko, Dr Sam Amadi and Adedapo Tunde-Olowu, SAN with available statistics, scrutinised Nigeria’s precarious security situation and proffered possible solutions.
February 13 – Newly minted SAN, Mrs Folashade Alli occupied our interview spot
“Female Lawyers Must be Supportive of Each Other“
Hard work, diligence and integrity are necessary prerequisites to getting to the top of any profession. For the legal profession, these characteristics are doubly indispensable. Folashade Alli, SAN, is classical example of one who possesses these attributes. The Learned Senior Advocate, in this chat with Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi, shared her professional experience, her journey to the top of the legal profession, while she discussed the increase in the use of ADR, what is required to make Nigeria an arbitration hub, and why pupillage and mentorship in the legal profession must be encouraged.
February 20 – THISDAY LAWYER had characteristically championed the cause of the welfare of judicial officers. This edition testifies to that, with an interview with a retired, but not tired Judge
‘Nigerian Judicial Officers Aren’t Properly Remunerated’
Professor (Justice) Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye is a bundle of erudition, judicial activism and sagacity, all rolled into one. His inevitable exit from the Kogi State Judiciary last year, having attained the then mandatory retirement age of 65, brought tears to many eyes. With a sound Doctorate degree in Law, expertise in Electronic Evidence, as well as being a published author, His Lordship gave the best of himself to Kogi State and the country during his years on the Bench. Now fully settled in the Academia as a Visiting Professor of Law at the National Open University of Nigeria, Professor Ajileye told Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi in a conversation that his only regret so far, is that the Kogi State Government had failed to pay his retirement benefits and gratuity a year after his meritorious exit. He discussed a range of issues concerning the Judiciary, and expressed his concerns about the poor remuneration, conditions of service and welfare of Judges, and the much faulted process of appointment of judicial officers.
February 27
Urgent Need to Rethink Some National Issues
Since the inception of the Tinubu Administration, the nation has had to grapple with humongous challenges, not necessarily of its own making. Some of the core issues that occupied front-burner in the nation today include, agitation for the creation of State Police, calls for a review of the Constitution, for Nigeria to return to Parliamentary democracy, strategies to shore up the ailing Naira and Presidential intervention to fix the prices of goods. In this Discourse, Chief Ferdinand Oshioke Orbih, SAN; George Oguntade, SAN; Dr Sam Amadi; Dr Akpo Mudiaga Odje and Peter Taiwo gave their perspectives on these critical national issues.
March 5 – Osun State Judiciary in focus
Towards Resolving the Osun Judiciary Imbroglio
The Osun State Judiciary was engulfed in a crisis, occasioned by the interminable strike of the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN). The efforts of the Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, to resolve the crisis looked as if it was yet to yield fruit, in this already seemingly intricate situation. Justice administration in the State was at a standstill, and the crippling effect of this was that all Osun State courts were under lock and key, and many were languishing in detention without trial. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, Lazarus Chinwokwu and Adesegun Talabi, delved into the complexities of these issues, as they tried to proffered solutions.
March 12 – Another newly minted female SAN spoke to THISDAY LAWYER
‘Government Should Reserve Certain Positions for Women’
The legal profession in Nigeria has, over the decades, been perceived as being somewhat biased against female members. Hitherto, some have even seen the law profession as one that is male dominated. Of recent, these perceptions appear to be changing, as there is now gender parity in the numbers of Lawyers called to the Nigerian Bar. Despite these advancements, the average female Lawyer in Nigeria, has to work almost twice as hard to get to the pinnacle of the profession. Dr Paulyn Osobhase Abhulimen-Okpalefe, SAN went through the grid to get into the Inner Bar, and shared her experience with Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi. She also spoke about affirmative action, and why Government should be compelled to reserve certain top positions for women
March 19 – The Annual Female Judges Conference held in Lagos, and THISDAY LAWYER was there to cover the event
Women Judges: Changing the Narrative of Justice Delivery
It was a gathering of a stellar Faculty of women judicial officers and senior female Lawyers, for the Annual South-West Zonal Workshop of the National Association of Women Judges of Nigeria (NAWJN). The first in its series, this year’s Workshop which held at the Marriott Hotel, G.R.A. Ikeja, Lagos, was themed “Breaking the Leadership Barriers for Women in the Legal Profession”, and it was chaired by the President of NAWJN, Honourable Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, JSC, CFR who also represented the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON. Onikepo Braithwaite who moderated the first Panel session, Jude Igbanoi and Steve Aya who covered the proceedings, reported.
March 26 – This edition was on the atrocious massacre in Okuama, Delta State, which attracted worldwide outcry
Okuama Killings: What Are the Real Issues?
With Nigeria already struggling with enormous nationwide security challenges, the bloodbath that took place at Okuama in Delta State, in which 17 soldiers were murdered in a most gruesome manner, was seen by many as not only dastardly, but needless, particularly at a time like this in the nation’s history, where there’s so much violence and threat in the land. The alleged reprisal attacks by military men (which has been denied), further complicated an already bad situation. Many questions have agitated the minds of Nigerians, including whether the incident was a mere communal clash and the soldiers who were killed in Okuama were really there on a ‘peace mission’, or if there were some other reasons for the soldiers’ visit. Chief Anthony Aikhunegbe Malik, SAN; Dr Akpor Mudiaga Odje; Seun Lari-Williams; Bolu Ojewole and Gbenga Okunniga, discussed issues in the imbroglio over which the Army denied complicity, and proffered solutions on the way forward.
