REMARKS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION, MR. YAKUBU CHONOKO MAIKYAU, OON, SAN, AT THE 20TH GANI FAWEHINMI ANNUAL LECTURE HELD ON 15 JANUARY 2024.

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May I start by saying that it is a privilege and a great delight to be invited to attend, for the second time, as the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Chief Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture. I recall that exactly a year ago, we all gathered here in this same venue to honour the memory and legacy of the legendary advocate, fiery human rights defender, and foremost legal publisher—the incomparable Chief Gani Fawehinmi.

This year’s event is unique in the sense that today marks the 20th anniversary of this annual lecture series. For me, this is significant, and it is a testament to the life Gani lived—a life of steadfastness, doggedness, discipline, commitment, consistency, and uncommon dedication. Throughout his life, Chief Gani was noted for his unwavering commitment to the plight of the common man, and ultimately all men, from the time he was called to the Bar on 15 January 1965 till he breathed his last on 5 September 2009. Today is also the 59th anniversary of Chief Gani’s call to the Bar.

This steadfastness is also evident in Chief Gani’s Nigeria Weekly Law Report (NWLR) – the flagship report in Nigeria. It is not in dispute that this Law Report started by Chief Gani in 1985 holds the record as the longest published weekly law report in the country today. Years after his transition, the law report has continued to occupy a pride of place both on our bookshelves and, with the online version, in our digital devices. That is the spirit of Chief Gani. That is Fawehinmiism!

Therefore, I must not hesitate to commend the Ikeja Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (the Tiger Bar) for its commitment to keeping this Annual Lecture series alive year in and year out. The sense of responsibility and the fidelity of purpose is impressive and highly commendable. I understand that there is a Yoruba proverb that could be loosely translated to mean: The one who is dutiful when we are not present is of more value than the one who is dutiful only when we are around.’

What Ikeja Bar has done is to prove the truism of this saying. Although this series started in the lifetime of Chief Gani, it is remarkable that the Tiger Bar has held more of the event in the absence of Chief Gani. Anywhere Chief Gani is today, I am confident that the legendary advocate will be smiling.

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