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Dr. Richard Oma Ahonaruogho (SAN) is the convener and founding secretary of the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN). In this interview by YEJIDE GBENGA-OGUNDARE, he sheds light on its establishment 30 years back, perceived rivalry with the Nigerian Bar Association and the leadership issue rocking the group, being touted as an alternative to the NBA.
As the convener and founding secretary of the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN), what are your thoughts on the emergence of its national executive body?
I have earlier issued a disclaimer on the purported Pro Tem National Executives of the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN) when my attention was drawn to the purported Executive Committee of the LSN and I repeat what I have said earlier on the matter when I assured all legal practitioners in Nigeria that the purported Executive Committee are unknown to the Law Society of Nigeria.
You were instrumental to the emergence of NLS?
Yes. I was instrumental to the emergence of the Law Society of Nigeria. LSN was incorporated on December 28, 1994, by my good self, Richard Oma Ahonaruogho, as convener and secretary, with Mr. Charles I. Idehen as the chairman.
Why?
The idea was to save the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), from self-destruction after the 1992 Port Harcourt crises and we have over the years, reviewed the need to keep the Nigerian Lawyers under the main umbrella of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
After 28 years, why is NLS suddenly involved in the bid to set up a parallel body?
Well, recent events in the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) led to an increasing agitation for the full commencement of activities of the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN) for which some representatives of the persons now claiming to be Executives of the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN) held a meeting with me and one of the promoters of the Law Society of Nigeria on October 6, 2022 in Lagos. At the meeting, their appeal for the commencement of full activities of NLS was tabled, considered and deferred for further consultations with some of the other key promoters and the sole surviving trustee.
Who are those that met with you?
- K. Gadzama (SAN) and Olasupo Ojo, Esq held a meeting with me and another promoter, Chief Kunle Uthman on Thursday, October 6, 2022, at the Southern Sun Hotel, Ikoyi. We are still consulting the other promoters of NLS and the sole surviving trustee, Richard Ogbeche Esq, as at the dare of the purported Executive Committee of the NLS with Kunle Ogunba SAN as President. No one from Kunle Ogunba SAN group formed the NLS, not one of them. I, Richard Oma Ahonaruogho came up with the idea in 1992, after the Port Harcourt crises but I did not get the necessary support from the other promoters until February 1994, and we submitted our application to the Corporate Affairs Commission in April, 1994.
So NLS is a registered society?
Yes. We got incorporated on December 28, 1994, with certificate no. 8206.
We understand that Richard Ogbeche was consulted?
Richard Ogbeche Esq did not consult any of the promoters or myself as the convener and founding secretary. Not even Mr. Charles I. Idehen, the Chairman of the Law Society of Nigeria. I cannot confirm that Mr. Ogbeche was consulted by anyone. I was just seven years at the Bar in 1994. The Law Society of Nigeria is my brainchild and I was lucky and thankful to have received the necessary support of the other promoters two years after, to get it incorporated.
So what is the current situation?
Consultation is still ongoing and the hasty announcement by the said letter with reference number LDN/BOB/C/2022/Vol. 1/001, on the subject: Law Society of Nigeria: Notice of existence and national executive committee to the Body of Benchers with its pro tem National Executives of the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN), in the persons of Kunle Ogunba, SAN as president, Hon. Nimi Walson-Jack as vice president, Abdulqadir Alhaji Sani as secretary, Olasupo Ojo as welfare secretary, Chioma Ferguson as treasurer, Douglas Ogbankwa as publicity secretary, Zara Umar Yakub as financial secretary, Alice Ogaku Awonugba as assistant secretary and Hassan Sherif as assistant publicity secretary, are with respect to them, unknown to the Law Society of Nigeria (NLS).
Are you saying they should be disregarded?
They should be disregarded by all Nigerian Lawyers and the Distinguished Body of Benchers of Nigeria to whom the letter dated October 24, 2022 was written. Let me add that the logo and motto; justice for all on the purported letter, claiming to be that of the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN), are alien to the Law Society of Nigeria (NLS) and amounts to the tort of passing-off.
Also, the offices known to the Law Society of Nigeria (NLS) as provided for in Article 6 of the Constitution of the Law Society of Nigeria dated February 10, 1994, and submitted to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), remains the offices of the president, president-elect, chair of the House of Delegates, secretary, treasurer, secretary-elect, treasurer-elect and executive vice president.
