By Gbolahan Gbadamosi

President of the Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) Mr. Joseph Bodunrin Daudu (SAN), led large delegations of Nigerian lawyers to this year (2011),International Bar Association(IBA) Conference which took place between Sunday, October 30 to Friday November 4 2011, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates(UAE) a city described by IBA President, Akira Kawamura as “ an area with exotic landscape and architecture” where new legal developments in various jurisdictions were discussed.

Nigeria’s contributions was also enriched by the robust participation of Daudu, Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), two former NBA Presidents- O.C.J Okocha(SAN), and Chief Wole Olanipekun(SAN) ,States Attorneys-General(Alhaji Abdulkadir Inuwa Sokoto); Ade Ipaye(Lagos); Tayo Jegede(Ondo); Adebayo Ojo(Oyo), and Abdullahi awa (Niger State) , former General Secretary,NBA,Ibrahim Eddy Mark, his successor, Muyiwa Akinboro , Rickey Tarfa(SAN) among others.

Opening  Ceremony

To confirm that the gathering of legal practitioners globally was not only for   intellectual sessions, the opening ceremony started with a Welcome Party.  It was   “ a taste of Arabian feasts, forts and falaj systems, traditional souks and exotic Arabian spices”  held at Al Sahra Desert Resort.

Guests experienced cuisine typical of the region, with specialities from Lebanon to Egypt, aromas   reminiscent of the spice souks of Morroco and Oman. No doubt, food, wine and entertainment of Arabian influence added to the excitement of that Sunday evening culminating in a stunning fireworks display. Lively Dhabke dancers and Tanoura dancers were not left behind.

Before the relaxation evening, the conference was officially declared opened  when the Keynote Speaker, the Nobel Laureate, seasoned diplomat and international lawyer, Dr. Muhammed El-Baradei, called for a serious dialogue based on respect and universal value to help resolve the continuing turbulence in the Middle-East.

“The region is going through an Arab Spring, the key is to ensure it doesn’t turn into tsunami”, he said.

On the political turmoil in his country,  Egypt and the Middle East, he  said  his country’s problems are yet over.

El-Baradei who emerged as a key opposition figure in 2011 Egyptian  uprisings  leading to the resignation of Hosni Mubarak believed that, “even if everybody hated Moamar Gaddafi, he is still entitled to a fair trial. If Gaddafi was shot after he was detained, that is obviously a violation of international law.”

Cross section Nigerian Lawyers

The UAE Minister of Justice, Dr. Hadef Jua’an Al Daheri, remarked that “This is how the UAE has reached the top among Arab States in transparency in its judicial system, and its ranking in the Report of World Justice Project Rule of Law for the year 2011 progress. The UAE was ranked first on the level of the Arab World, Middle East and North Africa(MENA) and 13th on the world level for the Rule of Law Dimensions.”

Kawamura while citing the natural disasters like   earthquake(Turkey), tsunami and nuclear power accident in Japan , floods in Thailand, political conflicts in North Africa and Middle East, said that, “Despite  all those hardships over 5, 000 delegates have come to Dubai to join this IBA Annual conference-the largest gathering of lawyers in the world and the highest attendance record in the NBA’s history. I am   proud that the legal profession around the world is so strongly determined to join efforts to help the people who are fighting the crisis and the current hardships.”

Media  Law Session

At one of the IBA Showcases: The legal aspects on the use of social media and control over the flow of information attended by  a former Justice of the South African Constitution Court and former Prosecutor for the ICTR,Justice Richard J. Goldstone, yours sincerely presented the  Freedom of Information Act (FOI) to the global media lawyers.

Also present were a member of the NBA’s National Executive Council(NEC) Chief John Ochoga, Mr. Ngozi Olehi, Punch’s Company Secretary, Mrs. Omolara Ogunleye, while Osa Director, joined to distribute copies of FOI Act to participants. Former counsel to Julian Assange, Mark Stevens, and Assistant General Counsel , The New York Times were also in attendance. The session was chaired by Peter Bartlett, of Australia.

NBA  Night

Daudu and his wife, Ranti, who is a Team Leader of All Children Charity International  Foundation (ACCIF) played host to Nigerian delegates at the Baniyas Ballroom 2 of Grand Haytt Hotel where foods, drinks and Nigerian music were supplied.It was a night to be remembered.

Rule of Law  Symposium

A Columbian lawyer and human rights defender, Ivan Velasquez Gomez, won this year’s IBA’s Human Rights Award . The award which started in 1995 was named after a British lawyer, Bernard Simmons.

Two Nigerians, late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) and former President, West African Bar Association(WABA) Femi Falana won the award in 1998 and 2008 respectively.

Gomez won the award “for his outstanding contributions as a  legal practitioner to human rights. He has worked tirelessly and courageously throughout his career on parliamentary transparency and fighting organized crime in Columbia.”

Presenting the award, Kawamura noted that” “The IBA is delighted to present Dr. Gomez with the 2011 IBA Human Rights Award. He I is a worthy winner. Throughout his long –standing legal career, Dr. Velasquez has demonstrated courage and commitment to human rights and justice in Columbia, in a challenging context.”

In his response, Gomez was of the opinion that, “This award will send a message more widely than you may realize to those who have abused power in my country. I receive it on behalf of all those that had spoken out bravely against this abuse.”

Justice Solomon Hunponu-Wusu, Resident, Electoral Commissioner (REC), Independent Electoral  Commission (INEC), Mike Igini, 3rd Vice President, NBA , Dr.(Mrs) Ogugua Ikpeze, former General Secretary, NBA, Phillip Ndubuisi  Umeh, Patrick Oganwu, Welfare Secretary , NBA Lagos branch, Mrs. Omohafe Opara among others participated during the debate on human rights at the symposium.

Taste   of African   food

Nigerian participants were not carried away by the Arabian dishes as they trooped in droves to Africana Home Restaurant on Sabakha Road, Deira axis to have a taste of African food.

Gains   of the   conference

One of   the gains of the conference, according  to  Tarfa  (SAN) was  that in terms of networking with global lawyers and sharing of new issues in legal development, Nigerian lawyers are benefiting, adding that, “the session on law firm management was most benefiary.”

To A.B . Mahmud (SAN), “ I have  many favourite  moments from   the conference this year. I found the arbitration law session especially useful. The panelists discussed many hot topics and current issues.”

“ I  particularly enjoyed the family law sessions and the surrogacy issue discussion,” was the response of  Dr. Ikpeze. As we bid Dubai  especially places like Deira , Bur Dubai, Al Rigga, Khalid Bin Waleed, Oud Metha Barajas, Al  Karama and Baniya  farewell and the preparation for 2012 conference  in  Dublin,Ireland has reached advanced stage, the hospitality of UAE  is enough to say that I shall return together  with my   better  half , Olubunmi  and daughter, Kanyinsola  who were with me , to savour  sunny but friendly weather  of the country situated  in the arid region.