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By John Austin Unachukwu Former Vice-President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and public affairs analyst, Dr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, SAN, on Tuesday night, November 10, 2026, treated delegates and guests at the ongoing NBA Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) Annual Conference in Umuahia to an unforgettable evening of thrills, cultural displays, music and entertainment. The dinner and variety night, held at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Umuahia, commenced at about 8pm and lasted until midnight, attracting a large gathering of lawyers and non-lawyers who came together to wine, dine and celebrate in an atmosphere of friendship and conviviality. Guests were treated to an impressive spread of African delicacies, including Ugba, Nkwobi, plantain porridge African salad and refreshing African wine, among other traditional favourites. Amala, Ewedu and Ukazi with Achara was on the menu. The culinary experience was complemented by spectacul...

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abuja Branch (Unity Bar), under the leadership of Yakubu Philemon, SAN , has taken proactive steps to safeguard the dignity, integrity and economic interests of the legal profession by addressing the persistent practice of undercutting professional fees. The initiative is being championed by the Branch Remuneration Committee, chaired by Chief Chidi Ezenwafor, Esq., a former Secretary of the NBA Abuja Branch. The Committee is committed to ensuring strict compliance with the Legal Practitioners Remuneration (for Business, Legal Services and Representation) Order, 2023 , which prescribes minimum professional fees for specified legal services. The Branch therefore calls on all learned colleagues to strictly comply with the provisions of the Remuneration Order in their daily legal practice, professional engagements and business transactions. Members are further reminded that charging professional fees below the prescribed minimum rates u...

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abuja Branch (Unity Bar), under the leadership of Yakubu Philemon, SAN , has taken proactive steps to safeguard the dignity, integrity and economic interests of the legal profession by addressing the persistent practice of undercutting professional fees. The initiative is being championed by the Branch Remuneration Committee, chaired by Chief Chidi Ezenwafor, Esq., a former Secretary of the NBA Abuja Branch. The Committee is committed to ensuring strict compliance with the Legal Practitioners Remuneration (for Business, Legal Services and Representation) Order, 2023 , which prescribes minimum professional fees for specified legal services. The Branch therefore calls on all learned colleagues to strictly comply with the provisions of the Remuneration Order in their daily legal practice, professional engagements and business transactions. Members are further reminded that charging professional fees below the prescribed minimum rates u...

Session 13 of the ongoing NBA-SPIDEL Annual Conference will today feature a Public Interest Litigation Introductory Training Session at ICC, Umuahia. The session is aimed at building a network of lawyers equipped to challenge unlawful exercises of public power and drive systemic reform through strategic litigation. The session will run from 7:30AM to 9:00AM and will be held under the theme: In Public Interest: Advancing Justice, Democracy and Development. The session will be chaired by Ntufam Mba Ukweni, SAN, Chair, NBA-SPIDEL Litigation Committee. The lead trainer will be Ikeazor Akaraiwe, SAN, Former 1st Vice President, NBA; Former Chair, NBA Human Rights Institute; Former Alternate Chair, NBA-SPIDEL. He will speak on Fundamentals of Public Interest Litigation & Human Rights Enforcement. The additional trainer will be Bulus Atsen, fsi, Vice Chairman, NBA-SPIDEL Litigation Committee. He will speak on Practical Case Development, Research and Litigation Strategy. Reflect...

Theme: IN PUBLIC INTEREST: ADVANCING JUSTICE, DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT Distinguished Guests, Honourable Ministers, the Executive Governor of Abia State, His Excellency, Dr Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, members of the judiciary, learned Senior Advocates of Nigeria, distinguished members of the Bar, representatives of government institutions, development partners, civil society organisations, members of the academia, our colleagues from across Nigeria and beyond, ladies and gentlemen. It is with immense pleasure and a profound sense of responsibility that I welcome you to the 2026 Annual International Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL), holding here in the historic and welcoming city of Umuahia, Abia State. On behalf of the leadership and members of NBA-SPIDEL, I express our sincere appreciation to the Government and people of Abia State for graciously co-hosting and being the headline sponsor of this year’s confer...

Abuja | 9th November 2026 In furtherance of its commitment to institutional continuity and the preservation of the Branch's leadership heritage, the Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abuja Branch (Unity Bar), led by the Branch Chairman, Yakubu Philemon, SAN , on Monday, 9th November 2026, paid a courtesy visit to Mr. Patrick Ediale, a distinguished elder who chaired the Branch between 1995 and 1996. Mr. Ediale's tenure as Chairman represents an important chapter in the history of the Unity Bar, particularly during its early years of institutional development. The visit formed part of the present administration's ongoing strategic engagement with past Chairmen, aimed at acknowledging their contributions, strengthening intergenerational relationships and drawing upon their wealth of experience. The engagement reaffirmed the Executive Committee's commitment to honouring past leaders, preserving institutional...