April 2 – It was the vexed issue of double remuneration for Ex-Governors
Are Ex-Governors’ Pensions Illegal and Immoral?
For over 14 years, the controversy has raged over the dispute of whether former State Governors and their Deputies are entitled to their full salaries for life as pension. Some States like Akwa Ibom, Lagos and Abia had surreptitiously passed such laws that entitled their former Governors to collect their full salaries for life, after their exit from office. The angst and recriminations which trailed this, prompted some human rights groups to go to court to challenge what many see as obnoxious, immoral and legally indefensible. These cases are still in court, and on appeal. But, the present Bill before the National Assembly, seeking to abolish these jumbo life pensions for Governors again, gave the controversy a new life. In this Cross-Fire, Chinonye Obiagwu, SAN argued stringently that ex-Governors and their Deputies are certainly not entitled to such immoral and illegal pensions. On the other hand, Dr Richard Oma Ahonaruogho, SAN countered that life pension for ex-Governors is not only legal, but that the State Houses of Assembly are constitutionally empowered to make laws to guarantee life pensions to ex-Governors.
April 9
‘Government Should Consider the Imperilled Economic Condition of the South East’
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has over the years been vociferous, and played the role of the voice of the voiceless and defender of the people’s rights. But, in recent times, the Association is somehow being perceived to be losing that role for which it was held in high esteem. In a chat with Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi last weekend, Dr Monday Onyekachi Ubani, past Chairman of NBA Ikeja Branch, former 2nd Vice President of the NBA, and immediate past Chairman of the NBA Section on Public Interest and Development Law, spoke his mind on sundry issues, including the ongoing face-off between the NBA President and the leadership of NBA-SPIDEL. He also spoke on why he believes the release of the incarcerated IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, will bring the much needed peace and economic progress to South Eastern Nigeria.
April 16 – Again, Government upwardly reviewed electricity tariffs, despite the hardship the citizenry is going through
Electricity Tariff Hike: Is it Lawful?
That Nigerians are presently going through tough times, is an understatement. With the spiralling rate of inflation, most were unprepared for the recent upward review in electricity tariffs. Was due process followed, before the tariff increase was effected? What was the need for this huge tariff increase, even though it is said to be limited to a particular category of users, that is, the ‘Band A’ Customers that purportedly receive up 20 hours electricity supply daily? Has it been proven that any band of consumers get up to 20 hours of electricity supply daily? Is the tariff increase discriminatory against Band A Customers, in that they have to cross-subsidise the other Band Users by paying so much more, so that the DisCos can ramp up their revenue? Or will electricity supply to Band A Customers be reduced after the increase in their tariff, while that of Band B is increased, in order to be able to upgrade them and increase the number of Band A Customers, again to increase revenue? Will the tariff increase result in even less power supply to the other Band Users whose tariff remains unchanged? Is Band A even possible, under these more than frequent national grid collapses? Is the increase in tariff even legal? Femi Falana, SAN, George Etomi and Dr Sam Amadi discussed the issues surrounding what Nigerians now perceive to be ‘suffering and smiling’, and, in doing so, answered some of these posers.
April 23 – We visited one of the saddest incidents in the nation’s history, the abduction of hapless teenage schoolgirls in Chibock, Borno State, which for 10 years has become an albatross on the neck of successive Nigerian administrations.
Chibok Girls, 10 Years After: Matters Arising
It has been a decade and counting, and 96 girls out of the 276 young girls kidnapped from the Government Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State, are still being held captive by their Boko Haram Abductors. The nightmarish trauma that these innocent girls have been subjected to, can only be imagined, while their Parents have been in unending anguish since their kidnap in 2014, some of them passing away without being reunited with their daughters. From the Jonathan to Buhari, and now, the Tinubu administration, it has been a litany of excuses, buck-passing, ethnic and religious sentiments, and yet, there doesn’t seem to be any hope or respite for the remaining 96 girls, and Leah Sharibu, one out of the 110 girls who were kidnapped from their Government Girls Secondary School, Dapchi, also in Borno State in 2018, and remains unaccounted for to date, because she refused to renounce her Christian faith. In this Discourse, Dr Sam Amadi, Dr Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode, Uju Peace Okeke and Alliances for Africa discussed forced marriage, particularly from the point of view of it being declared as a crime against humanity in international law; the folly of granting amnesty to these criminals/kidnappers/insurgents; why the hapless young girls may have been kept captive perpetually, and what the Government can do to secure their release and prevent future occurrences of these mass abductions of children (particularly girls who from the evidence available, appear to be raped and used as sex slaves by their abductors), especially as security is the primary purpose of government, and without a safe, conducive environment, it may be difficult for children to enjoy their constitutionally guaranteed right to education
April 30 – The Annual Justice Sector Reform Summit which held in the nation’s capital, was effectively covered by THISDAY LAWYER team.
