Wednesday, February 25, 2009

A BID FOR THE HOSTING OF THE 2009 NBA CONFERENCE BY LAGOS, IKEJA & IKORODU BRANCHES OF THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION (DOCUMENTARY BID & EVIDENCE) JANUA

1.0 Introductory Remarks
There are three Branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) within Lagos State in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. These are the Lagos, Ikeja and Ikorodu Branches, and these three Branches have played important roles in the Association.
Lagos Branch is the oldest Branch of the NBA and its membership has produced numerous Bar Leaders, Benchers, notable politicians, administrators, academics and presently a Governor who is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Ikeja Branch is commonly referred to as "The Tiger Branch" because of the dynamic role played by its leadership at the vanguard of democratic struggles. Some of its prominent members were imprisoned, and prevented from legitimate exercise of their .fundamental rights by military rulers. Ikorodu Branch, the youngest of the three, has played effective and supportive role in democratic rule and in the choice of leadership of the Bar, and has also been a consistent critic of dictatorial regimes.
These three Branches over the years maintained a synergy, which is complementary to one another and has served to ensure that Lagos State is governed by responsible leaders. Hence the peace and tranquility experienced in the State despite its population and volatility due to its multifarious religion and ethnicity. Lagos State is home to all Nigerians irrespective of tribe, ethnicity and religion. It is in furtherance of this uniqueness that these three NBA Branches have decided to put in a Joint Bid to host the forthcoming NBA Conference with the resolve that the conference would be the best so far organized in the history of the Bar Association.
Furthermore, we will project the concept of tourism, relaxation, entertainment and education subsumed in this Bid with great emphasis on the tourism potentials of Lagos State otherwise called the Centre of Excellence. The Conference Local Organizing Committee proposes to adopt the model of the International Bar Association Conference, which was held in Cancun, Mexico in 2003. The Conference will be sea-based, that is, on the ocean corridor. It will be a truly holiday Conference with free breakfast, lunch and dinner for all conferees.

2.0 THE BID
Lagos State has an Economic Free Trade Zone, an Energy City, a surface rail system, and a ferry service to maximize all potential areas of transportation and ensure smooth flow of commuter traffic within the State. A visitor to the State will readily observe that there are massive road construction projects in all parts of the State; traffic lights at road intersections; luxury bus shuttle services on dedicated lanes by the Lagos State Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) and operated by the LAGBUS Asset Company, construction of jetties for ferry services in Marina, Badore, Ipakodo, Ibeshe and Mile 2, a surface rail service between Orile and Badagry to ease the
vehicular traffic in that axis, which is also the gateway to other neighbouring countries of Benin, Togo and Ghana, and a well coordinated landscaping with the planting of trees and flowers to give good aesthetic value to the atmosphere. All these are put in place as pre-conditions for its mega city status.
As a result of the one city nature of this State and to further synergize the collaboration of its legal community of conservatives and radicals, past and present leadership the Lagos, Ikeja and Ikorodu Branches bid to host the 2009 NBA Conference in this City of Excellence. We agree that a bid of this nature is unique and assure all our friends and conferees that the Conference on its part,-by God's grace (Insha Allah) will also be unique.
The Local Organizing Committee will adopt the Cancum Model. Cancun in Mexico is a global tourist haven. The city is located by the ocean shore and over the years the Mexicans have developed the region into a serene tourist centre to which people flock throughout the year to relax and spoil themselves. Like Cancum, the Lekki /Ajah axis of Lagos inclusive of Akodo, was developed from a virgin area and reclamation from the local community.
The 2009 Conference is conceptualized around tourism, relaxation and casual appearances throughout the seven days. Shuttle buses will be provided for conferees to commute from nearby venues and for city tours, which will take place everyday.
Provisions would be made for our foreign guests to ensure that they all savour the rich culture, tradition and way of life of our people. A tour of Badagry will showcase the slave trade route and human trafficking of millions of Nigerians and Dahomeians through Iberefun in Badagry and other locations in that axis. Tourists will visit the "Point of No Return", the first storey building in West Africa and, maybe, drink from the well, the water of which makes its consumer forget the past.

