Dear Colleagues,
It gives me great joy to join fellow believers in God Almighty through our Lord Jesus Christ all over the world, particularly our colleagues, to commemorate this year’s Easter celebration. This is despite all the challenges we have to deal with as a nation. It is a privilege we cannot take for granted as many are not so lucky. My prayers and sympathy are with those who lost loved ones in the several recurring tragic incidents in our nation, as we continue to trust God, while working honestly and sincerely, for a positive turnaround in the affairs of our nation Nigeria.
We must consciously refuse to be numb or insensitive to the bloodshed that seem to characterize our daily experience in all parts of the country. Notwithstanding, as we have been commanded, we give thanks to God in spite of our circumstances (not for our circumstances); for that is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us.
Easter, at its very essence, is the season when Christians remember and celebrate the death, burial, resurrection and eventual ascension of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Who presently sits at the right hand of Majesty as our High Priest and Advocate. It represents the triumph of good over evil, life over death; the provision/offer of the gift of righteousness to all mankind premised on the finished works of redemption. This was consummated by Love through the operation of God’s Omnipotence, expressed in the convergence of the Love-nature of God, His Justice and Righteousness on the Cross and His victory over Satan in hell; when He rose to become the firstborn from the dead, to deliver humanity from the nature of sin by grace through faith in Him – Christ Jesus.
This season reminds us of the need to show love, compassion and forgiveness to one another in our daily lives, in the way God loved the world and gave Jesus Christ as the ransom for our redemption. I therefore enjoin all Nigerians, particularly members of the legal profession, to eschew all forms of conduct that can bring the legal profession to disrepute or public opprobrium in whatever circumstance we may find ourselves. I enjoin us to love our neighbours by displaying increased spirit of accommodation, kindness, patience, and tolerance, to bring lasting peace in our country.
As we commemorate the resurrection of Christ, we are once more filled with hope for our dear country Nigeria; we will surely rise again and be restored on the path of progress and development. As dark as the road may seem, there is bright light at the end of the tunnel. It is also my firm persuasion that our great Association – the Nigerian Bar Association, is being restored to its pride of place; the watchdog of the society, as we become known for our genuine comradeship and mutual respect/love for one another irrespective of our differences – one dynamic Bar that identifies and works for the benefit of its members, with a strong voice that speaks for the great people of our great nation. We must deliberately make ourselves available to provide direction to the people and commit to the advancement of the cause of our country, through our God-given professional skills.
While I salute the courage and resilience of our military, security/law enforcement agencies for doing so much with so little resources at their disposal, I call on the Federal Government to step up its game in the discharge of its constitutional responsibility of protecting the lives and properties of Nigerians. The bloodshed and other forms of criminality witnessed daily across the country is completely unacceptable. Government must deliberately fund and equip the military/security/law enforcement agencies, to enable them carry out their statutory functions with appreciable success, as well as deal with any act or omission that constitutes compromise of their duties.
May this Easter bring us renewed hope, peace, faith, love and sound health. May the spirit of God dwell richly in our hearts, transforming our minds as we pursue the recovery, reformation, and repositioning of our nation Nigeria. It’s time to get it right!!
Have a pleasant Easter celebration.
God bless the Nigerian Bar Association! God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, OON, SAN
PRESIDENT