National Summit on Justice 2024: Addressing Justice Sector Issues Frontally
Justice delivery in Nigeria, has been a topic of discussion of successive administrations for the past few decades. Achieving that ideal justice delivery system, has, so far, appeared to be a mirage, and a seemingly unattainable utopia; but, hope is here now, as the President Bola Tinubu administration has taken bold and deliberate steps to strengthen justice institutions and up-scale the welfare of judicial officers with a well deserved increase in remuneration and allowances just waiting for the legislative nod, after over 15 years of stagnation. In further demonstration of the administration’s commitment to this, the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Federal Ministry of Justice in collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on April 24th – 25th, 2024, organised a two-day Summit which held in the Auditorium of the National Judicial Institute (NJI), Abuja, to holistically examine the challenging issues mitigating against justice delivery and how to surmount them. Onikepo Braithwaite, Jude Igbanoi and Alex Enumah who attended the Summit reported.
May 7 – Here, we took a strong stand against bullying in schools
Escalating Proportions or Increased Visibility? Stop School Bullying Now!
Bullying in schools is as old as Nigeria’s educational system, in varying degrees and dimensions. But, not only does there appear to be an upsurge in bullying incidents in recent times, the incidents have, in some cases, become far more vicious, with some resulting in fatalities. A case in point is that of 12 year old Sylvester Oromoni, a student of Dowen College, Lagos, who died as a result of injuries he sustained under questionable circumstances, while in school. In April, the incident which took place at the Lead British International School, Abuja, in which a female student, Maryam, assaulted Namtira, another female student, by slapping her repeatedly, brought matters to a head. By virtue of the Section 265 of the Penal Code Act which is applicable in Abuja, Maryam’s actions qualify as assault without provocation, while Lead School itself appeared to have failed in its duty of care to protect its students from harm. What could be responsible for these seemingly increasing incidents? Or has it always been this bad, but because of the advent of telephone video recording and social media, incidents of bullying have now been placed on the front-runner as they are now more visible, since they can even be broadcasted in real-time? Whatever the case, what is the panacea? Why do Government and the School authorities appear incapacitated, or somewhat lukewarm about dealing with bullying? Ekua Akinsanya, Olufunke Fowler-Amba, Mandy Demechi-Asagba, Dr Damilola Osinuga and Seun Lari-Williams discussed this ugly trend of bullying, and proffered feasible solutions to tackle this problem, particularly Bystander Intervention Programmes for Teachers and Students which can be quite effective in curbing bullying. Naturally, to serve as a deterrent, a zero-tolerance stand and commensurate punishment, beyond bullies rendering public apologies, must be adopted by School authorities, while the schools themselves must also face sanctions for failing to recognise the bullies amongst their students until things get out of hand, and irreparable damage is done.
May 14 – In this edition, we empathised with Nigerian workers agitating for minimum wage increase
Minimum Wage: Let Nigerian Workers Breathe!
Though the quest and agitation for increased minimum wage by Nigerian workers is as old as Nigeria, every time it’s ripe for an upward review, the atmosphere appears to become tense and rancorous. The demand by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) for N615,000.00 as the new minimum wage, began a new round of negotiations between Government and Workers, represented by the NLC. How realistic and feasible was the NLC’s demand for this sizeable upward review of workers salaries, especially with the present economic downturn? Was the NLC’s demand justified? Does the Government have the capacity and/or the willingness to pay such bumper wages? Should there be a decentralisation of the Minimum Wage, considering the fact that size of the work force, the cost of living, IGR and Federal Allocation differs from State to State? Norrison Quakers, SAN; Chief Aikhunegbe Anthony Malik, SAN; Jide Ojo and Jude Igbanoi gave their perspectives on this weighty issue of national concern. But, one thing they all appeared to agree on, was that the N30,000 minimum wage was grossly inadequate, as it was a take home pay that couldn’t take anyone home.
May 21 – Revolutionising justice delivery through ICT
‘ICT Will Revolutionise Justice Delivery’
That Law Reports go to the heart of legal practice, is not a mere aphorism. No Lawyer can effectively conduct a case successfully without the aid of reliable law reports, as this is the tool that Lawyers in most jurisdictions, if not all, rely on. In Nigeria, however, only a few Law Reports are reliable, and, it is still a work in progress. Nevertheless, quite a number have reached the pinnacle of success and acceptability in this venture. Funmi Quadri, SAN, the Founder and Publisher of Nigerian Supreme Court Quarterly Reports, and Editor and Author of several law publications, is one of the success stories. Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi pulled her out of her busy schedule, and sought her views on sundry issues, including how she has managed to cope with the challenging endeavour of law reporting along with active legal practice, and the importance of digitalisation and technology in the future of justice delivery in Nigeria. She also recognised the importance of family support in her success story, which she received from her husband, and her children who all happen to be Lawyers.
May 28
Pass that Bill to Increase Judicial Salaries Now!
They are often seen and not heard, but, stoically Nigerian judicial officers toil laboriously day and night adjudicating, writing and delivering judgements, ensuring that the wheels of justice grind as smoothly as possible. But, how many are aware that their salaries and conditions of service are miserably and unimaginably poor? That for 17 years, their salaries and allowances remained the same, despite the soaring inflation. For ethical reasons, they cannot speak for themselves, neither can they protest. Having been on one salary for almost two decades, the Judicial Office Holders (Salaries & Allowances, etc) Bill, 2024 to remedy this anomaly was in the offing. A Senate Public Hearing was held on Monday, May 20, 2024, and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno; the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, SAN and the Chief Judge of Borno State, Hon. Justice Kashim Zannah, all made their remarks at the Hearing, supporting the upward review their Lordships’ salaries and welfare packages.
June 4
Can Pension Funds be Borrowed for Infrastructure Projects?
