Mary Akanbi
8th September, 2025
By Maurice Oru Ebam Esq
As an alumnus of the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus(UNEC), it fills me with pride that the historic city of Enugu the coal city is hosting this year’s NBA Conference. Enugu is not just a city of history, it is a city of resilience, intellect, and cultural pride. This year, it also becomes the testing ground for the soul of the Bar.
But I must sound a warning to my learned colleagues: let us not be carried away by the Trojan horses disguised as parties, hangouts, and endless promises hosted by candidates vying for NBA elective offices ahead of the 2026 elections. These events may come with glamour, but behind the music, drinks, and laughter lies one simple truth your vote is the real prize they seek.
We must ask ourselves the hard questions:
Do these candidates genuinely care about us, or do they see us as mere statistics for their electoral ambitions?
What have they done for young lawyers, for the struggling practitioner, for the integrity of the Bar?
Are we endorsing vision and character, or are we selling our mandate for cocktails and music?
This is the Coal City Test. Will lawyers uphold the dignity of the Bar by choosing leaders based on integrity, service, and a proven record of commitment? Or will we allow ourselves to be swayed by shallow entertainments that reduce us to tools of political godfatherism?
The lesson of Nigerian politics is clear when people sell their votes cheaply, they also sell their future. That error must not be repeated in the NBA. We must demand better. Every lawyer is a stakeholder. Every vote counts. Every decision has consequences.
In Enugu, let us rise above distractions. Let us critically appraise every candidate, young or old, not by their parties, not by their promises, but by their track record, their vision for the Bar, and their respect for young lawyers.
The integrity of the Nigerian Bar Association depends on the choices we make today. The question is simple but profound: will you pass the Coal City Test?
Maurice Oru Ebam Esq.
Former Social Secretary, YLF Abuja Unity Bar
Member, NBA Abuja Human Rights & Rule of Law Committee
