Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference Planning Committee (AGCPC) 2025, Emeka Obegolu, SAN, has defended the choice of young lawyers and public figures featured in this year’s conference panels, insisting that their inclusion reflects the promise of an all-inclusive Bar.
Obegolu, who spoke in a statement issued at the end of the conference, recalled that when NBA President, Afam Osigwe, SAN, inaugurated the AGCPC, he gave them a singular mandate: “to give Nigerian lawyers and guests a memorable experience.” He added that part of the directive was to ensure inclusiveness across the program.
“By most accounts, the 2025 AGC surpassed expectations, but some colleagues have expressed concerns about our choice of panelists. They have mentioned Chief Osita Chidoka, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Deji Adeyanju, and Dino Melaye as junior lawyers who were given undeserved prominence during the conference,” he said.
According to him, such criticism was misplaced. “It’s obvious we will never see anything from the same perspective. Happily, none of the mentioned lawyers spoke on any issue that could be said to be beyond their remit,” Obegolu noted.
He explained that former Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, was invited to a panel titled “Setting Forth at Dawn”, where he shared his experience of attaining high public office at a young age. Veteran Nollywood actor Kanayo O. Kanayo moderated the session, drawing from his pioneering role in the film industry through the classic Living in Bondage.
Human rights activist Deji Adeyanju also featured in a panel that had both young and senior lawyers. “May that day never come when we refuse to feature young lawyers even though we talk about inclusiveness,” Obegolu remarked.
On Dino Melaye’s participation, he explained it was an emergency arrangement after three panelists failed to show up for a maritime security session. “We appealed to Senator Dino Melaye to step in. I wonder who would object to having a former legislator, a Senator at that, speaking on such an issue. But then, what do I know!” he said humorously.
Reaffirming the NBA’s stance, Obegolu stressed: “The NBA will always support the inclusion of young lawyers speaking on issues. When young people are given a seat at the table, conferences stop being echo chambers of the past and become laboratories for the future.”
Quoting former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, he added: “Young people should be at the forefront of global change and innovation. Empowered, they can be key agents for development and peace.”
He further argued that young lawyers bring fresh perspectives, diverse ideas, and innovative approaches to discussions. “They often have recent academic insights, familiarity with emerging legal trends, and a strong grasp of technology and social issues that can enrich conversations. Their inclusion fosters mentorship opportunities, encourages professional development, and ensures representation of newer generations in shaping legal discourse,” Obegolu maintained.
He urged the Bar to recognize that young lawyers equally possess wisdom. “We can’t build an inclusive Bar if we think that former public officers and persons who have attained some height in life and public service are not good enough to speak at our conferences simply because they are new wigs,” he stressed.
Obegolu pointed out that out of more than 150 speakers at the conference, complaints only targeted a negligible number of young voices, which he said showed the unfairness towards that segment of the profession.
“In all, I thank God for a successful conference. Have a great weekend,” he concluded.
