NBA Lagos and Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Sign Human Capacity Development MOU

The Lagos Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), last Thursday, made an unprecedented move in its determination to empower its members, by entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Nigerian Branch, with a view to equipping its members with arbitration skills to enhance their practice.

The event, which took place at the Institute’s offices at Lekki, Lagos State, had in attendance, the Chairman of NBA Lagos Branch, Mr. Yemi Akangbe, who signed on behalf of his Branch, and Mr. Tunde Busari, SAN and Sola Adegbomire, signed on behalf of the Institute.

Also on the NBA delegation at the event, was the Chairman of the Continuing Legal Education Committee of the Lagos Branch, Tobenna Erojikwe.

The need for Lawyers to be well equipped in Alternative Dispute Resolution skills, was reinforced as one of the underlying needs for the synergy between the NBA and CIArb.

Busari, SAN, commended the commitment of the Branch to the empowerment of Lawyers, especially on arbitration. The CLE projects of the Lagos Bar, he said, have had immense benefits, as have previous engagements between the two bodies.

Busari expressed confidence that, more people stand to benefit from this engagement in the days ahead – especially given the Institute’s plans to make pricing more attractive. He concluded his remarks, by describing the MOU as a historic seed that is set to grow and blossom in coming days.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the NBA Lagos Branch, Omoyemi Akangbe, described human capacity development as a key plank of his administration, saying there was no better way to empower Lawyers – especially young Lawyers – than through the impartation of knowledge and requisite legal skills.

Chairman of the Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Committee of the Lagos Bar, Tobenna Erojikwe said that, although the engagement with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators was just one of many stops in the Committee’s drive for greater capacity among its members, the MOU would ‘reverberate’ through, and serve as a template for all these other engagements.

The formal signing of the MOU by Busari and his team on behalf of the Institute, and Akangbe on behalf of the Premier Bar, was the highlight of the occasion.