3.0 PAST CONFERENCE
The 2009 NBA Conference will be a non-election Conference. In past Conference of this nature, minute organizational details have been ignored. This has resulted in chaos, shortage of conference materials, poor accommodation and little education due to the rowdy nature of the venues. To avoid such organizational pitfalls, superb arrangements are being made and reliable guarantees have been obtained.
The Lagos State Government is building a 10,000 seater Millenium Conference facility in Lekki-Epe expressway which it has promised to make available to the NBA to host the opening and closing ceremonies of the Conference. To complement this edifice would be Recreational Centres where food and drinks will be served free-of-charge to Conferees. To ensure abundant supply of delicacies, cuisines, and drinks, the hospitality industry in Lagos State typified by the various food outlets have been mobilized to be present at the venues. Sponsorship (in principle) of events by multinational companies, banks, telecommunication companies, beverage producers and breweries have been obtained and conferees are assured that there will be abundant supply of "Conference Materials" throughout the duration of the Conference.

4.0 WHY LAGOS?
Lagos was renowned, until recently, for its chaotic traffic condition. But a traveler through Lagos today will easily observe the beautification of the city since the inception of the present administration. What is now evolving is a functional city.
To ease the problem of mass transportation, "BRT" buses have been provided on
dedicated lanes to ease commuter movement and at the barest cost.
This improvement is a well coordinated State Government and private sector partnership (PSP) initiative involving trade unions and employers Associations. It is an on-going process with the State Government adding an average of 200 buses to operate this service every three months. Lagos is a city that works 24 hours of the day.

Again, why Lagos and not elsewhere? Because Lagos State has the largest concentration of hotels, resorts, pleasure spots, night clubs and recreational facilities, and the safest city in Nigeria today to host an average of 10,000" delegates. Moreover, Lagos is the home and practice base of over 60% of lawyers in Nigeria.

5.0 THE CRITERIA

5.1 SECURITY:
The Lagos State Police Command is the best equipped in Africa. Its Rapid Response Squad (RRS) is the. benchmark which is copiously adopted by other States in Nigeria. Officers and men of the Nigerian Police in Lagos State have the best standard of living compared to their contemporaries in other States.
They are best equipped with state-of-the-art vehicles, armoured personnel carriers, and equipment. The State Government recently donated crime-fighting equipment to the Nigerian Army to complement the Police. Also this is the only State in Nigeria where the Governor goes around without the offensive ear-splitting noise of the siren and a retinue of vehicles in a motorcade, which constitute nuisance and typifies third world mentality. This is because; the city is safe round the clock.
To complement the efforts of the' Nigerian Police and Nigerian Army in law enforcement and control, the State Government established other outfits to enforce the law at the local and ward levels such as the neighborhood watch organizations. To emphasize this aspect of law enforcement in the State, there is the LASTMA (Lagos State Traffic Management Authority) to maintain orderliness of traffic, and the KAI (Kick Against Indiscipline) which ensures clean environment and orderliness of people and commercial activities.

