Egbe Amofin Endorses Adesina as Southwest NBA Presidential Candidate for 2020 Election

A former National General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Dele Adesina, SAN, has emerged the consensus candidate for the South West Zone in the 2020 NBA Presidential election.

Lawyers in South West Nigeria, under the aegis of Egbe Amofin, last Saturday, picked Adesina, SAN out of five contestants as its official candidate for the President of the NBA in 2020.

The current administration led by Mr. Paul Usoro, SAN, is expected to leave office at the next annual conference in August 2020, and the race of who will succeed Usoro, SAN administration, began immediately after the Association's Annual General Conference, which came up last August.

NBA Presidency follows the principles of zoning between the North, West, and East. Edo and Delta States are regarded as part of the West, while the South South States of Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River, are regarded as part of the Eastern Zone.

In the Zoning formula of the Association, the next President is expected to come from the West. Already many candidates have signified their intention to run. This includes Abuja based Lawyer, Muyiwa Akinboro, SAN, Mr. Awoniyi Alabi based in Osogbo, Lagos based Dr. Tunde Ajibade, SAN, Olumide Akpata, and Adesina Ogunlana.

However, the Egbe Amofin leadership, fearing the disgraceful loss it suffered in 2014, has decided to be firm and present, and endorse only one candidate for the Presidency of the Association.

Three members of the Egbe namely, Dele Adesina, SAN, Funke Adekoya, SAN, and Niyi Akintola, SAN contested for the position in that year. Because they could not agree amongst themselves, the three lost to Mr. Augustine Alegeh, SAN, from Edo State. The Egbe Amofin regarded the loss as not only shameful, but avoidable.

In order to prevent a reoccurrence, the Egbe met in August 27, 2019 in Lagos, and decided to re-invigorate and strengthen the union for the common good of South West Lawyers. It was also decided that, the Egbe will present only one candidate for the Presidency in 2020. Present at the meeting were leaders like Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, Dame Priscilla Kuye, Chief Tunde Ajomale, former Chairman, Body of Benchers, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, Chief Felix Fagboungbe, SAN, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe, SAN, Lagos State AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, and all

Chairmen and Secretaries of the 26 branches of the Association in the South West.

The meeting, which was chaired by Dame Priscilla Kuye, a past President of the Association, resolved to unite in the interest of all South West Lawyers, strengthen the Association, and present only one candidate for NBA 2020 presidential elections. The meeting was adjourned thereafter, and a new date of October 26, 2019 was slated for another meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State.

At the well attended meeting, a Committee was set up, to look at all candidates vying for the position, and recommend one candidate that the Egbe will support and endorse for the election. The Committee was chaired by Chief Akintola, and comprised all NBA Branch Chairmen in the South West.

Akintola was himself a contestant, in 2014. The meeting then adjourned to December 14, 2019, for the report of the Akintola committee.

Delivering the report of his Committee on Saturday at the Afe Babalola Bar Centre, Ibadan, Akintola said that it set up certain yardsticks a candidate must possess, to qualify. The yardsticks include that, such a candidate must have a good and standard practice, must have leadership skills, must be a person who is receptive to the generality of members, must have experience in general law practice, and must be exposed. Such candidate must also have played a significant role in the NBA, as a professional body. He must also be a person of integrity, without any corruption case against him. He must also have widespread appeal in other zones of the Association.

He said having considered all this, the Committee then voted. According to him, Adesina came out tops.

He said further that, the Committee also went into history and came up with some facts. His said in history of producing NBA leadership by SouthWest, Lagos-Ogun zone has produced the President of NBA seven times, Ondo-Ekiti zone two times, while Oyo -Osun has produced only once.

He therefore, recommended a fresh start of zoning from 2020. Oyo-Osun will produce the President next time zoning favours South West in 2026. While Lagos-Ogun will follow suit. He thereafter, said that his Committee chose Adesina above other candidates, as Egbe Amofin's sole and official candidate in the 2020 NBA

presidential elections.

The Chairman of the occasion then called on the house to comment and adopt the Committee’s report. Mr Ayotunde Ibitoye from Ile-Ife Branch, moved the motion for the adoption of the report, while it was seconded by Adetunji Osho from Akure Branch.

Chief Olanipekun who chaired the occasion, thereafter called on one of the contestants, Aare Muyiwa Akinboro, to comment on the proceedings. Akinboro in his comments, said he accepted the decision of the Egbe in good faith.

"What is paramount to me is that, a Yoruba man must emerge as the next President of the NBA. As a son of the Egbe Amofin, I accept this decision and announce my withdrawal from the NBA Presidential race, forthwith. My name will never be mentioned in history, as a person who prevented the progress of the

Yoruba race. I hereby, promise my support and loyalty to my brother, Dele Adesina, that the Egbe Amofin has chosen".

The hall exploded in jubilation, and a standing ovation was given to Akinboro. Olanipekun thereafter, called on one of the elders, Chief Abiodun to pray for Akinboro. It was a solemn and emotional moment, as the septuagenarian gave heartfelt prayers, not only to Akinboro, but also every member of the Association that participated in this unity of the Yoruba Lawyers, after such a long time.

Chief Olanipekun directed all members of the Committee who are also Chairmen of all branches in the South West, to sign their report. "This report will be forwarded to brothers in Eastern Bar Forum, Arewa Forum, and and the Midwest as the position of Egbe Amofin".

Adesina thereafter, gave his acceptance speech.

He thanked Akinboro, saying "you are the real hero of the people. He promised not to disappoint the members, and also strengthen the Egbe Amofin further.

Adesina had been in the race, three times. He was asked by the Egbe to step down for Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, now the Governor of Ondo State in 2008. He had a good performance in 2014, but lost due to the disunity of the Egbe.

If he wins, Adesina is expected to bring his expertise and experience, to bear on the affairs of the administration. He was the General Secretary of the NBA between 2002 and 2004, when Chief Olanipekun was President. That era, apart from the Alao Aka-Bashorun administration in 1986, was regarded as the golden era of the Bar, when NBA influence in the affairs of Nigeria, was well respected.