Sunday, April 5, 2009

CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE PRELIMINARY REPORT ON 2009 NBA ANNUAL GENERAL CONFERENCE

The Conference Planning Committee (CPC) for the 2009 Annual General Conference (AGC) headed by Mrs. Funke Adekoya SAN was inaugurated by the President of the Nigerian Bar Association on the 18th of December 2008.

The task given to the CPC upon its inauguration was to ensure a seamless organization and execution of a successful Annual General Conference for the year 2009. Clearly from the "Roadmap" presented by the President summarizing his programmes for the NBA during his tenure, it is certain that hosting a successful AGC is non-negotiable. The Chairperson and all members of the CPC have thus taken this assignment as a task that must be performed and executed successfully, and to the satisfaction of our members.

The President and the entire members of the Executive Committee have indeed given the CPC full support and backing in this arduous task.

OBSERVATIONS ON PREVIOUS CONFERENCES

In an effort to fully appreciate and accommodate all facets of issues and challenges faced in the hosting of previous conferences, the CPC reviewed the various AGC Reports of past conferences, received extensive feedbacks from members and sought to identify the areas of challenges and concern with respect to previous conferences. Some of these include the following:

1. A continuously increasing number of members attend our AGC conference from year to year thus creating planning challenges.

2. Conference venues in most states of the federation appear inadequate to accommodate the increasing turnout of participants hence facilities are stretched.

3. Many participants register late thus occasioning logistics and planning challenges to being able to make adequate provision for required conference materials and other conveniences.

4. Many of our members attend the AGC without necessarily registering or paying registration fees, thus stretching the already burdened facilities provided.

5. Failure of service providers, event managers to deliver on negotiated contracts as, and at when due (e.g. Insufficient and Late delivery of conference materials).

6. General logistics problems.

7. Accommodation challenges

8. Conflict of responsibilities and task between CPC and Local Organizing
Committees (LOC)

9. Inadequate Funding,

10. Certification of participants for MCLE credits.


Many other challenges identified can be subsumed under one of these basic heads, We however believe that these challenges can be proactively addressed, courageously tackled, and commitedly resolved with the support and cooperation
of all our members so that we can truly have a befitting AGC as desired by all. The
CPC hereby assures the NBA of its commitment to this task. This we have started
addressing through different Sub-Committees already established, and charged
with different responsibilities towards the 2009 conference.

The challenges and experiences of the past AGCs have confirmed some realities we
will all have to accept about out AGCs. For instance;

i. The number of participants at our conferences has continued to increase. Consequently, it appears impracticable to hold any general dinner for all participants during the AGC, rather we are considering a shift to ticketed Sectional, Forum and Committee Dinners or Lunches for members, to hold separately so as to have a manageable crowd attending each dinner. The logistics is already being worked out by the appropriate sub-committee. This will also strengthen participation at Section programmes and their membership.

ii. It is proposed that Registration forms be made available to branches as early as March 2009. with early registration to close by end of June 2009 and provision for late registration at full rate closing by end of July 2009. Subject to the total number of registered participants as at this date, in relation to available conference facilities, we may have to close registration totally, or if allowed, at a premium,

iii. It should be made clear that anybody who registers late may not be guaranteed availability of conference materials, as these require long term planning and execution.

iv. Early planning, funding and execution is critical to the success of the AGC, hence the recommended timeline should be strictly followed.

CONFERENCE DATES, THEME AND SPEAKERS
It is proposed, subject to the ratification of NEC that the 2009 AGC will hold from the 24th to 28th August 2009.

In choosing a theme, the CPC considered the thrust of the President's vision for the
AGC as contained in his Roadmap, which is "......the future of the Lego/ Profession".

The CPC also received suggestions from the 1st Vice President and other members of the Executive, and a number of our members. We sincerely appreciate your immense contribution. Our eventual choice of a theme was therefore inspired by a combination of these shared ideas, and the current socio-economic challenges confronting our nation and the legal profession in general. The CPC therefore proposes as the theme for the 2009 AGC "Under Developed Nations, Failed Economies and the Future of the Legal Profession".