What is the stance of the promoters of LSN?
On behalf of the promoters of the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN) and as founding secretary, I hereby state categorically that no executive has been appointed for the Law Society of Nigeria as at today 11th November, 2022, that I am speaking with you and the purported notice should be disregarded.
When LSN was established, was it not as a parallel body to NBA?
The answer to this question is clear in the aims and objectives, offices, special committees and sections contemplated as far back as February 1994, over 28 years ago.
The aims and objectives (purpose) of Law Society of Nigeria is to act as national organisation of the legal profession, advocate for the law profession and the public, promotion of meaningful access to legal representation in the Nigerian system of justice for all persons regardless of ethnic, economic or social status, the promotion of leadership in the improvement of the law and public understanding of the law and role of the legal profession, promotion of smooth system of justice and advancement of the science of jurisprudence.
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Other objectives include the enhancement of the professional growth of its members, advancement of human rights and rule of law, promotion of full and equal participation in the profession by all Nigerians, promotion of free exchange of ideas between members of the society and similar organisations across the world, promotion of legal education and system of law reform, maintenance of highest standards of professional conduct discipline and etiquette, organise programmes for eradication of child abuse and discrimination in any form on basis of tribe, sex, ethnicity or geographical origin, promotion of legal aid to the poor and needy, assisting newly qualified lawyers, incapacitated members, the needy, elderly and aged, organise programs for eradication of corruption, high cost of justice, juvenile crime, national and transitional crimes, pollution and environmental hazards in all forms and establishing endowment fund or any other fund for the promotion and execution of its objectives.
Will membership not create rivalry between NBA and LSN?
Well, it should be noted that membership of the LSN is open to lawyers admitted to practice law in Nigeria and is in good standing before the Bar while non lawyers, federal and state court executives, bar association executives, law school educators who have not been called to the bar, criminal justice professionals, members of legal profession in other nations who have not been admitted to practice law in Nigeria are eligible to be associates. There should be no rivalry.
This doesn’t seem so?
In 1994, there was no Nigerian Bar Association at the National level. Please read my well-published article on the NBA 1992 crises that lasted until 1998, when, I as the Secretary of the Committee of Chairmen and Secretaries of the Nigerian Bar Association, with Chief Solomon Adegboyega Awomolo SAN, as chairman, successfully organized the 1998 Nigerian Bar Association Conference at the Abuja Sheraton Hotel and Towers at which the Chief Thompson J. O. Okpoko SAN-led Executive Committee emerged and this was after the Plenary Conference organized by the Committee of Chairmen and Secretaries of the Nigerian Bar Association in Jos in 1987.
Why did we not use the LSN between 1994 and 1998 when the Nigerian Bar Association was not in operation at the National level? We did not use it because the LSN was never meant to rival or replace the Nigerian Bar Association but to save the Nigerian Bar Association and to compliment it in areas in which in 1994, we considered that the Nigerian Bar Association was deficient or areas upon which can be improved upon.
Like?
For example, see Articles 11 and 12 of the Constitution of the Law Society of Nigeria 1994, which provides for special committees; sections and divisions, to wit: Special Committees: The Law Society of Nigeria shall have standing and adhoc committees as may be decided by the HOUSE OF DELEGATES at the annual meeting or by the Board of Governors and in particular, the following: Committee on continuing Professional Education, Energy law committee, Legal Aid and indigent Defendants Committee, Advisory Committee on International Activities, Special committee on lawyer in Government, Discipline Committee, Committee on legal Problems of the elderly, Committee on legal Problems of young lawyers, Assembly Resolution Committee, Audit Committee, Bar Activities and Services Committee, Excise and Customs Committee, Environmental Law Committee, Ethnics and Professional Responsibility Committee, Electoral Process Committee as well as Law Library & Law Publication Committee.
Also, it was provided in Section 12 that the Law Society of Nigeria shall have sections and divisions as may be decided by the House of Delegates at the annual meeting or by the Board of Governors and in particular the following; Human Rights and Responsibilities, International Law Practice, Law Practice Management, Legal Education, National Resources, Energy and Environmental Law, Senior Lawyers Division, Junior Lawyers Division and General Practice Section.
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