11th June, 2020
By Isa Isawade
Lawyers under the aegis of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) said the body’s forthcoming election tagged, NBA 2020, should not be for vengeance.
They appealed to all interested parties to ensure the election further strengthens unity among members.
The appeal comes on the heels of tension generated by disagreement between two senior female lawyers within the NBA.
Mrs Funke Adekoya, SAN and Prof Ogugua Ikpeze disagreed over the issue of minimum wage for junior lawyers.
The minimum wage policy was pursued by the 2002-2004 administration of former President of the association, Chief Wole Olanipekun.
The two senior ladies of the bar were both National Executive officers of the administration.
While Mrs Adekoya served as the first Vice Chairman, Prof Ikpeze, a law lecturer at the Anambra State University, Awka, was the Assistant General Secretary.
The bone of contention was an article written by a young lawyer, Mr Adeke Aondongu, commending the administration for its policy on minimum wage for junior lawyers at the time.
One of the contestants for the post of Presidency in the NBA 2020 elections, Dele Adesina SAN, was the General Secretary of the Olanipekun administration.
Aondongu in his article titled, ‘NBA 2020 Election and the Salaries of Young Lawyers’ had stated: “Sometime in 2002, a successful motion was raised before the NBA NEC for a minimum wage for Lawyers.
“One of the current aspirants for the Office of the NBA President was instrumental to that decision as the then General Secretary of the NBA.
“Till date, no other administration has improved on the little achievements of that administration.”
He further lauded Adesina for achieving success in ensuring a minimum wage for generality of lawyers in Nigeria.
However, Mrs. Adekoya refuted Aondongu’s claims, saying the young lawyer was “misinformed”.
According to Adekoya, “I have read the article. The young Lawyer who wrote it was misinformed. I was the 1st Vice-President of the NBA when Dele Adesina was General Secretary and Wole Olanipekun was President.
“We did not institute or mandate any minimum wage for Lawyers during our tenure”.
Mrs Adekoya’s comments, denying the young lawyer’s claims, immediately went viral on social media.
But, Prof Ikpeze, who was the Assistant General Secretary in the administration deferred, saying Adekoya’s position was “very wrong”.
Ikpeze said since Adekoya had personally decided to join issues with the young but erudite lawyer (Aondongu), she too had decided to reply to put records straight.
“With respect, Mrs. Adekoya SAN was very wrong in her assertion and Adeke stated the absolute facts.
“Contrary to Mrs. Adekoya SAN’s assertion that there was no mandate on any minimum wage for Lawyers during our tenure, I want to remind her that this was one of the highly deliberated policies of that administration and both of us were National Officers.
“I was the 2nd Assistant General Secretary. The Minutes of the NBA NEC Meeting which held at Grand Hotel, Asaba, Delta State on the 20th – 21st of March, 2003 stated inter alia under the caption WELFARE OF JUNIOR LAWYERS: “The President suggested the setting-up of a Welfare Committee to be chaired by the 2nd Vice-President, Prince Lanke Odogiyan, with the Welfare Secretary, Reuben James Esq., as Secretary. The Committee is to look into the issue of remuneration for junior Lawyers working in Chambers and on other related welfare issues.”
“Among the prominent members of NEC who contributed to the discussion were Mr. O.C.J. Okocha, SAN; Past President, Mr. Ibrahim (Jam-Jam of blessed memory); Mr. Richard Ahonaruogho; Mr. Okey Ohonda, and Mr. Awoniyi Alabi, the National Legal Adviser.
“On the suggestions by some of the discussants that the issue of welfare of junior Lawyers should be reserved for the branches to handle, the General Secretary, Dele Adesina SAN, responded that the matter would be better handled at the National Executive Committee level so as to make it an NBA National Policy on remuneration of junior lawyers.
“That since members of the Committee will come from different branches; the recommendation of the Committee will of necessity accommodate the peculiarity of the branches.
“The Committee was subsequently set-up by the NEC at that meeting. Records show that Mrs. Funke Adekoya, SAN was present at the said NEC Meeting”, Prof. Ikpeze recounted.
Consequent upon the clarification, well-meaning members of the association have appealed to all parties to sheath their swords and embrace peace to move the association forward.