AKPATA, OTHERS, SPEAK AT RAMINBA LAND USE CHARGE COMMEMORATIVE LECTURE
The President-Elect of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata, on Thursday 13 August, was a guest of honor at the 1st Commemorative Lecture of the Successful Anti-Lagos State Land Use Charge Law 2018 Protests organized by the Radical Agenda Movement In the Nigerian Bar Association (RAMINBA) and the Progressive Bar Forum (PBF).
Speaking as a guest of honor at the Lecture, which was themed “Maximising the Involvement of the Enlightened Middle Class in the Struggle for a Proper Nigeria: Reversal of Land Use Charge by State Government as Exemplar”, Akpata welcomed the policy reversal, which was as a result of combined strong public advocacy by members of the NBA and responsive governance on the part of the State government. Akpata further commended the leader of RAMINBA, Mr. Adesina Ogunlana, who was also an NBA Presidential Aspirant in the just concluded NBA Elections, on his engagement of the Lagos State Government on the contentious Land Use Charge as leader of the Ikeja Bar.
Speaking further, Akpata emphasized the need for lawyers to shun cowardice and speak truth to power. He said “Lawyers cannot afford to be docile or cowards. We must speak up and speak truth to power. We must be more assertive. This will be the hallmark of the NBA under my administration- lawyers will speak up when necessary.”
While committing to strengthen the NBA to enable her engage in the most effective manner in public interest issues, the President -Elect also gave the assurance that his administration would take seriously issues affecting the welfare of lawyers.
Some other dignitaries that graced the event include, Mr. Richard Akinola who was the guest speaker; Mr. Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN; and Mrs. Kudirat Alao Aka-Bashorun, who was also a guest of honour.
