THE ADDRESS OF THE CHAIRMAN TO MEMBERS AT THE 2009 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION. IKEJA BRANCH, ON 1ST JUNE 2009

Distinguished colleagues, it is my honour to preside over the 2009 Annual General Meeting of this Great Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association. You will recall that almost a year ago you elected this Executive hereinafter referred to as 'the Exco' to steer the ship of the Branch for the next two years with a dear mandate to move the Branch forward.
Looking back now I sincerely believe that you did not make any mistake by entrusting your mandate to us because this Exco has faithfully executed your mandate in all ramifications.

1. ABUJA CONFERENCE 2008
We came in to office few weeks to the 2008 Annual General Conference, we quickly put in place a Conference Committee to prepare the ground for our members to have a swell time at the Abuja Conference. Testimonies abound that the get-together and victory parties organised by the branch were clear departures from our past experiences to date and the only consolation members had at the failed 're-branded' Bar Conference of 2008.

2. CO-OPTION
In order to give our colleagues from the Official Bar a sense of belonging, certain positions were allotted to them, and for the first time in the history of the Branch, the Official Bar at the Federal level is represented on this Exco in the person of Mr. Shehu Gado of the Corporate Affairs Commission, Lagos Zonal Office.

3. GROUP LIFE INSURANCE SCHEME
The first major programme embarked upon by the Exco is the Group Life Insurance scheme with LASACO Life Plc, which on payment of an annual premium of N5,000.oo (five thousand naira) the beneficiaries of a participant will be entitled to Nl,000,000.00 (one million naira) in event of death or permanent disability. In event of accident a beneficiary will be entitled to N100, 000.00 (one hundred thousand Naira) for medical treatment. I must commend our members for their co-operation and understanding in this regard, it has gone a long way to make the implementation easier than envisaged.

4. JUNIOUR LAWYERS' EMPLOYMENT SCHEME
This is another programme we consider of high priority in the administration. Junior counsel in need of employment are required to submit their C.V at the Bar Centre, thereafter it has become the duty of the Exco to look for employment for as many as possible. Through this Scheme, many have benefited and will still benefit. We are grateful to the Welfare Secretary, Adesina Ogunlana Esq., for publishing the list of employable junior counsel free of charge in the Squib magazine on weekly basis.

5. GANI FAWEHINMI LECTURES 2009
We were all witnesses to the successful hosting of this year's Annual Gani Fawehinmi's programme. The proposals for the 2010 edition in ready, the highlight includes instituting the Gani Fawehinmi Award in all least 5 categories. The aim of this is to move this Fawehinmiism to the next level from its sixth year.

6. SETTING UP OF LEGAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
This committee was conceived to meet the desire of the branch to be proactive in legal and legislative matters. It was designed to fashion out a position for the branch whenever a draft Bill is forwarded to us for our contribution, or we see the need to react to sorh6 topical national or state legal issues. We can not just continue to play the Ostrich by criticising laws as promulgated while burying our heads in the sand when the law was passing through the debates in the legislature. The Committee under Mr. Adewale Ademola has been up and doing and has performed well to justify its creation.

7 IKEJA BAR WON THE ELECTION FOR THE POSITION OF 2ND VICE PRESIDENT
It is also a fact that the branch presented two candidates for positions at the last national elections and we were able to wrest the position of the 2nd Vice President in a hotly contested election at Abuja in 2008. This has gone a long way to send a strong signal that Ikeja is ready to take its rightful place in the leadership of the Bar at national level and effect the much needed change the Bar is yearning for now.

8. WEEKLY KEEP FIT PROGRAMME
This programme is aimed at enhancing the physical wellbeing of our members. I wish to commend members who have shown commitment to the programme and to encourage others to be part of it. The venue is the Police College, Ikeja, every Saturday 7.30 to 10am except environmental Saturdays.

9. HOSTING OF ANNUAL GENERAL CONFERENCE 2009
As you aware your branch spare headed the bid to host the 2009 Annual Conference in Lagos, the bid has succeeded all hand is now on deck to organise a pace setting conference and set a new standard in Bar conferencing, we will continue to be the arrowhead.

10. REVIVAL OF THE BAR NEWS
Within the past eleven months we have been able to revive the Bar News, the newsletter of our branch for the purposes of dissemination of information and mobilisation of our members.

11. UNPRECEDENTED INCREASE IN MEMBERSHIP
As a result of the foregoing, there has been unprecedented growth in the number of our financial members both within and outside the country. This is remarkable because the practice in the past is to see people corning to pay their dues or be paid for few weeks to the election date.
In response to this development, we now hire chairs and canopies to cope with the upsurge.

