In the name of God Almighty, the Most Gracious and the Most Merciful.

Protocol

I give glory and all adoration to our Creator who grant us rare privilege to be alive today to witness this important legal year ceremony. My lord, the Hon. Chief Judge of Kwara State, permit me to use this occasion to publicly congratulate you on your well deserved appointment as the Chief of our dear State, Kwara. When your lordship assumed office few months ago, I was in your office with my team of executive committee of the Bar where we intimated you of some of the challenges being faced by the legal practitioners as it concerns some of the policies being implemented in the judiciary of Kwara state; procurement and drafting of affidavit by judiciary staffers who are non-legal practitioners for the legal practitioners and our clients, request for consideration of the qualified legal practitioners from Ilorin Branch of the Bar for the appointment as Judges of Kwara State High Court. Your lordship told our delegation that all our identified complaints and request will be considered and addressed accordingly.

Your lordship is a man of your words, you are indeed a promise keeper. I am happy to give testimony that the list of eminent persons shortlisted for the appointment as the judges of Kwara State High Court shown that the Bar request was taken care of. The list contains names of eminent members of the Ilorin branch who are home grown products. We thank your lordship for keeping your words in this regard. Like Oliver Twist my lord, we shall continue to ask for more sir. Ilorin Branch of Nigerian Bar Association singly can boast of above 1,500 members who are in active practice and doing well for themselves, therefore sir, heaven will not fall if, in future exercise, the list of appointees is generated wholly from members of the Bar.

My lord sir, regarding the issue of affidavit drafting, despite series of meetings and engagements with the judiciary team handling the affidavit drafting issue, nothing has changed to bring the legal practitioners on board. Non legal practitioners are still drafting affidavit for legal practitioners. The latest promise that before the end of 2023 by the team has once again failed among its other promises. It is the hope of the Bar that the logjam surrounding the affidavit procurement will be resolved sooner than later.

My lords, the learned senior Advocates, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, to ensure our justice sector works for us all, is a collective responsibility of all the stakeholders in the justice sector. Lack of conducive environment to work and absence of incentives to discharge the duties of office are the two prominent pointers to a corrupt judiciary. Offices of most lawyers here in Ilorin are far better than the offices and chambers of our Judges. This shouldn't be so. Therefore, offices and courtrooms of our Judges should be upgraded as a matter of urgency so as to spur them to dispense justice to all manner of people without fear or favour. This time last year, in complimenting the efforts of Kwara State Government, Professor Yusuf Ali, SAN renovated two high Court rooms and judges chambers with probate Registry of kwara State High Court to ease infrastructural deficits of the judiciary. This huge contribution from the Bar through one of our leaders is highly commendable. In similar vein recently, the Chairman, Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State, Mallam Abdulgafar Omotosho took it upon himself and his council, built a new Court Complex at Warah, Ilorin West Local Government Area also to compliment the efforts of Kwara State Government. I urge other local governments in the state to emulate Ilorin West Local Government in this regard. This will not only bring justice closer to the people at the grassroots but will also attracts revenue to the local governments.

The welfare of our Judicial officers, Area Court judges and Magistrates should be prioritised. May those days be past, when a Judicial Officer will think about his next daily meal, health, welfare of his family, security among others while presiding over matters. Or the magistrates and Area Court judges will be offered lift while going to their working places. If these happen, we all know the consequences. God forbid.

Within the last eighteen months of this administration, we were able to achieve some modest successes which include among others:

1. Reservation of Premium Motor Spirit(PMS) otherwise known as petrol during fuel crises period to ease movement of our members
2. Unprecedented free NBA Law Retreat and certificates awarded for the program. I thank your lordship for declaring the retreat opened.
3. Distribution of free 2023 diaries to our members in the appreciation of their support and contributions to the Bar.
4. Public presentation of book titled: “Law, Democratic Institutions and Security Challenges in Nigeria” in honour Hon. Justice Ahmed O. Belgore, PJCA, Ilorin Division (Rtd)
5. Annual Bar Dinner in honour of the immediate past Chief Judge of Kwara State, Hon. Justice, Sulyman D. Kawu, OFR and the incumbent Hon. Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, SAN; in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

My lords, learned Senior Advocates, members of the Bar, while I was offering myself to serve the largest Bar in northern Nigeria, Ilorin Branch, I presented before members as one of my programmes that if elected, I will ensure that lawyers are paid what is due to us for rendering our professional services to our clients as against being paid peanuts for huge service rendered by our members.

