Tell government the truth, Daudu charges African lawyers

Chairman of the African Bar Association and a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, Chief Joseph Daudu, SAN, has challenged lawyers in the continent to rise above parochial sentiments and tell their leaders the truth. Daudu, gave the advice over the weekend in Abuja at the AfBA’s Governing Council‎ meeting held at his chambers […]

Chairman of the African Bar Association and a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, Chief Joseph Daudu, SAN, has challenged lawyers in the continent to rise above parochial sentiments and tell their leaders the truth.
Daudu, gave the advice over the weekend in Abuja at the AfBA’s Governing Council‎ meeting held at his chambers in Abuja.
He said that lawyers must be courageous enough to tell our leaders the truth especially on issues of human rights and good governance.
He also called on lawyers practising in Africa to look inward instead of travelling to Europe and the United States of America to spend their hard-earned income.
 He said: "Our experience at other fora i.e. the International Bar Association and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and the American Bar Association has taught is that charity must begin at home."
He noted that when African lawyers attended conferences abroad, they took a lot of money from Africa and spent it on the economy of those countries at the expense of their father land.
Daudu also called on African lawyers to patronise their colleagues by not giving jobs that could be done by their African counterparts to foreigners.
He said: "I see no reason why a simple agreement just because it is prices in millions of dollars will require a counsel from the US to come and vet the agreement and we pay across the Atlantic where there are African lawyers who are equally skilled."
He further challenged lawyers in the continent to be courageous and forthright in telling their governments the truth.
Daudu urged the lawyers to confront the issue of good governance, terrorism, graft and corruption and human rights.
He condemned the practice where lawyers in Africa travelled to Europe and America to attend conferences that had no topics dealing with African issues.
He said: "Our people spend more time there in shopping events, night clubs and other mundane activities that you can also find here in Africa."
Daudu also suggested that African lawyers should attend more conferences in Africa.