The Tinubu Administration has never hidden the fact that it inherited a near empty treasury, at its inception. This explains why the Federal Government’s debt profile, is spiralling upward. But, when allegedly, there was an announcement about Government’s intention to borrow from Pension Funds to develop the critical infrastructure sector, not a few eyebrows were raised as to the propriety or otherwise of such a design. The Minister of Finance & Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Olawale Edun, was constrained to issue a statement clarifying this, saying “The pension industry, like most the financial industries, is highly regulated. There are rules. There are limitations about what pension money can be invested in, and what it cannot be invested in. The Federal Government has no intention whatsoever, to go beyond those limitations and go outside those bounds which are there to safeguard the pensions of workers. What was announced to the Federal Executive Council, was that there was an ongoing initiative drawing in all the major stakeholders in the long-term saving industry, those that handle funds that are available over a long period to see how, within the regulations and the laws, these funds could be used maximally to drive investment in key growth areas”. Nevertheless, in this Discourse, Bolu Ojewole, Kede Aihie, and Oluwadamilare Said discussed the intricacies, risks, propriety or otherwise, if such a plan were to be real. Aside from the fact that the Pension Fund Administrators have clear guidelines on how they can invest, a substantial amount of pension funds are already invested with Government in Federal Government securities, pointing to the fact that it isn’t exactly as if N20 trillion is lying in the Banks idle.
June 11 – Nigerian Lawyers Set to Vote!
‘We’ll Set a Standard for a Seamless NBA Election’
Again, Nigerian Lawyers were set to elect their choice of candidates for the various national offices of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). Over the last few election cycles, the electoral process has been trailed with criticisms and post-election complaints and appeals, sometimes ending up in tedious litigation in court, to the extent that following the 2018 election cycle, two Lawyers were actually arrested and charged to court by the EFCC, for offences bordering on cybercrimes to allegedly rig the election. This year presented another opportunity, for the NBA to prove the integrity of its electoral process. Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi linked up with Oluseun Abimbola, SAN, former Attorney-General of Oyo State and the Chairman of the 2024 Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA), who confirmed the ECNBA’s determination to deliver a rancour free and fair election to Nigerian Lawyers this year.
June 18 – The Polls to pick NBA National Officers; Interview of the three Presidential Candidates
Osigwe, Ikwuazom, Erojikwe: Who’ll Lead NBA?
Every two years, Nigerian Lawyers go to polls to pick their national officers; and this year, 2024, is an election year for the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). For this year’s election, three candidates are vying for the position of President of NBA; Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN; Chukwuka Ikwuazom, SAN and Tobenna Erojikwe. As the three Candidates lock horns for the contest which held electronically and by universal suffrage July, as usual, Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi fielded questions for each of the Candidates, to know more about them and how they’ll run the NBA, if Nigerian Lawyers entrust them with the mandate.
June 25 – Interviews with General Secretary Candidates for NBA National Elections
NBA Decides: Who’ll be General Secretary?
The National Secretariat of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), is a massive edifice in the Nation’s capital, Abuja. The General Secretary’s Office serves as the ‘engine room’ of the NBA, where a lot of daily activities take place to ensure the smooth-running of the umbrella body of Nigerian Lawyers. It takes a competent and IT savvy Lawyer to effectively man that office, as General Secretary of the NBA. In this year’s election, two Lawyers are running for the position, Dr Mobolaji Ojibara and Abdulwasiu Alfa. In this interview, Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi asked both candidates about themselves, what service they have rendered to the NBA thus far, and details of their manifestos and plans, if they are elected into this all important office of General Secretary of the NBA.
July 2 – This edition dissected the Bill for Rotational Presidency before the National Assembly
One Six-Year Rotational Presidential Term: Solution to Nigeria’s Problems?
In search of an ideal, feasible and rancour free system of government, Nigeria has tried and experimented with various forms of government, including Parliamentary and Presidential systems, both of which rightfully or wrongfully, some believe may not have been completely successful, and may need some tweaking into our own homegrown version. To this end, the National Assembly engaged in considering a Bill that would constitutionally entrench a six-year single term for the nation’s Presidency, to be rotated amongst the country’s major regions, so that all can have a bite of the cherry of governance at the highest level. Would this assuage the political mistrust, fears and suspicions over the present four-year Presidential system in which there’s no constitutional provision for rotation among the regions? In this Discourse, George Ogunatde, SAN; Adewale Adesokan, SAN; Gboyega Okunniga and Dr Sam Amadi did an in-depth examination of the issue.
July 9 – Protests across the Continent, the Kenyan example in comparison with #EndSARS
Kenyan Protests: Succeeding Where #EndSARS Failed?
Between June and July, the Republic of Kenya was engulfed in violent protests, as the Youths occupied the streets. Among their demands, were the immediate reversal of the nation’s controversial Finance Bill 2024, good governance, and even the resignation of the country’s President, William Ruto. The Government of Kenya responded and jettisoned the Finance Bill. Like Nigeria’s #EndSARS which took place in October, 2020, the Kenyan protests claimed several innocent lives. Dr Mudiaga Odje, Richmond Ekhosuehi Idaeho and Bolaji Idowu examined the correlation between these two African Youth Protests, and what lessons can be learned therefrom.
July 16
Should Livestock Not Remain Under Agriculture Ministry?
