COMMUNIQUE OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE YOUNG LAWYERS FORUM HELD ON THE 20TH OF APRIL, 2018 AT THE NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL AUDITORIUM, LAGOS STATE
Preamble:
At the Annual General Meeting of the Young Lawyers’ Forum summoned by the Wada Ahmed Wada led governing council of the Young Lawyers’ Forum slated for 3pm the members of the Young Lawyers’ Forum gathered at the venue and waited for about 2hours. There was no communication from the Executives or any of the members of the Governing Council as to the position of the AGM.
At about 5pm it became obvious that the Chairman, Wada A. Wada and his team had deliberately boycotted the meeting and the 13 Branch Chairmen present moved that the meeting be called to order.
At about 5pm it became obvious that the Chairman, Wada A. Wada and his team had deliberately boycotted the meeting and the 13 Branch Chairmen present moved that the meeting be called to order.
Consequently, Mr. Richarmond O. Natha-Alade, the Branch Chairman of the Young Lawyers’ Forum, Ibadan Branch, drew the attention of the members to Article 17 of the Nigeria Bar Association Uniform Bye Law which empowers the AGM to appoint a member to act in the absence of the Chairman or the Secretary or any member of the Governing Council of the YLF.
Pursuant to the above provision and in strict compliance with the NBA Constitution, Mr. Bolaji Adeoye, the Branch Secretary of YLF, Ibadan Branch, thereafter moved a motion that Mr. Charles Ajiboye of the Ikeja Branch be appointed to preside as the Chairman at themeeting. Mr. Ageherario Emamanuel of Warri Branch seconded the motion moved by Mr. Bolaji Adeoyefollowing which the AGM resolved and appointed the said Charles Ajiboye as the Chairman while Mr. Oghenevwarhe Ohwonohwo, Chairman Efurun Branch was equally appointed as the secretary for the purpose of the meeting.
It was proposed and resolved by a motion moved by Joseph Asawa of Port-harcourt and supported by Mr. Paul, the Chairman of Katsina Branch YLF, that the meeting proceeded as the Annual General Meeting of the Young Lawyers Forum. However, Mr. Okon of EpeBranch moved a counter motion that the meeting should proceed as a mere meeting of members rather than as AGM which was supported by Ezekiel Olugbenga.
To reach a resolution, a vote was taken in which 64 persons voted in support that the meeting be constituted as the AGM of the Young Lawyers Forum while only 2 persons voted in support of the counter motion that it be a mere meeting.
Accordingly, the meeting commenced as the AGM of the YLF following which Mr. Chairman proposed the Agenda for the AGM for adoption as follows:
1. Opening Prayer
2. Constitutional Review Committee
3. Succession Plan of Executives
4. AOB
5. Adjournment
6. Closing Prayer.
Mr. Jude Tejiri of Oleh Branch moved for the adoption of the Agenda and was seconded by Anderson Djegbada of Warri Branch. The Agenda was thereafter adopted.
Constitutional Review Committee:
Following an informal meeting of Chairmen of branches the day before with the National Executives of YLF wherein it was agreed that the YLF makes representation to the Constitution review committee, the house deliberated on several areas of concern.
Mr. Chairman then called for nomination of members to constitute a committee that will be charged with the responsibility of drawing up a memorandum to be sent to the NBA Constitution Review Committee headed by Mallam Yusuf Ali, SAN, to address issues bothering on the welfare of young lawyers and other areas of concern in the NBA constitution under review.
The following persons were nominated and adopted by the AGM as the members of the committee and charged with the responsibilities of drawing up a memorandum and a proposal to be sent to the NBA constitutional review committee within 14days from the day of their appointment. The said appointed members are:
1. Eigbe Alright – Ibadan Branch
2. Djegbada Anderson – Warri Branch
3. Lucky Nwosu – Jos Branch
4. John Afolabi Ogedengbe– Ilorin Branch as chairman of the committee
5. Wakili Gambo – Gombe Branch
6. Dogbajale Memunah – Lagos Branch as secretary of the committee
7. Benjamin Nwosu
Succession Plan of the Executives:
At the deliberations of the above agenda, Mr. KanuStephen of the Ibadan Branch drew the attention of the AGM to the fact that the tenure of the current leadership of the YLF would lapse at the end of July, 2018 and the need to make provisions for succession in order not to have a vacuum could not be under estimated. The house discussed the need to put the Forum in order and implement the NBA constitutional provision for the election of its leaders.
In his contribution, Mr. Richarmond O. Natha-Alade, of the Ibadan Branch pointed out that the AGM, pursuant to Article 17(d) can take far reaching decisions including but not limited to the elections of its principal officers and urged the AGM to proceed immediately with the elections of its principal officers in accordance with the law.
The house considered the various reactions and thereafter a motion was formally moved and seconded by Mr. KanuStephen of the Ibadan branch and it was thereafter resolved as follows:
1. That a Vote of No Confidence be passed on the current national leadership of the Young Lawyers Forum led by Wada Ahmed Wada for act of gross misconduct for their deliberate refusal to participate in the AGM which formed part of the Annual Young Lawyers Summit held in Lagos – an AGM they called for.
2. That an Electoral Committee be constituted by the AGM to fashion out modalities for election into National Executive Offices of the Young Lawyers Forum.;
3. That a communiqué be issued to the public and a letter to the Executives of NBA regarding the outcome of the AGM.
Vote of No Confidence:
In line with the resolution to pass a Vote of No Confidence, several comments were taken on the embarrassment and disregard by the Chairman, Wada Ahmed Wada and his executives. Actual votes were then taken to formalize the motion wherein an overwhelming majority voted in support of the Vote of No Confidence while only 1 person against it. Having taken the votes, Mr. Kanu Stephen moved a formal motion for the Vote of No Confidence and seconded by Binta Salam of Lagos Branch and a vote of no confidence was thereafter passed. The vote was to the effect that they be sanctioned by the National Executives of the NBA for their irresponsible actions.
Electoral Committee:
Pursuant to a prior resolution that an Electoral Committee be set up, the presiding Chairman then called for nominations of persons to be constituted as members of the Electoral Committee, following which the following persons were nominated and thereafter appointed as members of the Electoral Committee of the Young Lawyers’ Forum by the AGM:
1. Akintunji Akinyemi – Ikeja Branch as chairman of the committee
2. Chisom Chude – Okah Branch as the Secretary of the Committee
3. Agherario Emmanuel – Warri Branch
4. Samuel Okon – Epe Branch
5. Ggbande Terve Paul – Katsina Branch
The terms of reference include; to specifically come up with clear guidelines for the elections as well as to ensure that the elections are conducted at an Annual General Meeting to be held during the 2018 Annual General Conference of the NBA before the NBA AGM.
Adjournment:
After fruitful deliberations, Mr. Samuel Okon of EpeBranch moved for the adjournment of the AGM to the Annual General Conference of the NBA but before the AGM of the NBA Annual General Conference which was seconded by Kanu Stephen.
Closing Prayer:
The closing prayer was said by Deliverance Falaye of Ikeja Branch at about 8pm.
Mr. Charles AjiboyeMr. Oghenevwarhe Ohwonohwo
Presiding ChairmanPresiding Secretary