5.2 CONFERENCE CENTRE AND ACCOMMODATION
The Conference Centre, meetings of Sections and accommodation for conferees are proposed to be located on the Ikoyi-Victoria Island-Lekki-Ajah corridor. Of course there are adequate numbers of equally comfortable hotels for lodging of conferees in the Mainland and Ikeja parts of Lagos which will be made available to those who may choose such other places.
The recently renovated Federal Palace Hotel in Victoria Island is a tourist delight. ThisDay Newspaper rated this Hotel as No. l in Nigeria. This Hotel's Conference, lodging, and recreational facilities are second to none in Nigeria, and will rival anyone of its kind in the world. To complement the Federal Palace Hotel, within a 2 minute walk is the ever imposing structure of the No 1 entertainment centre in Nigeria the Silverbirds Galleria. There are Cinema Halls, Gift Shops and Restaurant within the Galleria.
In the same vicinity about three minutes drive from the Hotel is the Lagoon Restaurant that operate a serene night life of Brazilian, Mexican, Lebanese and local cuisines by the waterfront supported by a Jazz Band to add to the pleasure of conferees, their spouse friends and perhaps "Conference Materials". During the day, the- Lagoon Restaurant has a hall that sits 3,000 persons and four complementary restaurants. It is a popular conference venue for banks, oil companies and Section of the NBA.
The Eko Hotel and Suites which includes the Karamo Lodge, has 4-star accommodation for its guests with complementary service including Ocean View
Plaza located one minute walk from the Atlantic Ocean. Recently-two Protea Hotels have begun operations in the same area. These hospitality facilities are part of the backdrop of a beautiful landscape known as Victoria Island. The Ajose Adeogun Street is a beautiful sight as night because of the vast resources deployed by Zenith Bank to emphasis its corporate presence on that road. At is a safe place to stroll and commute at night in choice companionship. As we move towards Lekki we are welcomed by B'Jay Restaurant owned by ever young Ms Bimbo Johnson. This outfit is unique because of its state of art rooms and also popular due to its "Happy Hour" occasions when customers pay half price for food and drinks. Two blocks from B'Jays is the Jazz Club to cater for the quiet, subtle music of mature minds. As we move down the road, we arrive at Shoprite.
This sprawling Shopping Mall, an initiative of the hospitality Guru, Toyin Amusan is the one of its type in Nigeria. The mall has an array of shops, cinemas, supermarkets, eateries, electronics shops, ATM Banking outlets, pharmacies, and a parking lot for 2,500 cars. It is a tourist delight.
As we move further into Lekki, one would observe a beautiful modem housing estate otherwise referred to as Lekki Phase 1. More than 10,000 citizens reside in this area. Lekki Phase 1 is a well planned estate with hotels, banks, mosques and churches, play centers, and shops adjourning the Lagos Lagoon. It is home to the evolving middle class in Lagos States.
A drive along the Lekki/ Ajah/ Epe road is a tourist attraction. The breeze is cool
all day round because of its parallel location to the Atlantic Ocean. Several beaches such as Lekki Beach, Oniru Beach, Alpha Beach, Elegushi Beach have motorable access to this road. Several hotels that offer accommodation at the rate of between N5,000 to N7,000 per night are located along this road. Again, Chevron Complex, Victoria Garden City Housing Estate (acclaimed to be the best planned private estate in Nigeria) are located along this road. On this road also is the Peninsular Resort owned by the most revered humanist Alhaja Ahmed Onibudo. The facilities provided in this Resort are breath-taking due to its location, recreational facilities such lawn tennis courts, table tennis, swimming pool, state-of-the-art gymnasium, well paved lawn and decent environment. There are three dining halls and restaurants for guest and accommodation facilities for 1,000 guests. There are also meeting and conference rooms for 1,000 to 2,500 guests. The food is served by well dress and extremely friend staff and bartenders of the Resort. Still along that road (Lekki/Ajah/Epe) there are several hotels and lodges to carter for an average of 2,000 guests at an affordable rate to junior lawyers.
Eleko Beach and the Akodo Tourist Resort are accessible from this road. The Eleko Beach. Over the years has been vastly developed by the Oil Companies and the Chinese. The Free Trade Zone of Lagos State is in this axis. The Beach hosts an average of 5,000 picnickers during Xmas, New Year and Easter celebrations and would serve as Tourist/Exhibition Centre during the 2009 NBA Conference Suya and palm wine would be served round the clock.
Over the years the Akodo Tourist Resort has hosted State Governors, Diplomats, Local Government Chairman's and' Tourist from other countries and families who resolved to leave the hustle and bustle of city life. The Resort adjoins the Atlantic Ocean and its customers have 24 hours to the ocean with lifeguards, security men, and a Police Post always on hand. This Resort is being upgraded by the Lagos State Government to cater for the need of over 2,000 lawyers who may choose to reside there during the Conference. It possesses first class conference facilities and serves very delicious sea food because of its closeness to the sea. The ocean surge is Cancum-like, and a relaxation spot for Junior lawyers.
The Conference Centre to host the opening and closing ceremonies and major events for the conference would be sited in the Akodo/Eleko Axis of the State. This is to ensure the maximum utilization of tourist facilities and promote tourism in the Centre of Excellence. Presently the Thursday Newspapers has a world class Conference Centre with capacity for 10,000 seated audiences along this corridor.
It has for Committee meeting halls each with capacity for an average of 2000 seated guests, car park to conveniently park 1,500 cars, and a large open ground where vendors of law books and other materials of interest can display their wares. But beyond this, as stated above, the government of Lagos State is now at an advanced stage in building an International Event Centre on the Lekki Expressway, (see the Architectural Design attached as annexure ...... to our letter)
we have assurance that it will be completed by middle of this year and that as a mark of honour to the NBA, the State Governor His Excellency B.R Fashola S.A.N. roposes that the NBA Conference shall be the first ever event to be hosted in the Centre.

