D. C. BAKWUNYE ESQ CONGRATULATES NBA ASABA CHAIRMAN AT ONE MONTH CALLS FOR URGENT ATTENTION TO JUDICIAL WELFARE

By D.C. Bakwunye Esq.
Reuben Izeze & Partners
Humanity Chambers, Asaba, Delta State.
27 October 2026

The Chairman,
Nigerian Bar Association,
Asaba Branch.

Dear Mr. Chairman,

I bring you good tidings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Permit me, sir, to use this medium to offer my heartfelt congratulations on your first month in office. It is true that leadership comes from God, and it is for this reason that I pray that the Almighty God will graciously guide you on this journey of service to the Bar.

It is with a gladdened heart that I also congratulate the entire membership of the Bar in Asaba for having a courageous and dauntless personality such as yourself entrusted with the responsibility of handling and managing the affairs of our dear Branch.

For those of us who knew you before now, we are convinced that a man such as yourself will remain true to his mandate of building a stronger, more responsive and progressive NBA Asaba Branch.

It is in this light that I wish to emphasise that the Bar needs courageous and sincere leaders who are willing to put in the work required to reposition the Bar and restore it to its glorious days.

Among the various challenges confronting the Bar is the need to rescue the Judiciary, which has also become a shadow of itself. Only recently, Justice Amina Augie, JSC (Rtd.), reiterated the need for the Bar to pay attention to the Judiciary, noting that the Bar has a critical role to play in rescuing the Judiciary from itself and from the strong arms of the Executive.

Permit me, sir, to narrow the discussion to our immediate locality and reflect on the working conditions of judicial officers, especially those on the Lower Bench.

It is no longer news that some of our clients board tricycles and commercial buses alongside members of the Lower Bench. This is, however, not entirely surprising, considering that, from 2015 to date, members of the Bar appointed to the Lower Bench have reportedly not been provided with official vehicles. This stands in stark contrast to the situation of their counterparts in other states.

Mr. Chairman, this is a very sad phenomenon, particularly when one considers that Delta State is a major oil-producing state and has benefited from increased federal allocations in recent years.

It would remain a matter of grave concern if the Bar continued to turn a deaf ear to these issues. The challenges range from the poor welfare of judicial officers, particularly those on the Lower Bench, to the deplorable state of our courtrooms.

It has become a matter of concern that Magistrates and Chairmen of Customary Courts must provide their own generators and purchase fuel before they can even have fans running in their courtrooms while discharging their judicial duties.

The earlier the Bar pays attention to these anomalies, the better for us all.

Our courtrooms are our farms. By ensuring that they are conducive to the administration of justice, we create better working environments for ourselves and, by extension, contribute to building a stronger, more responsive and progressive NBA Asaba Branch.

In no distant time, Mr. Chairman, politicians will begin to seek our support. Our colleagues who hold or are seeking elective offices will also begin to pay us visits.

The Bar must speak up and take these issues seriously.

Recently, several verifiable Nigerian media houses reported that High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, purchased 193 vehicles in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's campaign.

It may surprise you, sir, to know that the total number of Magistrates and Chairmen of Customary Courts in Delta State is reportedly fewer than 190.

This comparison underscores the need for greater attention to the welfare and working conditions of our judicial officers.

I wish to rest my concerns here, Mr. Chairman, and once again congratulate you on the occasion of your first month in office.

The Bar already holds you in high esteem and believes you to be a true and purpose-driven leader. It is my earnest prayer that, at the conclusion of your tenure, the Asaba Bar will stand firmly by your mandate and emerge as a stronger, more responsive and progressive Bar.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Yours faithfully,

D.C. Bakwunye Esq.
Reuben Izeze & Partners
Humanity Chambers, Asaba, Delta State.