Nwodo urges Igbo lawyers to champion constitutional reforms – TheNigerialawyer

Oladimeji Ramon

The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Dr Nnia
Nwodo, has called on lawyers of Igbo extraction to champion
constitutional reforms in the country.

He argued that Nigeria’s survival and prosperity were tied to
constitutional reforms.

Nwodo made the call during the 2019 Dinner and Awards Night of
Igbo lawyers under the aegis of Otu Oka Iwu.

Speaking at the dinner, which held last week at MUSON Centre,
Onikan, Lagos, the Ohanaeze President-General also urged lawyers to
pay attention to the disruption that technology was creating in
different spheres of human endeavours, warning that the legal
profession was not immune to this disruption.

On the need for constitutional reforms in the country, Nwodo
said, “Oka Iwu Ndigbo must take a front position in championing our
resolve to bring about constitutional reform in our country. It
must address the issue of effective political representation. It is
qualified to catalyse growth in digital education and agriculture.
Mere rhetoric will get us nowhere. The time for action is now.”

Also speaking, a former Chairman of the Body of Benchers of
Nigeria, Owelle Uwechue (SAN), condemned the “blatant disregard for
human rights and the rule of law by the Federal Government.”

“The manner in which the former Chief Justice of Nigeria,
Honourable Justice Walter Onnoghen, was suspended pursuant to an ex
parte order, was clearly outrageous and undermined the principle of
separation of powers in a truly democratic governance,” Uwechue
said.

Uwechue, who was chairman on the occasion, however warned that
citizens must follow due process in expressing their
grievances.

He said, “We have the duty, as lawyers, to advise our people
that we must follow due legal process of going through our elected
representatives – Ohaneze Ndigbo, the state governors, federal and
state legislators and even local government area chairmen and
councillors.”

The President of Otu Oka Iwu, Chief Chuks Ikokwu, said while the
association would not join in the “public bashing” and humiliation
of judges, it “will continue to participate actively in the
national debate and discussion for the enthronement of the rule of
law, respect for the individual and collective human rights of
various ethnic nationalities of the Nigerian federation and for
equity and justice.”

He added, “We support strongly the quest by the various
nationalities for restructured true federating units to propel this
country into the present age. Those who oppose this quest do so in
denial and live in the past.”

At the dinner, the Otu Oka Iwu honoured Supreme Court Justice
Chima Nweze; Justice Ugochukwu Ogakwu of the Court of Appeal;
Justice Nelson Ogbuanya of the National Industrial Court; and
Justices Sunday Bassey Onu and Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High
Court with awards.

Culled from Punch