Last September, HE, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, set up a Committee to examine, amongst other things, the issue of the incessant clashes between Herdsmen and Farmers. Following the recommendations from the Committee to provide sector-specific solutions to the long-standing crisis, the Committee presented the President with 21 recommendations, including the creation of a Ministry of Livestock Resources, along with other measures, to help resolve the decades-long conflict between nomadic cattle Herders and Farmers in the country. Given the humongous cost of running the Government under the present dispensation, and Nigeria being in financial dire straits, not to mention the Tinubu administration’s commitment to the implementation of the Oronsaye Report which made recommendations for a cut in the cost of governance and downsizing, many have opined that the creation of an additional Ministry is absolutely unnecessary, particularly when a cohesive policy is required between agriculture and livestock, and this is easier to achieve under the umbrella of one Ministry, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Dr Sam Amadi; Jide Ojo; Dr Akpo Mudiaga Odje and Emmanuel Onwubiko submitted that idea of a new Ministry of Livestock Development is not only inexpedient, a duplication of efforts, but a waste of the nation’s scarce resources, and that it would not in any way resolve the never-ending Herder-Farmer Attacks.
July 23 – In preparation for the NBA-AGC, we spoke with Conference Planning Committee Chair
2024 NBA-AGC: ‘A Conference Like No Other!’
Once again, Nigerian Lawyers were scheduled to converge for their 2024 Annual General Conference (AGC). The AGC, which is the flagship event of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), held in Lagos from August 23 – 28. Over 16,000 Lawyers had already registered for the Conference and prepared to storm Lagos, the nation’s commercial capital. This year’s AGC was themed “Pressing Forward: A National Posture for Rebuilding Nigeria”. Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi engaged the the Chairman of the Annual General Conference Planning Committee (AGCPC), Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya on their level of preparedness for the Conference, and what Nigerian Lawyers were to look forward to at this year’s Conference, which she and her all female team tagged ‘A Conference Like No Other’!
July 30 – The planned national protests by Nigerian youths
“Days of Rage”: To Hold or Not To Hold?
Some Nigerians in various parts of the country, predominantly the Youths, were determined to take to the streets from August 1-10, 2024, to protest against bad governance and economic hardship, in a Protest tagged,“Days of Rage”, despite the fact that others changed their minds and withdrew their initial decision to participate in it. There was a massive debate, for and against, on whether the Protest should hold or not. In the words of one of the contributors to this Discourse, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, who despite being in support of the Protest holding, questioned its title, saying:“The theme alone, is suggestive of an intention to cause havoc and mayhem”. Despite the calls of the Federal Government, Governors, Traditional Rulers, Leaders and various organisations, to dissuade those who may be behind this initiative from engaging in the planned Protest, and seeking the path of dialogue with Government instead, at the time of going to press, there was no indication that the Protest had been shelved. This Discourse would have been incomplete without comments from Femi Falana, SAN, who can described as one of the ‘Fathers of Protest’ in Nigeria. Sebastine Hon, SAN and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, the Lawyer to the ‘Take it Back Movement’ that applied for Police protection during the Protest, examined the legal regime on protests and civil disobedience. And, while Mr Hon preferred a situation of dialogue instead of Protest, giving suggestions as to what steps Government can take to alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians, Mr Adegboruwa insisted that the show must go on, as it is a constitutionally guaranteed right for citizens to protest, supporting his position with several examples of protest in the book of Genesis right from the earliest Biblical times of Cain and Abel, and how change was achieved through Protest.
August 6 – Post NBA-election discourse
NBA Election Campaign Managers Speak on the Polls
The just concluded NBA elections for national officers, again, threw up unending complaints and recriminations over what two of the three Candidates alleged as infractions and imperfections in the electoral system. This year’s election, was the fourth in the cycle of elections by means of electronic balloting and universal suffrage. Many thought that NBA would have got it perfectly right at this point, but, with one Candidate pulling out of the race at the tail end of the exercise, and the other complaining that the process was not transparent, Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi asked the campaign teams of each of the Candidates for their postmortem analysis of the entire process, and their complaints and grouses about the procedure, while Team Afam first gave reasons as to why they believe that their Candidate was the strongest, because of his robust campaign strategy and experience, making it inevitable that he would emerge victorious at the polls.
August 13 – Were the nationwide protests as successful as planned and imagined? The aftermath was the focus of this edition
Takeaways from the #EndBadGovernance Protest
The gathering storm of the much-hyped #EndBadGovernance, eventually escalated into a nationwide protest where lives were lost in some Northern States, including Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and the FCT. The 10 ‘Days of Rage’ as envisioned by the organisers came to an end on Saturday, August 10, leaving many asking whether the protest actually achieved any purpose, and whether President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s nationwide broadcast addressed any of the grievances laid out by the Protesters. In this Discourse, Dr Dakuku Peterside; Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN; Inibehe Effiong and Dr Ayodele Akeronye dissected the issues in the protest, its causes and effects, to determine whether the protest which caused the nation so many man hours, at a time when the country’s economy is shaky, achieved its objectives, also making suggestions on how to deliver better governance, going forward.
August 20 – The Olympics Edition! Why Nigeria failed to fly at the Paris Olympics
Paris Olympics: We Came, We Saw, We Failed!
