MY APPEARANCE AT THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION (NBA) IBADAN'S 60TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION - Toyosi Akerele

From left to right: Barrister Mrs Abimbola Akeredolu, First Female Attorney General of OGUN State/Commissioner for Justice, Chief Mrs Folake Solanke, The First Female Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr George Etomi, Principal partner of George Etomi & Partners, Mr Asue Ighodalo, CoFounder and Managing Partner of Banwo & Ighodalo and Dr Wale Babalakin, SAN, Chairman Bi-Courtney Nigeria Limited during

A 4-day Anniversary Celebration was organized by the NBA Ibadan chapter to commemorate their 60th Anniversary, this event took place between 2nd and 5th December 2014 at Aare afe babalola Bar Centre, Iyanganku Ibadan. Guest speakers and panelists at the event were Chief Mrs Folake Solanke,The First Female Senior Advocate of Nigeria, The keynote speaker: Barrister Mrs Abimbola Akeredolu, First Female Attorney General of OGUN State/Commissioner for Justice, Dr Wale Babalakin, SAN, Chairman Bi-Courtney Nigeria Limited, Mr George Etomi, Principal partner of George Etomi & Partners and Mr Asue Ighodalo CoFounder and Managing Partner of Banwo & Ighodalo amongst others.

From left to right: Barrister Kazeem Adekunle Gbadamosi ESQ. Chairman NBA Ibadan Branch, Mr George Etomi, Principal partner of George Etomi & Partners, Chief Mrs Folake Solanke, The First Female Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Asue Ighodalo, Founder and Managing Partner of Banwo and Barrister Mrs Abimbola Akeredolu, First Female Attorney General of OGUN State/Commissioner for Justice.

The theme of the Anniversary Celebration, “Nigeria: At Tipping or Turning Point” was most appropriate considering the very disturbing recent happenings in our dear nation’s political, economic and social spheres. Discussions also focused around the challenges faced by the Ibadan Branch and the focused plan which the Branch must implement if it is to maximize its huge potential and truly compete, especially with the Lagos Branch of the NBA.

with Chief Mrs Folake Solanke, The First Female Senior Advocate of Nigeria

Dr Babalakin said “Nigeria is currently faced with economic issues among other problems, but I hope what this will do to us will create a thinking nation. We keep having problems because we have abandoned merit and a system that abandons merit can not develop”.

While charging lawyers at the event to develop themselves, the Bi-Courtney boss said the greatest asset of a lawyer is creative thinking, saying it was the only way they could stand out in their profession.

Mr Asue Ighodalo ( Chairman of the NBA section on Business Law) , who chaired the event, said with the current issues affecting the nation, all looked gloomy, adding that it would take only tough and good strategy planners to survive.

“There is no aspect of human endeavour the law doesn’t cover. Law is life, it is the bedrock of the society. It protects the society and as human activities expand, there’s need to expand our services too.”