12. BUILDING THE SECRETARIAT
This project is very dear to the heart of this administration. The Building Committee under Mr. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, has reached an understanding with the Skye Bank Plc which is to build the structure on a modified Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis. We have designed a four storey edifice including a pent house with a gym. The designs have been submitted to our partnering bank and a meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday 2nd June 2009 for the clearing of any grey area in the arrangement and to agree on final terms so work can commence in earnest on the construction.

13. UPDATING THE BRANCH LIBRARY
Since the time of our assumption of office, we have been considering how to enhance the use of our library. To this end, we resolved that as much as possible new books will be acquired from time to time to update the library; this we have done. Lately we purchase the latest editions of the Laws of the Federation for the use of our members and any moment the latest edition of Laws of Lagos State and some other essential practice texts will be made available in the library.
We also have an understanding with Odade Publishers to allow our accredited members to pay for the Laws Of the Federation in three (3) installments.

14. LAW BOOKS ACQUISITION PROGRAMME FOR JUNIOR COUNSEL
As part of our action plans to assist our junior colleagues, we have commenced a pilot project whereby such counsel can pay for the subscription for the Supreme Court Report in three equal installments. We are indebted in this regard to Mr. Layi Babatunde, SAN, for this indulgence. Forms for the subscription is available with the Bar Clerk.

15. OUR WEBSITE
The branch's website, www.nbaikeja.org is now hosted and work is on to update the information on the branch activities on the site. I am using this opportunity to call on members who have not completed the necessary forms in order to have their names registered on the online membership register to see the Bar Clerk as soon as possible.

16. COMMENTS/VIEWS ON NATIONAL ISSUES
The Branch has been vocal on national end sundry issues. This accord with the usual principled and unequivocal stand of the branch which has now become our trade mark.

17. MR. PETER OKOH’S MACEDONIAN CALL
The above named member wrote to the Branch for assistance to enable him to acquire an artificial limb consequent upon his natural leg being amputated as a result of diabetes. Members generously responded to the appeal by the Exco and the sum of N250,000.00 (two hundred and fifty thousand naira) was donated to an elated Mr. Okoh.

18. LAPTOP ACQUISITION SCHEME
This scheme had an initial take off hitches which have now been surmounted by giving opportunity to as many financier Companies as possible to partner with us so we can pick the most competitive prices and qualitative products for our members. Before the next meeting members would have been able to collect their laptops, and we appeal to beneficiaries to ensure that cheques for the installments do not bounce.

18. LAW WEEK 2009.
We are all witnesses to the successful execution of the 2009 Law Week programmes which ended with the hosting of Gov. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, to a well attended dinner at Sheraton Hotels, Ikeja on 1st May 2009. this is the first of its kind, we are poised to do more.

19. MONTHLY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
In order to identify with our members, we introduced monthly birthday celebrations whereby the branch sponsor birthday cake for members celebrating their birthdays on a monthly basis.

20. HUMAN RIGHTS FRONT
The Human Rights Committee under the 1st Vice Chairman has been doing a good job. The branch is working out a scheme with the authorities of the Ikoyi Prisons which will assist those that are in the prisons for no just cause to regain their freedom.
These are some of the things we have been able to accomplish within the past eleven months to which we are all witnesses.
We are grateful for the support received from our members who have willingly made themselves available some even their hard earned resources for the advancement of the Bar.

ON A NOTE OF APPRECIATION
We are particularly appreciative of our elders and Bar leaders who have been there for us all the time, particularly; Prince Adedoyin Awosanya, who despite his state of health was able to make it to our Football match during the Law Week, he was also at the Dinner later same evening, Chief V. A Odunaiya, Chief. Bisi Adegunie, Mr. Dosu Ogunniyi, Chief 0!u Oyelumade, en. Dele Adesina, SAN, Alhaji (Chief) Lekan Yusuf, Otunba (Dr.) Bisi Ade-Ademuwagun, Mr. Layi Babatunde,SAN, Mr. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, Chief. Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, Pastor Adekunie Ojo, Mr. Femi Falana, Hon. Justice Dolapo Akinsanya (rtd), Mr. Supo Shasore, SAN, Mr. Lawal M. Pedro, SAN, Dr. Muiz Banire, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, Prince Adesegun Ajibola, Hon. Justice Bunmi Oyewole, Hon. Justice Suyi Olateru-OIagbegi to mention but a few.
We are also grateful to people who have served selflessly in one committee or the other during the period under review, may God continue to reward you for such selfless service.Permit me at this point to acknowledge the members of the Executive who have worked tirelessly to