From 26 July to 11 August, Nigeria joined over 200 other countries to compete for various events at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Since Nigeria made its debut at the Olympics in Helsinki in 1952, Nigerian athletes have appeared in every edition of the Summer Olympic Games, except for Montreal 1976. Sadly, this year’s Olympics was a woeful outing for the nation, as our 88 athletes who competed returned from the Games without a single medal. With a budget of N12 billion, much was expected from Team Nigeria; but, the abysmal and zero medal outcome left Nigerians perplexed and disappointed. Chijioke Okoli, SAN, Dr Akpo Mudiaga Odje and Kede Aihie took a holistic view of the scandalous outing, and examined where and how the nation may have got it wrong, while making viable suggestions for the way forward to a better outcome at the next Summer Olympic Games, that is, Los Angeles 2028, and other international competitions.
August 27 – The burden of Chinese debt
China: A Choke Hold on Nigeria’s Jugular?
The history of Nigeria’s indebtedness to Chinese business entities, is as complex and convoluted as the borrowers, guarantors and projects for which the loans were taken. Today, the nation’s sovereign assets are at serious risk from shylock Chinese companies who have done, and are doing business in Nigeria. Most are into infrastructure development across the country, with massive ongoing projects, either for the Federal or State Governments. But, with hurriedly-baked contracts, often less than transparent agreements, allegedly mostly not properly scrutinised and vetted by Nigeria, the nation has suddenly found out that her national and sovereign assets are coming under the Chinese hammer, with court orders authorising seizures across the globe, from Nigeria’s presidential jets in France and guest houses in Ireland, and others about to be axed in Canada and the United States. Apparently, it does appear that Nigeria didn’t see the warning signs, or pretended to be ignorant of what the Chinese had done to other African countries over debts owed to Chinese companies. In this Discourse, Daniel Philips Kip, Francis Gozie Moneke and Ed Malik analysed the unfolding embarrassing incidents of seizures of Nigerian assets by Chinese company, Zhongshan Fulcheng Industrial Investment Co Ltd, on court orders following an Arbitration Award for breach of contract, and suggested ways out of the conundrum.
September 3 – The new NBA Executive hit the ground running, and urged Lawyers to prepare for Nigeria’s rebirth
2024 NBA-AGC: Nigerian Lawyers Set Agenda for Nation’s Rebirth
It was a gathering of the who-is-who in the Nigerian legal community last week, when over 13,000 Lawyers converged in Lagos for the Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA-AGC). With the theme “Pressing Forward: A National Posture For Rebuilding Nigeria”, the Conference took off with a Jumat service for its Muslim members on Friday, August 23, 2024, and was followed by a Church service on Sunday. August 25, for Christian Lawyers, and a Football Tournament. The opening ceremony which took place at the Eko Hotel Exhibition Centre, Victoria Island on Sunday evening, marked the official opening of the Conference. The Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, HE Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON; the former President of Ghana, and now President-Elect, HE John Mahama; Hon. Justice Adewale Abiru, JSC representing the then acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, were among the dignitaries who graced the occasion. The Director-General of the WTO, Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, GCON, delivered the Keynote Address. Onikepo Braithwaite, Jude Igbanoi and Steve Aya who covered the entire six-day AGC, reported the events which culminated in the inauguration of Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN as the 32nd President of the NBA. There are also Short Takes from Lawyers, on their assessment of NBA-AGC.
September 10 – The controversy over the constitutional provisions of the offices of Governors and their Deputies resonated
Governors and Deputies: Should the Siamese Twins be Separated?
Matters arising from the February 13th, 2020 judgement of the Supreme Court on the Bayelsa State Governorship election, nullifying the election of David Lyon on account of his Deputy, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo’s disqualification, have refused to die. Like the proverbial Dodo, it keeps resonating, almost haunting Nigeria’s judicial landscape relentlessly. This reverberated at the Court of Appeal, when the President of the Court, Hon. Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem urged the Legislature to amend the Constitution, to stop Governorship designates suffering the loss of their mandates in the event that their Deputies are disqualified. As unsettling and controversial as this subject-matter is, it has the potentials of creating a huge political divide in the nation. Professor Mike Ozekhome, SAN; Chief Ferdinand Orbih, SAN; Chief Anthony Aikhunegbe Malik, SAN; Daniel Kip and Dr Mudiaga Odje critiqued the Court of Appeal’s proposition that Section 187 of the Constitution should be amended to allow a Governorship Candidate, Governor-Elect or Governor nominate another Deputy in case of disqualification. Will this proposal fly with the National Assembly? Will it bring the much deeded panacea to the political conundrum that has since sometimes affected State Gubernatorial elections?
September 17
The raid on NLC Headquarters and the arrest of its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero was a national issue
DSS: Hounding Voices of Dissent?
The rearrest of the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, and the raid on the offices of one of Nigeria’s foremost human rights Civil Society Organisations, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), raised serious concerns about the human rights posture of the Tinubu administration. Many Nigerians and the international community, condemns in very strong terms, what most perceived as trampling on the rights and freedoms of citizens and organised dissent of government policies. Femi Falana, SAN; Emmanuel Onwubiko and Olarenwaju Suraju assessed the human rights records of the Tinubu administration in the face of the these arrests, hounding and raids.
September 24
N70k Minimum Wage: Have Workers Been Left in the Lurch?
