Recently, a group under the aegis of Friends of Olumide Akpata called for applications from interested and qualified lawyers across Nigeria for sponsorship to the 2020 Practice Preparation Course organised by law career centre, ‘Legally Engaged’ in Lagos.
The sponsorship which is in sustenance of Olumide Akpata’s long-standing support for, and sponsorship of, capacity building and professional development programmes for young lawyers is expected to contribute towards expanding the frontiers of law practice by exposing the participating lawyers (who all have between 2 to 7 years post call experience) to various topical areas of law practice such as taxation, Fintech, renewable energy, media & entertainment, intellectual property, new face of dispute resolution, capital markets, banking, etc.
At the end of the application period, over 300 strong and very competitive applications were received by the evaluation committee and the following 30 applicants from across various branches of the NBA were shortlisted.
The shortlisted candidates who arrived Lagos on Saturday January 11, 2020, and on Sunday January 12, 2020 were taken through a number of special introductory focus sessions. They will be resuming today at the Lagos Court of Arbitration for the two-week long intensive training.
The sponsorship by Friends of Olumide Akpata is all-expenses paid and covers (a) the course fees; (b) travel costs to, and from, Lagos; (c) accommodation, within Lagos, for the duration of the course; (d) feeding, course materials and other associated costs and logistics.
Candidates who made the shortlist were from several branches across the country. Among these were three candidates from Abuja branch; one from Aba branch; one from Asaba; and two from Benin. Other branches, were Calabar (2); Enugu (2); Ibadan (1) Ikeja(2); Jos (1); Kaduna (2); Kano (2); Lagos (3); Makurdi (1); Nsukka (1); Onitsha (1); Osogbo (1); Owerri (1); Port Harcourt (1); Uyo (1); Warri (1);
The shortlisted candidates include, Ogbonna Igwenyi Richard, Melah Ibrahim Yusufu, Isioma Onwaeze, Vivian Ovie-Whiskey, Ejike Willians Asinyirimba , Jude Osasere Ogbeide, Uchenna Bridget Okoh, Emmanuel Akpan Assam, Deborah Ada Okey, Adaugo Sochima Ugwu, Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Ogbodo, Idowu Joseph Olamide , and Caleb Agyoh Terzungwe.
Others were, Agatha Chikodi Mcmadu, Winnifred Wa’akat Daboer, Sulaiman Musa, Nasir Ibrahim , Faisal Lawal Hassan, Sani Ammani, Uzochukwu, Babatunde Olawunmi Akinbobola, Emmanuel Deblois Ugbor, Ijeoma Favour, Chukwudubem Emmanuel Ezeh , Frederick C. Ifezue, Abiodun Ayotunde Sonaike, Daniel Odiba Ojonugwa, Ogbom Goodluck Ogbom, Ubongabasi Fidelis Onwioduokit, and Anderson Djegbada Ogaga.