Many distinguished personalities are being considered as keynote Speaker for the 2009 AGC. These include Kofi Annan, Thabo Mbeki, Emeka Anyaoku, Wole Soyinka, a retired/serving Justice of the Supreme Court of distinction, Bayo Ogunlesi (CEO, Credit Suisse, Newyork), the President of Barbados, etc. The eventual choice will however be selected by the CPC based on the relevance of the Speaker to the conference theme, personality of the Speaker and availability of the Speaker for the
proposed dates, among other things. A final choice will be made in the next few days to enable us make early contact and obtain, necessary assurances/confirmation of attendance.

Other session Speakers and topics ore equally being worked out with the various Sections, specialized Forum and recognized special Interest groups within the NBA,
for their input.

CONFERENCE HOST

For the first time in the recent history of the NBA, the choice of an eventual host for the AGC has been thrown open to competitive bidding by interested branches. This is pursuant to the dispassionate posture of the President to the effect that the paramount consideration should be organizing a befitting conference wherever it may be achievable. As a result, the CPC invited bids from interested branches to be submitted at the NBA secretariat. The bids were expected to contain all relevant information and data to support and justify a possible selection of a host city for the AGC. At the close of bids, two bids were received; a joint hosting bid submitted by Abeokuta Branch on behalf of all branches in Ogun state, and a joint bid submitted by Lagos branch on behalf of all branches in Lagos state.

The CPC in selecting a choice of host was guided by a need to be transparent, fair
and objective in its assessment. To this effect the following guidelines were established:

- Evaluation of bids shall be subject to the satisfaction of the mandatory conditions set out by the CPC -as Bid selection criteria, and the degree to which the bids meet other prescribed desirable criteria.

- The CPC raised an Ad-hoc Bid Evaluation Sub-Committee to visit the proposed venues in the respective bids and verify all claims and representations made by the Branches in their Bids.

- The Bid Evaluation Committee was to be constituted by CPC members ordinarily based outside of the South West and with minimal association with the bidding branches. This was to ensure clear objectivity and transparency in the eventual recommendations to the CPC.

- Where the bidders fait to meet the minimum standards set out by the CPC in its Bid Section Criteria, a fresh call for bids may be made.

Upon the submission of the report of the Bid Evaluation team, the following observations were made by the CPC on the bids:

ABEOKUTA BID LAGOS BID
The bid proposed to host the AGC in the The bid proposed to host the AGC in the
cities of Abeokuta Ijebu-Ode, Shagamu city of Lagos and limit its conference
and Ota venues And hotels to the Lekki/Victoria
Island corridor only.

We received the assurances of the A.G. We received the assurances of the A.G.
of OGSG's commitment to support a of LASG's commitment to support a
successful hosting successful hosting

Att. Gen. assured the Govt will provide The Att. Gen., and Commissioner
new air conditioned coaches to move for Transport assured the release
conferees between venues and hotels of 50-100 BRT buses to convey
conferees throughout the days of
the AGC to and fro from hotels
and venues.
He further assured dedicated ferry
services would be equally made
available to move conferees to
Lekki


Opening ceremony is to be held The Bid proposed the KFA Events
at MKO Abiola stadium covered Place Lekki, an air conditioned
seats which seats 5000 with Marquee Hall with 3500 sifting
additional provision of a large capacity expandable to 7500
canopy to accommodate any seats, conference style.
overflow on the stadium grounds. At a meeting with the A.G and
The Cultural Center is proposed as S.G., the CPC was informed of,
main working session venue with and shown an architectural plan
its 3 Halls, the largest of which of a large 10,000 sealer capacity
seats 1200 in amphitheatre style. hall, billed for construction at
Bishop's Court Hal! is proposed for Akodo Beach, Lagos and
Showcase sessions/Dinner. It seats expected to be completed
1500 in banquet style, or 2200 in soonest, being a prefabricated
conference seating design for assembly (construction
is however yet to start)
Lagoon Restaurant with 1500
seating for conference style/1000
dinner style is proposed for
sessions/dinners. Other proposed
venues are:
Eko Hotel Hall which sits over 500
The Civic Center, V.I.
Muson Center with 4 halls. VCP
Hail, Meadown Hall, Lekki, Liberty
Holt, Lambogini Hall Lekki, Alpha
Plaza Hall Lekki, Bellisimo Hotel Hall
Lekki, Peninsula Resort (2 Halls),
Blissful Event Center. All the above
have individual sitting capacity of
between 400 and 1000 persons for
business sessions.
On accommodation, a total of 26 The provided list of hotels in the