The agitation by Nigerian workers over minimum wage dates as far back as Nigeria’s independence when the fiery labour leader, Pa Michael Imoudu, led Nigerian workers against the then repressive Colonial Government for higher wages and better welfare. It is therefore, disconcerting that almost seven decades after, the narrative hasn’t changed much. Labour leaders are still being hounded, intimidated and arrested on flimsy allegations. The recent agreement by the Government to pay Nigerian workers a N70k minimum wage, doesn’t seem to have resonated with State Governors who appear either unwilling or unable to implement the agreement. In this Discourse, Dr Emeka Ejikonye; Jide Ojo; Ayoade Oluwasanmi and Babajide Idowu approached the issues from different perspectives, proffering solutions to the imbroglio.
October 1
Lagos State Celebrates the Beginning of the 2024/2025 Legal Year
The Lagos State Judiciary commenced its 2024/2025 Legal Year with a Church service at the Cathedral Church of Christ Marina and Muslim service at Lagos Central Mosque on Monday, September 23, 2024. It was followed with a colourful parade and inspection of Guard of Honour by the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Honourable Justice Kazeem Olanrewaju Alogba at the High Court Premises at Osborne Foreshore Estate. A Webinar Session was also held the following day, as part of continuation of the new legal year programme. Onikepo Braithwaite, Jude Igbanoi and Steve Aya who attended the ceremonies, reported.
October 8
If Nigeria gets its election right at the grassroots, there is no doubt it will get it right at all other levels. Former INEC National Commissioner gave his perspective
SIEC, INEC or a Combination, for Credible Local Government Elections?
The age-long debate as to the status of Local Government Councils (LGC) doesn’t appear to have been finally settled, even with the July 2024 Supreme Court judgement asserting the financial autonomy of the LGCs. Other important issues have trailed the LGCs, especially that of whether or not there should be a Local Government Electoral Commission, possibly within the structure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to replace the State Independent Electoral Commission. Will it make LGC elections credible, so that it’s not always the ruling political party in the State or appointees of the Governors that take all the Chairmanship and Councillorship positions within their States, as has been the outcome in most States over the years, since it is the Governor that is responsible for staffing SIEC? Will it guarantee the LGC’s independence, and their place as a third tier of Government? Will it curb the high handedness of the State Governors? Festus Okoye, a former National Commissioner of the INEC gave an in-depth analysis of the issue, and recommended the best approach to settling it.
October 15
National Industrial Court celebrated its New Legal Year in Abuja
NICN’s New Legal Year: Renewal of Commitment to Labour Justice
The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), the constitutionally designated court established to adjudicate on labour related matters, held its 2024/2025 New Legal Year Ceremony at its Headquarters in Abuja, October 8-9, 2024. The event themed “Labour Justice and the Public Interest” commenced with a Special Court Session, also witnessed a Public Lecture delivered by the Chairman of the Editorial Board of THISDAY Newspapers, Olusegun Adeniyi, and ended with a Bar and Bench Forum. Onikepo Braithwaite, Jude Igbanoi and Alex Enumah who attended the two-day event, reported.
October 22
Again Festus Okoye postulated on how AI can be deployed to achieve near perfect elections in Nigeria
Tackling Nigeria’s Electoral Challenges Utilising AI
As far back as independence, Nigeria’s electioneering process has been tumultuous, mostly fraudulent, rancorous and violent. The circle of elections which the new democratic dispensation ushered in from 1999, hasn’t fared much better. If anything, it’s gradually getting worse, with hundreds of Election Petitions going to Tribunals after every election, many ending up at the Apex Court several months after the elections have been concluded and swearing in has taken place. Former National Commissioner at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Festus Okoye, shared from his wealth of experience garnered during his service at the Commission, and proffered the innovative panacea of using different versions of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to tackle the seemingly humongous challenges that have plagued Nigeria’s electoral process.
October 29
THISDAY LAWYER celebrated FIDA as it turned 60 in Nigeria
FIDA at 60: An Enduring Impact on Women and Children Issues
The International Federation of Women Lawyers, that is, La Federación Internacional dé Abogadas (FIDA), made its debut in Nigeria 60 years ago. In its over six decades of existence in Nigeria, the body of female Lawyers has consistently and doggedly fought for and defended women and children’s rights, despite the obvious challenges. Winning some and losing some, FIDA Nigeria told the THISDAY LAWYER team, how they have ensured its relevance and coherence, and managed to spread to every State of the Federation, with over 5,000 members, 45 Branches and counting. FIDA has touched the lives of over 100,000 indigent women and children, secured a court judgement concerning 35% affirmative action for women, amongst many other feats. They also shared the plans for their 60th Anniversary Celebration in November.
November 5
Will NASS Pass the New Tax Bills?
The new set of Tax Bills pending at the National Assembly (NASS), have continued to be embroiled in controversy, with the Northern Governors’ Forum appearing to be vehemently opposed to some provisions in the Bills, particularly the Value Added Tax (VAT), its derivation and equitable distribution. In this Discourse, Tax Experts, Professor Abiola Sanni, SAN and Chukwuemeka Eze holistically scrutinised the Nigerian tax regime, how the grey areas can be addressed so that there’s a general consensus on the Bills and NASS can pass them timeously, as opposed to letting the Bills which may give Nigeria a better tax regime, end up being consigned to the legislative dustbin, because of a few unresolved controversies.
November 12
The Nigerian Judiciary and Electoral Technology
Elections in Nigeria, have always posed major challenges in the polity. Efforts by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to modernise and deploy technology to resolve these seemingly intractable challenges, haven’t yielded much results. Former INEC National Commissioner, Festus Okoye examined some of the technological innovations that INEC has introduced, and the attitude of the Apex Court towards them. He also recommended the intensification of voter education on the specific roles that the technological devices play in the electoral process, in order to foster greater public confidence in the integrity of elections.
