By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Bartholomew Madukwe

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola SAN has charged members of the Nigerian Bar Association to speak up against the culture of impunity.

The governor, who gave the charge while hosting members of the Nigerian Bar Association- Ikeja Branch and the Law Week Planning Committee of the Lagos Branch, noted that the responsibility to speak for process and due diligence lied more with members of the Bar who must always ensure that things are done only because they are right.

“Sometimes the process is as important as the result itself. How was it done? Was it done with impunity which could take away a lot from it or was it done according to process? The responsibility to speak up for process and diligence lies more with us. We are supposed to know”. Fashola said.

Commending some of the topics listed for discussion during the on- going Law Week of the Lagos Branch of the NBA, Fashola said: “That takes me to some of the serious issues proposed to be raised by the Lagos Branch of the Bar Association at its Law Conference week.

I think there are serious issues that speak to the challenge of today and I hope members and non-members will participate fully. The bigger burden lies on us members of the Bar to lead by example and I hope that not only would we talk about these things but would do something about it if everyone leaves those conferences and meetings with a resolve to do the little that he or she can do”.

Professor Itse Sagay SAN, in his keynote address, observed that an insatiable and unrestrained urge for material things are responsible for the decline in the legal profession.

He said: “no client will dare approach a judge directly. We (lawyers) do the dirty job. Some of our colleagues have established themselves in business as the right persons to approach in order to buy a judgment. They are the middle men; they go betweens.”

Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo SAN, in his opening remarks, revealed that the Chief Justices of Nigeria would soon put in operation a new rule that will eliminate delays in the administration of justice in Nigeria.

However, the Chairman of NBA, Lagos branch, Mr. Taiwo Taiwo stressed the need for lawyers to come together to reappraise the law, the rules of procedure as well as social and political situation in the country.

He stated that in order to protect the nation nascent democracy, there was need to address the issue of corruption, adding “corruption is becoming the norm in our society, so are criminal activities.”

Speaking earlier, Chairman of Ikeja Branch, NBA, Mr Monday Ubani, commended Governor Fashola for redefining the parameters of good governance through the changes he had made in handling of the affairs of the state.