Nigeria not pulling its weight at the IBA, in spite of size —Gov. Fashola

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (left), delivering his keynote address titled, “Off to the Witchdoctor! - Regulating African Traditional and Indigenous Medicine” at the African Regional Forum, Healthcare and Life Sciences Law Committee Session of the Annual Conference of the International Bar Association held in Boston, United States — Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (left), delivering his keynote address titled, “Off to the Witchdoctor! – Regulating African Traditional and Indigenous Medicine” at the African Regional Forum, Healthcare and Life Sciences Law Committee Session of the Annual Conference of the International Bar Association held in Boston, United States

The Governor of Lagos State, Governor Babatunde Raij Fashola, SAN has observed that in spite of the numerical strength and frequent participation of Nigerian lawyers at the annual conference of the International Bar Association (IBA), the country’s participation was not as significant and impactful as it should be, at these conferences.

The governor, who spoke at the IBA Africa Regional Forum (ARF) during the just-concluded conference in Boston, urged the council of the IBA to ensure that the body represents its true status of an international conference, by allowing member countries around the globe host the annual conference.

Speaking of the Nigerian delegation to these conferences he said, “I think year in year out, we have built what is at best a critical tour de force in terms of our membership, in terms of our participation and yet we have not had the privilege to host this conference. I think the time has come to do something very serious about that.”

He continued, “If you look at global associations they are moving tournaments and championships across the world to make it truly representative of the Planet and I think that we must put our strong number into contention here in order to make our voices heard.”

The governor called Nigerian members who served on the various committees, to consider his message a charge that must be pursued with utmost commitment.

“Our members who are privileged to serve in the various committees of the IBA, must take this message very strongly and I will be having a quiet word in the ears of the President about the options open to us, in terms of the necessary prerequisites for hosting the Conference in Nigeria we are ready and able to do so”

According to him, Lagos was ready to take the lead in hosting the next IBA Conference if such a bid is won; and to also support any other State in the Nigeria that bids to host. “The truth is that if it must be an International Association of Lawyers, it must be so in words and indeed,” he added.

In closing, Gov. Fashola further urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to be more proactive and strategic about its performance at IBA events.

A Cross-Section of Participants at the Opening Ceremony of the IBA Conference in Boston

By: Theodora Kio-Lawson