November 19
Insecurity has always been a major focus of THISDAY LAWYER. Again, we sought to address the emergence of the terrorist group, Lakurawa
Who are the Lakurawas?
Already overburdened by the war against terrorists on several fronts, Nigeria is again being confronted with the emergence of another deadly armed terrorist group, Lakurawa, who is said to have actually been around for a number of years, contrary to the assertion that they are a new organisation, or have just arrived in Nigeria. While the nation’s Armed Forces have their hands full battling the Boko Haram terrorists in the North East, unknown gunmen in the South East, insurgency in the North Central, now Lakurawa has taken position in the North West of Nigeria, particularly Sokoto and Kebbi State. Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Dr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN once told THISDAY LAWYER in an exclusive interview that ‘Nigeria is in a low-grade war’, and with these various attacks on the different Nigerian fronts, this assertion appears to be true. Major Ben Aburime (Rtd) gave an insight into the coming of the Lakurawas to Nigeria, as well as dissecting the matters arising in the war against terrorists in Nigeria, proffering solutions on how the war can be won.
November 26
A Nigerian Lawyer was elected as FIDA International President!
‘We’ll Expand the Frontiers of FIDA’
The International Federation of Female Lawyers, that is, La Federación Internacional dé Abogadas (FIDA) in its 60 years existence in Nigeria, has made appreciable and steady strides in the pursuit of its core objectives, in alignment with the International parent body. Recently, a Nigerian, Mrs Ezinwa Okoroafor was elected President of FIDA International in far away Cali, Colombia. The consummate advocate of gender and children’s rights, spoke with Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi in an interesting interview, on her return to Nigeria after her election. She spoke about her journey to the top, what the main thrust of her stewardship will be and the benefits it will bring to Nigeria, including the hosting of the FIDA Triennial Convention here in 2027.
December 3
“No Immunity for Any President Implicated in International Crimes”
Despite the seeming challenges at home, Nigerian Lawyers and Judges have, over the years, distinguished themselves, including at being Prosecutors, Judges and Chief Justices of some African countries. This chain of achievements has not yet ended. Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi sought out one of these rare gems who rose from the Nigerian legal sphere, Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji, the first black and African President of the International Criminal Court, seated at The Hague, Netherlands (ICC). Called to the Nigerian and Canadian Bars, Judge Eboe-Osuji is actually home-grown. He graduated from the University of Calabar, practiced in Port Harcourt before going abroad for his Masters and subsequently, his Doctorate. In 1997, Judge Eboe-Osuji started worked at the UN where he served in various capacities. It was from the UN that he was elected to serve as a Judge of the ICC in 2012. He distinguished himself and earned the confidence of his fellow Judges at the Court, and in 2018, they elected him as the 4th President of the Court where he presided over sensitive international criminal cases during his three year tenure which ended in 2021. The author of a book titled “End of Immunity”, a detailed discussion on the history of international law on immunity, Judge Eboe-Osuji shared his views on several issues, including the ICC issuing an arrest warrant in relation to crimes committed in Gaza and Ukraine.
December 10
Tax Reform Bills: Separating the Wheat from the Chaff
Who is Creating Misconceptions that Tax Reforms Will Impoverish the Masses?
Taxes are never seen to be people-friendly anywhere in the world, Nigeria being no exception. The ongoing conundrum over the Tax Reform Bills before the National Assembly has created so much furore about the propriety or otherwise of the Bills, and whose interest the Bills seek to serve. Professor Mike Ozekhome, CON, SAN; Chukwuemeka Eze and Kede Aihie gave a comprehensive analysis of the provisions of the Bills, and their desired objectives.
December 17
27th NBA President ‘A Few Bad Eggs Soil the Reputation of the Judiciary’
His tenure as President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has remained a reference point in NBA history. He brought in innovations, which made the NBA the envy of professional associations in Nigeria. Some of his initiatives still hold strong, over a decade after his tenure. Most notable are the Stamp and Seal, and Universal Suffrage by electronic voting in NBA National elections. Over the weekend, Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi took time out to chat with Mr Augustine Alegeh, CON, SAN, the 27th President of the NBA. The quintessential Barman had a lot to say about discipline in the legal profession and Judiciary, among other things.
December 24
The Christmas Special Edition, always a bumper!
What Does Christmas Mean to Lawyers?
This is the time of the year that Lawyers wind down, temporarily close shop, and rest from the herculean and dauntless task of lawyering in a challenging environment like ours. How would Nigerian Lawyers spend this season of thanksgiving and celebration? Your guess is as good as ours. In spite of the inclement economic atmosphere that presently pervades the country, most Lawyers positively stated that the season would be joyous, if only to show gratitude to God for seeing us through the year. THISDAY LAWYER Team sampled the views of some senior Lawyers.
Epilogue
In 12 seemingly short months, the year 2024 has come to an end today. Despite the challenges that the year brought, in reminiscence, THISDAY LAWYER did its utmost best to tackle most of the major issues that concern the Bar, the Bench and the Polity. Week after week, after week, we stayed focused and determined to bring our Readers legal issues on the nation’s front-burner. Thank you for your readership. We wish you a very Happy New Year!