At a glance these are some of the hotels and resorts available for the accommodation of the conferees:

Ikoyi Hotels (320 rooms)
Federal Palace Hotel (400 rooms)
Eko Hotels and Suites (520 rooms)
C.T. Lodge Hotel (80 rooms)
Sabitex Hotel (78 rooms)
Alpha Beach Hotel (52 rooms)
Royal Garden Guest House, (70 rooms)
Peninsula Hotel (205 rooms)
Royal Cedars (92 rooms)
S.B.I. Hotels (46 rooms)
Protea Hotel Lekki. (120 rooms)
Eko Tourist Resort (80 rooms)
Ganab Hotel (70 rooms)
Piccadilly Suites (150 plus rooms)
Hotel Chillovile (38 rooms)
Budget Hotel (67 rooms)
Eldom Hotel (53 rooms)
Lekki Astoria Hotel (75 rooms)
Hotel Bellissimo (176 rooms)
Biscourt Apartment (76 rooms)
V.C.P. Hotel (150 rooms)
Mainland Hotel, Oyingbo (200 rooms)
Onikirp Hotel Yaba (60 rooms)
New Castle Hotel, Anthony Village (100 rooms)
Protea Hotel Maryland (220 rooms)
Protea Hotel Ikeja (220 rooms)
Sheraton Hotels and Towers Ikeja (480 rooms)
Airport Hotel Ikeja (160 rooms)
Novotel Hotel (500)
To mention but a few.

6.0 THE STATE GOVERNMENT
The Governor of Lagos State. His Excellency Babatunde Raji Fashola is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. He is the first and only Senior Advocate of Nigeria to be elected as Governor of a State in Nigeria,
Our State Governor is typified today as a hard-working, industrious, well focused, humanitarian person who, with his Executive, is working tirelessly to ensure that Lagos State emerges the best City-State in Africa in the next ten years. The Fashola administration is fully in support of the bid for the hosting of the 2009 NBA Conference. HRM, Alaiyeluwa Oba Rilwann Akinolu, the Oba of Lagos and his white cap chiefs, HRM the Anyangbure of Ikorodu, his Olori and chiefs, HRM the Menutoyin of Badagry, HRM the Oba Elegushi, all have given their royal support and blessing to this forthcoming Conference. Conferees have been assured of good hospitality in their various domains, traditional entertainments and performance to showcase the rich culture of the people of Lagos State.

5.3. FINANCIAL PLAN
The financial plan for the hosting of the Conference in Lagos involves a partnering of the three Branches of the NBA in the State with the State government and private sector organization to source needed funds and materials to cater for the welfare, security, and recreational needs of the conferees. The State Government proposes to partner with private estate developing Firms to mobilize all available accommodations for the lodging of the conferees. To this end the already completed 1,500 capacity Lekki Resort Estate which has been completed but still awaiting allocation, has been reserved for use of lawyers during the Conference. Also a respected Bar Leader and past President of the NBA, Chief B. 0. Benson has promised to lodge 1,000 lawyers in his private estate during the period. We have also obtained approval in principle of Banks, Oil Companies, Multi-Nationals, Airlines, Embassies, Eateries, and Hotels for events sponsorship, good transportation to guarantee a hitch free Conference.
The International Bar Association, the Commonwealth Bar Association, the African Bar Association, Lawyer to Lawyer Network and the American Bar Association have agreed to participate actively in the 2009 Conference if hosted in Lagos State. Come to Lagos, have fun and let us spoil you a little more.

