Oladimeji Ramon

The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Dr Nnia Nwodo, has called on lawyers of Igbo extraction to champion constitutional reforms in the country.

He argued that Nigeria’s survival and prosperity were tied to constitutional reforms.

Nwodo made the call during the 2019 Dinner and Awards Night of Igbo lawyers under the aegis of Otu Oka Iwu.

Speaking at the dinner, which held last week at MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, the Ohanaeze President-General also urged lawyers to pay attention to the disruption that technology was creating in different spheres of human endeavours, warning that the legal profession was not immune to this disruption.

On the need for constitutional reforms in the country, Nwodo said, “Oka Iwu Ndigbo must take a front position in championing our resolve to bring about constitutional reform in our country. It must address the issue of effective political representation. It is qualified to catalyse growth in digital education and agriculture. Mere rhetoric will get us nowhere. The time for action is now.”

Also speaking, a former Chairman of the Body of Benchers of Nigeria, Owelle Uwechue (SAN), condemned the “blatant disregard for human rights and the rule of law by the Federal Government.”

“The manner in which the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Walter Onnoghen, was suspended pursuant to an ex parte order, was clearly outrageous and undermined the principle of separation of powers in a truly democratic governance,” Uwechue said.

Uwechue, who was chairman on the occasion, however warned that citizens must follow due process in expressing their grievances.

He said, “We have the duty, as lawyers, to advise our people that we must follow due legal process of going through our elected representatives – Ohaneze Ndigbo, the state governors, federal and state legislators and even local government area chairmen and councillors.”

The President of Otu Oka Iwu, Chief Chuks Ikokwu, said while the association would not join in the “public bashing” and humiliation of judges, it “will continue to participate actively in the national debate and discussion for the enthronement of the rule of law, respect for the individual and collective human rights of various ethnic nationalities of the Nigerian federation and for equity and justice.”

He added, “We support strongly the quest by the various nationalities for restructured true federating units to propel this country into the present age. Those who oppose this quest do so in denial and live in the past.”

At the dinner, the Otu Oka Iwu honoured Supreme Court Justice Chima Nweze; Justice Ugochukwu Ogakwu of the Court of Appeal; Justice Nelson Ogbuanya of the National Industrial Court; and Justices Sunday Bassey Onu and Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court with awards.

Culled from Punch