The President of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, has called for gender equity in the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
Justice Dongban-Mensem underscored a glaring issue: the absence of female representation at the helm of the NBA for over 30 years. Her remarks were delivered amidst a gathering of esteemed legal professionals and dignitaries, emphasizing the urgent need for reform.
“It is quite sad that we have not had a female president of the Bar for over three decades,” Justice Dongban-Mensem declared before a room crowded with legal luminaries and dignitaries on Sunday at the Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos.
The Appeal Court president spoke at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Annual General Conference of the NBA on Sunday.
At the NBA election in July, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Afam Osigwe, emerged as the president-elect of the Bar, to take over from Yakubu Maikyau (SAN). Before Maikyau were Olumide Akpata and Paul Usoro. The list goes on.
However, Justice Dongban-Mensem said the Bar should display gender equity and justice by electing a female president.
She said, “Equity and vibrant justice, especially gender-wise, should be fortified and demonstrated in the Nigerian Bar Association.
“It is not encouraging that since the inception of the association, only one female, in the person of Dame Priscilla Kuye, ascended to the seat of the President from 1991 to 1992, in a profession that boasts near equality.
“It is quite sad that we have not had a female president of the Bar for over three decades. We cannot demand equity in a progressive society and be regressive, among our ranks. Therefore, more has to be done.”
Her call to action underscores a crucial moment for the NBA to reassess and act upon its commitment to gender equality, reflecting the values of equity it seeks to champion in the broader legal landscape.
