Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mrs. Funke Adekoya has advocated the setting up of a Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Hall of Fame to immortalize eminent lawyers widely acknowledged to have especially impacted the development of the profession in Nigeria.
Speaking at the weekend against the backdrop of the death of foremost lawyers Chief G. O. K. Ajayi (SAN) and Chief Theodore Ezeobi (SAN), Adekoya said that such edifice would serve as an inspiration to young and upcoming lawyers to tow the path of honour by emulating these role models and pioneers.
Adekoya further said that the Hall of Fame would boost efforts at restoring professional ethics and values among Nigerian lawyers, adding that this has become urgent in view of rising cases of professional misconduct among some legal practitioners.
On the recent murder of two lawyers in Delta State by unknown gunmen, the chartered arbitrator condemned in strong terms the killings, describing the incident as “dastardly and highly worrisome.”
Aligning herself with the call by the Nigerian Bar Association for a full-scale investigation into the killings, the leading lawyer said the incident raises questions as to the security of lawyers in the discharge of their lawful duties to their clients. She urged the Inspector-General of Police not to leave any stone unturned in speedily bringing to justice the perpetrators of the heinous act.
Adekoya noted that in view of the peculiar dangers lawyers face in highly volatile environments prone to terrorism and kidnapping, additional measures must be taken to protect Nigerian lawyers to ensure that they practice their profession without any hindrance.
It is recalled that two lawyers – Dafiogho Egwuono and Samuel Ekwaghanju were killed recently at Ozoro in Isoko North local council of Delta State. The lawyers had filed a Writ of Habeas Corpus praying for an order of the court compelling the police to produce two suspects, Ogaga Enueme and Efe Edhike, arrested since February in connection with various cases of kidnapping and armed robberies. One of those allegedly kidnapped by the suspects is the son of the Secretary to the State Government. The court had directed the Nigerian Police to arraign the suspects on or before April 2, 2014.
However, the Delta State Police Commissioner Ikechukwu Aduba stated that on 27th March, 2014 while the police were taking the suspects to court for arraignment, the escort team ran into an ambush wherein the suspects “suffered fatal gunshots” while the police later received information that the corpses of the two lawyers pursuing the case were seen on the same day at Oil Well 4 near Onwhe flow station, Ozoro.
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