The social disruptions of the 21st century has been a nightmare for some. Goods and services hitherto sort after have become obsolete due to advancement of technology and the evolution of society.

Cab drivers have been put out of business no thanks to Uber and the likes. Business directories no longer exist because we now have solid online platforms like Linkedin.

BBM and indeed blackberry relegated to the background to make way for WhatsApp and Apple devices. These daily disruptions can be radical and can take a business unaware like the proverbial thief in the night. The legal profession is not insulated from social disruptions as blockchain Technology plans to change legal transactions as we know it.

With Blockchain Technology applications can now draft legal documents automatically and enforce same drastically reducing the need for lawyers to draft, frank and take home “10 percent” more than 70% of “Modern Nigerian lawyers” are not ready for the disaster that blockchain Technology can cause for those who do not have capacity to embrace and adapt to it. In the face of this our choice of the next President of the Bar for the next 10 years is highly critical.

It’s no more business as usual. The issues facing the Bar now may no longer be relevant within the next decade. With e-voting, fintech and cryptocurrency on the rise the many reasons why we rush to court will drastically reduce. That’s is why as a profession the time to activate a Bar of the 21st century is now!

While all the present candidates for the office of President of the Bar are Eminently qualified. One candidate stands out with full capacity to lead us into the 21st century and that candidate is Mr. Olumide Akpata.

An astute transactional and business lawyer, Mr. Akpata is the legal practitioner fully abreast with the scary demands of the 21st century. His firm Templars is the leading name in Mergers and Acquisitions with a solid presence in finetech.

Mr. Akpata personifies the 21st-century lawyer in capacity, track record, and class. Mr. Akpata is fully equipped the scary demands of the 21st century when law practice as we know it will be totally different. Mr. Akpata is capable of leading the Bar to set the much-needed foundations that will set the pace for all lawyers to be fully equipped to handle the social disruptions that will surely occur in this century.

We have already made the fatal mistake of not planning for today during the oil boom of the ’70s.

Let’s not as a profession repeat that fatal mistake again.

Ilugo Victory Madu is a young Nigerian lawyer with an eye on the Future.

@Onile Lawyer.

2015-2020