A sinking ship

But on September 20, 2013, with just about two months in office, the officers of the branch surprised members at a meeting where they passed a vote of no confidence on the branch’s new chairman, Iroagalachi A.A Esq, alleging that he had usurped the functions of other officers, exhibited high-handedness and taken many decisions and […]

But on September 20, 2013, with just about two months in office, the officers of the branch surprised members at a meeting where they passed a vote of no confidence on the branch’s new chairman, Iroagalachi A.A Esq, alleging that he had usurped the functions of other officers, exhibited high-handedness and taken many decisions and actions inimical to the interest of the branch. They also called on leaders and other well meaning members of the branch to immediately call the chairman to order to avert polarization of the branch.
The leaders of the Bar, sensing the negative effect of this move on the branch proposed a meeting of statutory members of the branch’s executive committee as listed in Article vii(1)(a) – (d) of the branch bye-laws i.e all past chairmen and secretaries, all benchers and Senior Advocates of Nigeria et al. However, the meeting did not hold.
On October 4, 2013 at the ordinary general meeting held every first Friday of the month as provided for in the branch bye-laws, after the chairman declared the meeting open, M.S Katu Esq popularly known as ‘Dangote’ raised a point of order and moved a motion that the chairman be impeached on the ground that he was not taking the reconciliation serious, This was seconded by O.O Olowokure Esq. The elders of the branch once again intervened, and discuss ways of settling the matter. An elder of the branch, Charles Mafua Esq, moved that the meeting be held for the statutory members of the executive branch on October 8, 2013 to settle all discord.
The branch chairman, Iroagalachi A.A Esq, speaking to the allegations said, he has a duty as the chief accounting officer of the association to act in the interest of the branch by supervising all documents that concern the finances of the association; that he never treated the branch officers jointly or severally with disdain; and  that he noticed some outside interference with his branch officers with intent to derail his plans, adding that his branch officers love him and would do their best for the branch with him as chairman.
He therefore called on all external persons interfering with his administration to desist.
Notice of meeting of the branch executive committee was sent to the members to discuss ‘the removal of the former chairman from office’. The meeting was convened on October 8, 2013, but the choice of who should preside over the meeting caused some statutory members to walk out of the meeting. The atmosphere outside the venue of the meeting became charged forcing it to be adjourned to October 17, 2013.
As a young lawyer, unfamiliar with the history of the branch and new to the politics of the Bar, I only had little to say. Someone once said ‘the wisdom of Solomon has nothing to do with the age of Methuselah’, the Nigerian Bar Association Kaduna branch is likened to a ship sinking. Where all was merry just a little while ago, it now is a turmoil. For the interest and unity of the Bar, all aggrieved parties should please sheath their swords and come to a compromise, there are no benefits from crisis just as there are no winners in war, it leaves us worse than it met us.
All parties should please put away grudges and grievances, the interest and unity of the branch is at stake, the consequence of any breakdown would be mostly felt by the young lawyers of the branch who are neither here or there. There should be a middle terrain where both sides can shift ground and come to a consensus, in politics there are ‘no permanent friends, no permanent enemies’ and at this crucial time, we need all parties involved to be friends at this point; apologies should be made when and where necessary, corrections where required and let’s all go back to the happy family we once were.

Daniel Bulusson writes from Kaduna