UK-Nigeria agreement will benefit Nigerian lawyers more – Adejobi to NBA President
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Yakubu C Maikyou (SAN), has been criticized for opposing the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade Investment Partnership (ETIP) Agreement.
The NBA President in his reaction to the agreement which was widely publicised on February 15, had frowned at the agreement, expressing concern over its implications for the legal profession in Nigeria.
Maikyau denounced the signing of the agreement between the governments of Nigeria and the United Kingdom, stating that it was done without the consent or engagement of the NBA.
Reacting to the President of the NBA, a practising solicitor in England & Wales, Olubi Adejobi, allayed the fears entertained by the NBA President, as the move will be highly beneficial to practising lawyers of both Nigeria and United Kingdom.
In a letter dated February 19, 2024, and addressed to the NBA President, Adejobi stressed that currently, many Commonwealth Common Law English Speaking Jurisdictions, including Canada, Ghana and South Africa have ease of access arrangements allowing overseas qualified lawyers into their jurisdiction, and wondered why a country such as Nigeria would not tow such path.
He argued that should the agreement begin to see the light of the day, Nigerians will witness much shorter time frames for dispute resolution and adjudication, as well as witness an end to spurious delay-tactic appeals and preliminary objections, and also, an end to the “go to court syndrome”.
The letter reads, “I write in response to your widely circulated letter of the above date, critical of ETIP’s apparent attempt to grant mutual professional ease of access to lawyers in both jurisdictions.
“You are opposed to any mutual professional ease of access arrangements. My view is that mutual professional ease of access arrangements is a tide that, ultimately, lifts all the boats in each jurisdiction, particularly in the Nigeria jurisdiction.
“On Economic Grounds, your assertion that “Nigeria is attempting to deprive Nigerian lawyers and millions of dependents of means of livelihoods” is simply untrue. Empirical evidence shows that the reverse would be the case.”
He noted that as a member of the British Nigeria Law Forum (BNLF), he liaised between The Law Society and Mr. Jegede (then head of Nigeria Law School, Lagos), where critical discussions led to the extension of the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test (QLTT) Program to Nigerian Lawyers, which has now seen Nigerian lawyers with 2 years or more practising experience have an easier access route to practice in the UK.
“Improved access is in the wider business and public interest. Nigeria and Nigerians wish to see, much shorter time frames for dispute resolution and adjudication, an end to spurious delay-tactic appeals and preliminary objections, and an end to the “go to court syndrome.”
He added that easier access arrangements will lift the economic livelihood of hundreds (if not thousands) of Nigeria lawyers and improve professionalism all round, and that junior lawyers in Nigeria who are poorly paid will also benefit immensely from the arrangement.
The letter quoted Adejobi as saying that over the years, countries that know the value and positive impact of easier access arrangements on the economic, employment and career opportunities of their professionals, without compromising the integrity of their legal jurisdictions, have long embraced it.
The well-travelled and enlightened legal practitioner urged the Nigerian Bar Association President, not to kick against the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade Investment Partnership (ETIP) Agreement, as its impact and benefits were enormous, particularly to Nigerian lawyers and Nigeria in general.
