The Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), *Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala* is expected to deliver the Keynote Speech at the forthcoming 2024 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), which is scheduled to be held between August 23 and 30, 2024 in Lagos.
This was disclosed by the President of the Association, Yakubu C. Maikyau, CON, SAN during the unveiling ceremony of the official logo and theme of the Conference in Abuja on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
NEWSWIRE Law & Events Magazine’s correspondent in Abuja reports that the theme of the confab, according to the NBA helmsman, would be, *“Pressing Forward: A National Posture For Rebuilding Nigeria”*
Extolling the virtues of Dr. Okonjo-Iweala (a one-time Nigerian Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy), Maikyau said she was selected due to her monumental achievements both in her home country and internationally. *”She is a woman who has accomplished several feats,”* Maikyau said, ” *she is a role model and a distinguished Nigerian.”*
The WTO boss, he said, would speak to legal professionals in the country about ways in which they can contribute to national re-building,
even as he urged legal practitioners to understand and embrace their role in advancing national development. Lamenting the fact that Nigeria is yet to approach her true potential as one of the world’s greatest nations in spite of her enormous human and natural endowments, the NBA President said, *“I believe that our attitude is mainly responsible for where we are today and what we are experiencing.”*
He therefore stressed the need for more lawyers to embrace the challenge of becoming agents of change, in the face of the multi-dimensional challenges confronting the nation today.
NEWSWIRE’s correspondent understands that about 20, 000 legal practitioners, drawn from over 120 branches across the country – as well as special guests from various walks of life – are expected to grace the August Lagos Conference.