THE BID (EPILOGUE)
The bid is being supported by documentary and photographic impressions of limited circulation as required by the Nigerian Bar Association. However, the Local Organizing Committee would also submit an electronic bid for wide circulation. This is a motion picture-in CD to graphically illustrate the tourism potentials of Lagos State, available for NEC members to ensure wide circulation with the support of majority of our members at home and in the diaspora. The 2009 conference is billed to surpass anyone of its kind in the history of the NBA and even the IBA Conference held in Durban, South Africa.

7.0 CONCLUSION
The Lagos, Ikeja, and Ikorodu Branches of the Nigerian Bar Association have by the foregoing statement of their bid expressed their strong desire and preparedness to host the members of the Bar to a most relaxed, and holiday-like conference, the kind that will make lawyers yearn to return to Lagos again in no distant time. Our statement of bid is our creed. Hold us to it, and members of the Nigerian Bar. Association would be glad you did.

Chief Kunle Uthman
Chairman, Joint Bid Committee

Mr. Nurudeen Ogbara
Secretary, Joint Bid Committee

Saturday, February 14, 2009

LAWYERS IN THE DOCK By Lekan Daramola Esq.

Ordinarily, as you entered the Court, you'd have thought that they were accused persons, nay privileged ones as they were all sitting. But yet the toga of criminality couldn't have been taken away from them, as they were all sitting in the dock!

Dock ordinarily, is a place meant for the accused persons in the courtroom. According to the Black's Law Dictionary, the dock refers to the enclosure, in a criminal court, in which the prisoner is placed during trial. But alas, it became a place for no other set of persons than Lawyers - Barristers and Solicitors of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.!

Why did the honourable, gentlemen of the bar have to sit in the dock? They were neither charged for any criminal conduct nor were they being kept there in lieu of their clients. They had to sit there because there were no seats for them at the bar!

On the fateful day, 5th November, 2008 there were 52 cases before Candide - Johnson, J, of the Ikeja High Court. Apparently, you should expect about 100 Lawyers in Court at the rate of 2 per case i.e. one each for Claimant and Defendant respectively.

Unfortunately however, there were less than 60 seats in the courtroom. The number is inclusive of the 6 for the inner bar mainly meant for SANs, and about 6 that were bad.

As the Lawyers were not sure of when their matters would be called, they awaited their turns eagerly. Hence, while some could find seats, others stood up, while about 5 Lawyers found themselves seats in the dock. Hence, they became accused persons, momentarily!

Knowing the implication of such act they would not have been so seated, but they had no choice. According to some of them, afterall, it's better than standing up throughout the proceedings of the day. Among the Lawyers who witnessed this scene were Ayo Olanrewaju, Olasupo Ojo and Victor Kolade.

We suggest that the issue of availability of seats in the High courtrooms should be taken seriously by the authorities that be, to avoid the type of embarrassing scene painted above.

The situation gets more worrisome as, faced with similar scenario recently. Marsh, J, had to enlist the support of the NBA Ikeja branch Chairman, Dave Ajetunmobi Esq. to assist him in appealing to the relevant authorities to ensure that comfortable seats are made available to Lawyers in court. Though the chairman promptly rushed to the C.J's office, no succour has come the way of the Lawyers yet. Hope somebody is listening now?

Monday, February 9, 2009

THE STRIKE: HOW THE BAR BROKERED PEACE IN LAGOS STATE

When the latest strike of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) started on December 1 2008 many assumed it would end within a matter of days or at most two weeks. The popular thinking was that the striking workers would call off their strike, if for no other reason, than to ensure that they received their December salaries.

Nothing of that sort happened however, as the nationwide strike limited only to all the high courts in the country lasted all through December 2008 without any sign of let-up.

At the national level, the Nigerian Bar Association appointed Femi Falana esq a well known activist and counsel to organised labour, and a few others to, on her behalf, mediate between the JUSUN and the Federal Government.

In the main, the workers were asking for an improvement in their take home pay as well as unified salary scheme. As the strike dragged on through December it was getting clear that the two sides were falling shy of reconciliation. While the workers appeared adamant on their demands the Federal Government was equally unyielding citing constitutional impediments to satisfying the workers’ demands.

