Peter Obi, the presidential candidate on the platform of the Labour Party has been welcomed with a thunderous ovation as he arrived at the Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference today Monday 21, 2022.
The opening ceremony of the conference which was held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos is themed “Bold Transitions” and it is expected to hold between August 19 to 26.
It is to be recalled that other presidential candidates in the 2023 general election were also present at the event while the name “OBI-dient” rent the air. This includes; the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar; the vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Kashim Shettima, presenting the presidential candidate of the party, Bola Tinubu; the Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachikwu and that of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo.
Also in attendance were Governors Solomon Lalong and Godwin Obaseki of Plateau and Edo states respectively; Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu represented by the State Attorney General, Moyosore Onigbanjo; and the Chief Judge of the state, Kazeem Alogba.
Award-winning novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie who was also present at the opening ceremony delivered a keynote speech. She charged every Nigerian to speak out against injustice and tyranny even if they were called troublemakers.
According to her, Nigerians do not have enough leaders to look up to in the current system. “We are starved of heroes. Our young people do not find people to look up to anymore.”
Speaking on the theme of the conference , she said, “A bold transition must embrace audacity and innovation. They have called me troublesome. Although, it is never enjoyable to be called troublesome. I never set out to provoke for it’s sake. But I refuse to silence myself for the fear of what I might inadvertently provoke. It has always been important to me to say what I believe, to call out injustice.
“Federal and state security dragging journalists to prison is tyranny. A journalist ill-treating his domestic staff is tyranny. The rape of young boys and girls is also tyranny. It is tyranny when state governments do not pay pensioners until they slump and die as broken people. The physical harassment of lawyers and some some judges is tyranny. The use of the law by some people to oppress the poor people is tyranny.” She added.
In her closing remarks, she advocated for an uncorrupted judicial system and called on the NBA to leverage technology in judicial process and the administration of justice in the country.