When I assumed office as the chief servant of the Bar, my interactions with members of the community which constitutes our clients and engagements with our members revealed that, the peanuts that was being paid for our legal services seriously hindered our capacity to render quality services to our clients, especially, as it relates to the preparation of land instruments among others. Upon the coming into effect of the Legal Practitioners Bills of Professional charges, 2023, I presented a policy framework before the General meeting of Ilorin branch so as to empower our members economically and to ensure that the quality legal service is rendered to our clients upon payment of adequate fees through NBA. The policy was approved at the meeting of September, 2023 and the policy took effect on 1st November, 2023. Consequently, every agreement prepared by legal practitioners is done through NBA which issues a Code and customised NBA Ilorin Stamp. Apart from empowering our members economically and to render quality services to our clients, the policy is also aimed to chase away quacks who have infiltrated our midst.

My lords, learned senior advocates, bar leaders, I am happy to inform you that this policy is achieving the targeted goals. Consequently, between 1st November 2023 which was the commencement date of the policy to present, we have been able to collect, on behalf of our members, the sum total above seventy million Naira only. I thank our members for your support and cooperation to achieve this success.

It must be stressed that these successes cannot be achieved without the support of your lordship, the Chief Judge of Kwara State, Hon. Justice Abiodun Ayodele Adebara, my lord your cooperation with the Bar is akin to what can be described as "giving back to the community". Your lordship was our teacher at the University, a bar man par excellence and indeed, a prominent member of Ilorin Branch, we are not taking your support and cooperation for granted sir.

Let me quickly seize this opportunity to appreciate staffers of the judiciary for their cooperation which ensure the success of the policy, my lord, permit to me to use as pointer of our appreciation of judiciary staffers, the Deputy Chief Registrar, Litigation, Chief Magistrate Jubril Bio Salihu. We thank your worship sir.

My lords, leaders of the Bar, colleagues, invited guests, in the preceding years under my watch, many of our erudite members were elevated to various positions of excellence as professors, Vice Chancellors and Senior Advocates. Leading the pack of professors is Professor Yusuf Ali, SAN, FCIArb UK who was appointed by the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti Among other numerous professors.

Also in the preceding year, Professor Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN became the first professor of law and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria to preside over the affair of better by far University, University of Ilorin as its Vice Chancellor. Professor Egbewole was a past chairman of Ilorin Bar between 2003-2005. Similarly, Professor Jelili Osuolale Ojuade also emerged as the Vice Chancellor of Crownhill (now Ojaja) University. Numerous members also bagged their PHDs. We glorify our God for the progress of our members.

Furthermore sirs, in 2023, two prominent members of our branch were elevated to the prestigious rank of Senior Advocates of Nigeria. They are Bola Rasaq Gold, SAN and Chief Rafiu Oyeyemi Balogun, SAN. As the slogan goes among branches of the Bar nationwide: "Ilorin Bar no dey carry last" Congratulations sirs.

My lords, just forty eight hours ago, an Iroko tree in the forest of Kwara legal practice fell, a shining star was dimed, the flag of Kwara Bar was lowered, the touch bearer of kwara Bar, the General Officer Commanding the Legal practice and Commander-In- Chief of legal Advocacy and the Doyen of Senior Advocates in Kwara State, Dr. Aliyu A. Salman breathed his last on earth. Baba Salman, during his days on earth, was a timekeeper, he was always present at the event before the time and seated till everyone arrives. He was a symbol of discipline. Dr. Salman was born in 1942, called to Nigerian Bar in 1968 and became a Senior Advocate in 1987. May God accept the return of our father and leader and grant him paradise. Amen. I thank your lordship for commiserating with the Bar on the demise of the legal icon.

I wish us all prosperous legal year. Thank you for your rapt attention.