Where does loyalty lie?

“Loyalty is like a master-servant relationship, a master cannot be loyal to a servant, it is only the servant that is loyal, this sort of relationship shouldn’t apply amongst learned colleagues” Cyril Ogbekene Esq.  On 29th July, 2015 an election was conducted during the NBA Kaduna branch Law Week which saw the administration of Anthony […]

“Loyalty is like a master-servant relationship, a master cannot be loyal to a servant, it is only the servant that is loyal, this sort of relationship shouldn’t apply amongst learned colleagues” Cyril Ogbekene Esq.
 On 29th July, 2015 an election was conducted during the NBA Kaduna branch Law Week which saw the administration of Anthony Iroagalachi Esq hand over baton of leadership to Ndasule Sherifff Esq as the new branch chairman. Before now it was resolved that creating a new branch would go a long way in engendering GROWTH and PEACE among lawyers, and so it was, that NEC approved the application and Sokoto and  Barnawa Kaduna Branch {BKB} was given birth to, thereby raising the number of branches in Kaduna to four {Kafanchan, Zaria, Kaduna and Barnawa Branches}.
It is usual that when two brothers have stayed together through thick and thin under the same roof for long, and one decides to go his separate way there is always the possibility of tension, which begs the question, where does loyalty lie? If a principal of a firm decides to join one branch and a junior in the same firm decides to join the other, does it make the junior disloyal? If a mentor goes  to one branch and the protégé goes to the other branch, is it enough reason to truncate the mentorship relationship?
Shouldn’t a young lawyer exercise his constitutional right of association by being free to decide where he feels comfortable and his interest better protected? If it were true that creation of new branches brings enmity we definitely wouldn’t be having a fun time ‘year in’ ‘year out’ at our annual general conference.
In my humble opinion, eligibility to be a member of a branch to the exception of the promoters begins by paying branch dues, attending meetings and participating in branch activities.  A young lawyer seeks from the branch professional development through mentoring from senior colleagues and welfare support.
Lawyers have different visions, goals and objectives in the legal profession which is why I belong to the school of thought that ‘loyalty amongst learned colleagues shouldn’t be tied to gain of any sort but rather, individual conviction of an idea or principle’.
NBA branches are not political parties that a lawyer can defect from anytime he likes depending on the weather. This is serious business and a young wig must be careful, thoughtful and prayerful before making such bold a step; consideration must not only be given to immediate benefit but also the probability of the future.
Relationships built over time ought not be severed because two lawyers decide to take different boats to the same destination of ‘GROWTH’ & ‘PEACE’, we still remain a family of learned minds irrespective of individual choices. This is opportunity for each branch to showcase its vision and ideology towards the professional development of its members, let the young ones feel the change like we are feeling the change effect of President Muhammadu Buhari in Nigeria.
On 8th August, 2015 both branches held their monthly meeting successfully with impressive attendance, this clearly shows that each branch can survive without the presence of any personality, in the same vein, everyone cannot be in the same place.
My advice to young wigs in the branch is to weigh your options carefully and join a branch where they feel happy and efforts put into the development of the branch would be appreciated and most of all, where their interest would be secured and better protected.
Where does loyalty lie? According to google  “loyalty is a strong feeling of support or allegiance…” to a person, country, group, or cause. If a young wig believes in the ideology and programmes of Kaduna Branch, please feel free to be a member and if its Barnawa Branch that a young wig has interest and strong feeling for, please feel free.
It is not a competition, not a rivalry {beef}, not anything of the sort, it is simply a matter of choice, which everyone is entitled to make individually.
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