By Innocent Anaba
THE position of General Secretary of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, is one of the most prestigious offices in the association. In actual fact, it is the most important, second to the office of the President of the association.

Among candidates running for office in the association’s election slated for Tuesday in Abuja are Mr Emeka Obegolu, Mr Olumuyiwa Olowokure and Mr Emmanuel Haruna. These men are by all standrad, eminently qualified to occupy the said office. Whoever emerges therefore will not be for lack of qualification of others, but simply because only person can occupy the office

Mr Emeka Obegolu:
He is an active member of the association. Born to the family of Chief Charles and Chief Mary Obegolu, both legal practitioners, he read law at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka in Anambra State. He was called to the bar on September 28, 1999. He had his early practice experience with the firm of Adetokunbo Kayode & Co from 1999 and resigned in 2002 to set up Greenfield Chambers in partnership with a colleague, Agada John Elachi.

He is also an Arbitrator and Mediator by passion, a consummate and committed Bar Man. Urbane, erudite, dynamic and innovative, Emeka has meritoriously held positions that portrayed him as an outstanding team player and a detailed and resourceful person.

Mr. Emeka Obegolu and Mr. Olumuyiwa Olowokur

As modest as the above is, meeting Emeka one-on-one, you cannot but be amazed at his humility, transparent sincerity and generally amiable nature. None the less, he is a perfect description of a fair and firm person.

Disseminating of information

He noted that as Publicity Secretary, NBA Abuja Branch, he introduced the use of SMS/Text Message to disseminate information; collaborated with AIT, to use the programme Legalscope to propagate ideas of the Bar. And as Secretary, NBA Abuja Branch, he published the Abuja Branch Directory at no cost to the Branch after many years and introduced the circulation of Minutes of Meetings by e-mail at least two weeks before the meeting.

He added that as Publicity Secretary NBA, he introduced electronic newsletter;  live coverage of opening ceremony of  Annual General Conference; Bulk SMS of news real time; Photo coverage and reportage of branch activities;  Facebook and Twitter social discussion platform for NBA and NBA Helplines, promising to do more, if voted Secretary General.

On why he is running for the position, he said: “The major point of my aspiration is to bridge the gap between NBA and its members. Having served as Publicity Secretary for close to two years, I had come to realise that members do not have a personal relationship with the NBA and I had traced the problem to non availability of direct membership benefits for members.

“Part of the things I would want to do differently upon assumption of office as General Secretary is to generate membership benefits for members such that will justify their membership of a professional association and make it beneficial for members to pay their Bar Practising fees.

“With the completion of the lawyers database verification exercise, each lawyer will have a space within our website where he/she can print his practice licence each year, access the NBA electronic library, which I will introduce as a membership benefit, register for conferences and print out receipt therefrom, and generally operate as an individual member of NBA.

“I will support branches through the creation of a Branch Support and Advisory Directorate within the secretariat to conduct compliance audit and engender peer review mechanism for branches,” he added.

Mr Olumuyiwa Olowokur:

He was called to Nigerian Bar in 1986 and had practised law in Kaduna, where he did his National Youths Service Corps, NYSC.

After four years of learning the ropes in the reputable law firm of Paul Usoro and Co, he established his firm in Kaduna, where he developed a reputable practice with emphasis on immigration, taxation, insurance, servicing international development organisations and more recently pre-election matters and election petitions.

His mission is to be in a position to, with due regard to the NBA Constitution, superintend a National Secretariat that is IT driven, operates in an efficient manner that accords with the best and modern practices and above all, caters for the membership needs of Barristers and Solicitors of the Supreme Court of Nigeria wherever they are, whether in Nigeria or abroad.

He had a highly successful tenure as Chairman of Kaduna Branch, as Chairman, he led the Branch to host one of the most successful and seamless conferences in the annals of NBA history. As the Kaduna State Coordinator of ‘Project Swift Count’ he represented NBA as State Coordinator in a coalition of civil society organisations that officially observed the 2011 general elections.

He said, if voted in as Sec Gen, he would maintain a dedicated telephone helpline and on-line help services to enable members get prompt answers to questions and complaints and generally make the secretariat more accessible; ensure capacity building programmes for members are professionalized so as to give value for money.

He added that in concert with the President, National Executive and the Branches, he would explore ways of reducing the incidence of the ever growing menace of fake lawyers and other professionals and individuals charging ‘legal fees,’ ensure advance copies of NEC minutes and other relevant documents reach NEC members promptly; prompt production and distribution of annual practice license reactivation of the NEC stamp and seal project.

Mr. Emmanuel Haruna:

He was born in Odolu, Igalanela/Odolu Local Government Area, Kogi State. He read law at Ahmadu Bello University, and was called to bar in July, 1983. After his NYSC as Legal Aid Counsel in Imo State, he did his pupilage with  Dr. S.S. Ameh & Co in Jos. He worked with Benue State Ministry of Justice  and rose to different levels before setting up his law firm, E.A .Haruna & Co.

If elected General Secretary, he said he intend to improve the National Secretariat progressively over the years. He said: “In pursuits of this progressive improvement, two key areas I will focus on are by ensuring that minutes of previous meeting and other critical NEC papers are transmitted to members of NEC in good time to elicit robust and informed deliberations and decisions and members of staff of the National Secretariat do not presently appreciate the fact that their employment depend on the membership of our great association.

“The aloofness with which some of our members are treated leaves much to be desired. As General Secretary, I will ensure a complete break from this state of affair. Staff and management will be persuaded to treat our members as their employers that we really are through due respect and warm reception that our members deserve. The pace of an Information Technology driven National Secretariat will be sustained and improved upon.

Economic hardship

“It is obvious that majority of our members are bitterly dissatisfied with the new BPF and AGP fees in the context of the present prevailing economic hardship. Whoever emerges as president will be constantly reminded of the need to fruitfully pursue the mandate for downward review of BPF through the General Council of the Bar. Of course, the downward review of AGC registration fees will be easier to handle by the new body of national officers after inauguration sometime in August 2012.

“For me, my bid to be General Secretary of NBA is all about offering myself for service predicated on maturity, experience and integrity. I cannot elect myself as General Secretary. So, I will be bound by the outcome of the election. I will accept it which ever way it goes. But I am confident that I will win.”

His agenda, includes cause to be produced and transmitted to members of NEC previous minutes of meeting and other critical NEC papers not later than seven days before any subsequent meeting of NEC to enhance quality contributions during meeting.