Seeing the way things were going the leadership of the bar in Lagos State, mainly the chairman of the branches, Lagos Ikeja and Ikorodu became uncomfortable with the stand-off. Their distress was understandable. Lagos had the largest number of lawyers in the country, as well as the largest Judiciary.

Even by the middle of December, the strike had started squeezing the pockets of many Lagos lawyers as all the state courts remained closed down. Litigation lawyers were particularly hit as ordinarily elusive clients (when it comes to fee paying) became even more elusive.

The main job of finding a solution to the impasse in Lagos State eventually rested on Dave Ajetomobi, the chairman of NBA Ikeja. Ajetomobi sitting a top Ikeja branch was the most centrally placed of the chairmen, and the most accessible to both the workers and the state Government which also has its secretariat in Ikeja.

Enjoying the mandate of the other two leaders (Bola Baderinwa of Lagos branch and Tony Ibeh of Ikorodu branch), Ajetomobi first met with Supo Sasore S.A.N the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice informally in Abuja to discuss a way forward out of the strike.
Later he led a 2 man delegation on 6th January 2009 to have an hour long meeting with the Attorney-General and Lawal Pedro S.A.N, the Solicitor-General of the State on the issue.

At this meeting, Sasore and Pedro were unanimous on the point that the State Government would not discuss or negotiate or accept any demands of workers in the face of an on-going strike as doing that “well encourage other sectors, who may be feeling aggrieved to embark on strike actions to press home their demands.” The two top government officials however assured the bar mediator’s team that the Governor (Babatunde Fashola SAN) was favourably disposed to look into the workers’ demands.

On the 8th January 2009, the Ajetomobi team met with five leaders and representatives of the Lagos Judiciary Workers including Segun Omoboye secretary of the Lagos branch of JUSUN and Dele Ismail Adesina a senior staff. The mediator’s efforts at persuading the workers to go back to work as requested by the state government yielded fruit but the success did not come easy.

The representatives of the workers came to the meeting divided. While some wanted the strike to continue until JUSUN, the national body directed otherwise, others wanted the strike to be called off straight away and independently of JUSUN.

After long, hot and acrimonious arguments and debates between the two camps of the workers, the Ajetomobi team managed to persuade the two sides to a common ground, to wit, Lagos State Judiciary workers will go back to work, once there is documentary evidence to show that the state Government will indeed enter who meaningful discussions with them over their demands.

The workers insisted on documentary evidence because of their experience after the March 2007 strike which lasted a month. To end that strike, the State Government under Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Asiwaju of Lagos, had met with the general body of the workers and not just the leaders. At the end of the meeting, the government promised to give 6 buses to the workers as staff buses and ten thousand naira each per month, as “litigation allowance” however while the government released the buses (5) to the workers, no money was ever paid. When workers demanded for this, government bureaucrats demanded for documents to prove that the government promised to make such payments to workers. Unfortunately the workers could not produce any such documents.

While some of the workers’ representatives said it was not necessary to get the Fashola administration to write out its understanding with them, the other part insisted on it. After some reflection, the Ajetomobi team got round the problem-the NBA as mediator would write the Attorney General on the matter and to which letter the office of the Attorney would give a quick reply. The NBA’s letter and the A.G’s reply would serve sufficiently as documentary proof of the reality of the resolution of the strike crisis in Lagos State.

In the evening of 8th January 2009, the office of the Attorney-General received the letter from the NBA Ikeja branch. See Bar & Bench News ‘Exhibit 1’. On the second day, in the afternoon, the reply of the Attorney General came (see Bar & Bench News Exhibit 2) came to the NBA Ikeja secretariat. The workers became set to resume work, satisfied with the letter from the A.G to the chairman, NBA Ikeja.

Quite fortuitously too, that same day, news broke that the national leadership of the JUSUN had suspended the strike for 14 days. The coast then became very clear for the workers to return to their work. This they did, on Monday 12th January 2009.

It is now left to see what the Lagos State Government and the Judiciary workers would make of the truce brokered by the NBA on or before the 31st April 2009.