It was quite disheartening to read the memorandum from the
Welfare Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association, communicated by
the National Welfare Secretary and disseminated on various
platforms of different branches on the eve of 24th April
2020.
The Committee in its report said that the pandemic led to the
closure of all courts in Nigeria for about a month now which made
the President of the Nigerian Bar Association Paul Usoro (SAN) to
constitute a Welfare Committee to afford palliatives for
vulnerable members of the Association.
Now, who are the vulnerable members of the Nigerian
Bar Association?
We have read and are thankful to a lot of seniors and
distinguished legal practitioners who generously made available
their cash to various branches they belong with. Commendable as
this is, a lot of the donations were categorized, a huge number
chose to favour the young lawyers ranging from 1-7 years in
practice, even the Nigerian Bar Association toed this path.
Are young lawyers the vulnerable ?
Nigeria in the face of this pandemic is also using this word
loosely. I was taught in school that Lawyers set the pace and that
society looks to them when rulers, systems and governmental
leadership are in chaos. How are we setting the pace and
enlightening our society and the government of the day?
We have other years at the Bar who are vulnerable in
every sense.
What are the parameters used in determining vulnerability and
how did it rule out other years, say 10-20 years at the Bar?
Is that to say there are no ‘vulnerable’ people under this age
bracket at the Bar? Situations make people vulnerable.
Again, what disqualifies the 20 and above from
vulnerability?
We have a lot of the sick and aged among us. Many have paid the
Bar dues for over 10, 20, 30, years and are currently wondering
where their next meal, money for medication etc would be coming
from.
These are very challenging and trying times and we are just at a
very intricate stage of the lockdown. A good number of lawyers are
self-employed and can simply pass for daily- pay workers. This cuts
across all ages at the Bar.
The older ones are not immune to what the younger ones are
suffering.
There are the old members of the Bar who cannot afford to be
left out of the palliative packages being distributed and may not
come out openly to say so.
They need it more than the under tens at the Bar. These classes
include those who are 10-25 years at the Bar and above. They are
married with children, some mothers and fathers, these people also
have dependent relations to cater for etc.
Do not forget the aged ones amongst us. They are at the best of
times dependent on the goodwill of some close acquaintances.
Presently, those benefactors may never get to helping out as
usual.
The above observations need be given deep consideration; this
being that these
Categories of lawyers have contributed immensely to building the
Bar in Nigeria
Over the years in their respective branches while paying their
national dues as well.
Graphically, the young, the not too young, the middle aged and
the very aged members of the Bar in that order of seniority at the
Bar need the palliatives.
No group should be shut out of the gestures if it would be
meaningfully non- discriminatory.
Written by: Ziggy Mukosolu Mcjossy, Email:
ziggymcjossy@gmail.com
It was quite disheartening to read the memorandum from the
Welfare Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association, communicated by
the National Welfare Secretary and disseminated on various
platforms of different branches on the eve of 24th April
2020.
The Committee in its report said that the pandemic led to the
closure of all courts in Nigeria for about a month now which made
the President of the Nigerian Bar Association Paul Usoro (SAN) to
constitute a Welfare Committee to afford palliatives for
vulnerable members of the Association.
Now, who are the vulnerable members of the Nigerian
Bar Association?
We have read and are thankful to a lot of seniors and
distinguished legal practitioners who generously made available
their cash to various branches they belong with. Commendable as
this is, a lot of the donations were categorized, a huge number
chose to favour the young lawyers ranging from 1-7 years in
practice, even the Nigerian Bar Association toed this path.
Are young lawyers the vulnerable ?
Nigeria in the face of this pandemic is also using this word
loosely. I was taught in school that Lawyers set the pace and that
society looks to them when rulers, systems and governmental
leadership are in chaos. How are we setting the pace and
enlightening our society and the government of the day?
We have other years at the Bar who are vulnerable in
every sense.
What are the parameters used in determining vulnerability and
how did it rule out other years, say 10-20 years at the Bar?
Is that to say there are no ‘vulnerable’ people under this age
bracket at the Bar? Situations make people vulnerable.
Again, what disqualifies the 20 and above from
vulnerability?
We have a lot of the sick and aged among us. Many have paid the
Bar dues for over 10, 20, 30, years and are currently wondering
where their next meal, money for medication etc would be coming
from.
These are very challenging and trying times and we are just at a
very intricate stage of the lockdown. A good number of lawyers are
self-employed and can simply pass for daily- pay workers. This cuts
across all ages at the Bar.
The older ones are not immune to what the younger ones are
suffering.
There are the old members of the Bar who cannot afford to be
left out of the palliative packages being distributed and may not
come out openly to say so.
They need it more than the under tens at the Bar. These classes
include those who are 10-25 years at the Bar and above. They are
married with children, some mothers and fathers, these people also
have dependent relations to cater for etc.
Do not forget the aged ones amongst us. They are at the best of
times dependent on the goodwill of some close acquaintances.
Presently, those benefactors may never get to helping out as
usual.
The above observations need be given deep consideration; this
being that these
Categories of lawyers have contributed immensely to building the
Bar in Nigeria
Over the years in their respective branches while paying their
national dues as well.
Graphically, the young, the not too young, the middle aged and
the very aged members of the Bar in that order of seniority at the
Bar need the palliatives.
No group should be shut out of the gestures if it would be
meaningfully non- discriminatory.
Written by: Ziggy Mukosolu Mcjossy, Email:
ziggymcjossy@gmail.com