hotels were listed available in Lekki/V.I region show a combined
Abeokuta, but additional 46 later total of over 3000 rooms, but most
listed as also available, all offering are expensive with prices from
a total of 900 Rooms. Of these N15,000 - N35.000 for classes of
Gateway Hotel (180 Rooms) is double rooms. The hotels however
closed for renovation, Obasanjo assured of discounts of 30-35% on
Library Hotel (100 Rooms), and normal rates. However, several
Golf Club Hotel (150 Rooms) are budget hotels were also identified
under construction. There were within reasonable rates within
verbal assurances the 3 hotels will Lekki.
be ready for use by August. Additionally, Chief B.O. Benson
A total number of 764, and 433 SAN offered 1500
rooms were reported to be Conferees/Junior Lawyers
available in Ijebu-Ode and Ota accommodation at B. 0. Benson
respectively but the host team Estate.
suggested using Abeokuta only
for accommodation, for better
coordination of logistics.

The A.G. assured adequate The A.G., Commissioner of Police,
security provision and and Solicitor General assured the
transportation logistics CPC of full security provisions and
transport logistics.
There were assurances that
hosting within the Lekki axis only
suggests participants will be
moving against the flow of traffic
Formal letters from the Lagos
Ministry of Transport, FRSC
conveyed assurances of their full
cooperation on traffic
management and provision of
transport services.

RECCOMMENDAT10NS

1. The CPC observed that the proposal by the Ogun state branches to host the AGC in the cities of Abeokuta, Ota and (Jebu-Ode may present extreme logistics and security issues, whereas the limiting of conference venues to Lekki/V.I. coupled with the current pace of development and expansion of the V.I./Lekki Expressway may reduce traffic concerns posed by Lagos and overall logistics problems.

2. Accommodation provision can hardly be fully adequate in any jurisdiction, but the facilities in Abeokuta are grossly inadequate compared to Lagos with most of the largest hotels in Abeokuta unavailable for now.

3. Apart from the Opening ceremony venues proposed by the bidders, only 4 Halls were found to be readily available in Abeokuta for sessions and some had inadequate toilet facilities, whereas Lagos has over 10 proposed


conference venues, some with multiple room facilities capable of
simultaneous use.

4. Although the A.G. of Ogun state gave express assurances of the support of the Government of Ogun state and Its people, Lagos not only presented assurances of its Government via its Attorney General, but equally presented documentary evidence of such assurances from relevant Commissioners, Agencies (MOT, FRSC). Obas of Lagos, Ikorodu, Badagry, Commissioner of Police, senior members of the Bar in the state, etc.

5. Both Bids obviously still have several areas requiring attention, but the CPC weighed which possible host has more likelihood of meeting the set objectives and standards before August 2009, and ore of the opinion that Lagos state presents a more certain measure of deliverables given the information, evidence and coordinated support presented so far.

Consequently, It is the recommendation of the CPC that Lagos be awarded the hosting rights for the 2009 NBA Annual Genera! Conference subject to the ratification of NEC.

CONCLUSION

It is our intention to urgently seek audience with the Governor of Lagos state to convey the recommendation of NEC to him personally and obtain his express assurances to ensure necessary facilities; logistics and support promised are
delivered.

A guideline for the operation of the LOC Is being formulated by the CPC to ensure a
seamless organization and avoid the conflict of roles experienced In the past.

Once again we thank you for the opportunity to serve the Bar and solicit your individual and collective support to ensure a successful AGC.

SIGNED

MRS FUNKE ADEKOYA SAN OLUSEUN ABIMBOLA ESQ
Chairperson Secretary