Past President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and former Chairman of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), J. B. Daudu, SAN, has thrown his weight behind the Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (MCPD) programme and the ongoing constitutional amendment process of the NBA.
He made this known during the NBA Constitutional Amendment Committee Webinar Public Hearing themed “Understanding the Soul of the NBA: Structure, Powers & Functions Under the Constitution.”
Daudu, SAN, emphasized that the idea of Continuing Professional Development has always existed within the Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC) but has not been meaningfully implemented. He noted that given the evolving challenges in the legal profession, the time to strengthen CPD is now more than ever before. He also commended the Committee for initiating constitutional reforms that reflect the realities of legal practice today.
Supporting Daudu’s position, George Etomi, pioneer Chairman of the NBA Section on Business Law (SBL) and a trustee of the NBA, underscored the necessity of CPD. Fondly referred to as “Uncle George,” Etomi, who has been in the legal profession for over 40 years, remarked: “A lawyer who does not update his training is actually not lawyer enough.”
He described CPD as the hallmark of a modern profession that would help Nigerian lawyers remain globally competitive. On constitutional reform, he hailed the exercise as progressive and urged Bar members to embrace it.
Other eminent speakers, including Joyce Oduah (former NBA General Secretary), Oluseun Abimbola, SAN (former Attorney-General of Oyo State and Chairman of the NBA Electoral Committee), and Cordelia Eke (Chairman of the NBA Port Harcourt Branch), also lent their voices. They all echoed support for reforms to strengthen the NBA and ensure its Constitution adequately serves members’ needs.
In his welcome address, Abdul Mohammed Rafindadi, SAN, Chairman of the Constitutional Amendment Committee, explained that the hearing was necessary to gather input from diverse voices within the Bar. He stressed that the Committee was committed to inclusivity and preparing lawyers adequately for the eventual amendment exercise.
On his part, NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, urged members to participate actively in the process, stating:
“Lawyers must come out in their numbers to support provisions that advance our collective interests and reject those that are no longer useful.”
He emphasized that the goal of the amendment was to ensure the NBA Constitution meets current realities, closes existing gaps, and prevents avoidable lacunae. In particular, he highlighted the proposal for the NBA President and General Secretary to be statutory members of the General Council of the Bar (GCB), stressing the importance of their representation before key statutory bodies such as the Body of Benchers, the National Judicial Council (NJC), and the Council of Legal Education.
The webinar was not merely a procedural step but a critical platform for shaping the future of the NBA.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Paul Daudu, SAN, Secretary of the Constitutional Amendment Committee, who appreciated the NBA President and resource persons for their contributions. He reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to carrying all stakeholders along in the reform journey.
