NBA President, OCJ Okocha, Gov. Wike, Others Celebrate B.M. Wifa, SAN
It was a day of celebration of legal icon, B.M. Wifa, SAN, last Thursday, February 1, when dignitaries from different backgrounds attended the public presentation of the book “The Challenge of Justice”, ‘Contemporary Legal Essays in Honour of B.M. Wifa, OFR, SAN, DSSRS, KJW’ at the NBA House in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.
Among those present at the public presentation of the book included the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud, former NBA President OCJ Okocha, former President of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), Mr. Ledum Mitee, the Senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe among other dignitaries.
First to speak at the event was the NBA President, A.B Mahmoud, who was also the Chairman of the occasion. In his brief remarks, the NBA President said the book in honour of B.M. Wifa was “well written” and described B.M. Wifa as a man who worked hard to get to where he is. He said B.M. Wifa had contributed immensely to the legal profession and also shaped public discussions by his stand on issues.
He described the legal icon as a nationalist, recalling that his contributions at the Constitutional Conference were enormous and appealed that great Nigerians like him should be celebrated while they are alive, not when they are dead.
“When I was invited to attend this book launch, I just could not fail to come to honour this gentleman who has made such huge and enormous contribution not only to the legal profession but indeed to the country. B.M. Wifa is a truly self-made man. He has worked very hard. I can say that he’s one of the few Nigerians who have risen to where they are through the dint of hardwork,” he said.
Continuing, the NBA President said: “Mr. Wifa has made enormous contributions not only in Rivers here but across the country and one of the admiration that I have for him is not just in terms of his legal knowledge and legal excellence but he’s also being somebody who clearly has not only contributed to the development of Nigeria’s jurisprudence but also contributed enormously to defining public policy in this country and clearly stands out as a great voice of wisdom and maturity. I read some of his interviews and discourses and contributions when he was in the constitutional conference and I think he’s truly a nationalist”.
Rivers State Governor, His Excellency, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, added to this glowing tribute to B.M. Wifa when he described him as a man who will speak his mind even to those in positions of authority. He said his respect for B.M. Wifa increased after he had an interaction with him.
“I came close to the chief celebrant in 2003 in one of this election tribunal matters between Chief Sergeant Awuse and Dr. Peter Odili and I watched him with all admiration and since that time, we became very good friends, friends and father and son. He’s a very jovial person. Sometime, he told the Attorney-General why is it that I cannot come and visit him at his place. I told the Attorney-General he should tell him one of these days, I will come and visit him. So, one Saturday, I went to see him. As I came that morning, I saw him running around, telling me how they produce the best fish of Kono, and served me pepper soup by himself. He offered me a drink himself and I was just watching him but at the end of the day, he still told me what he wanted to tell me. I don’t see him as one of those who just because of your position, they will not tell you the simple truth. After taking his pepper soup, having played with me, then he called me and said: this thing you are doing is not good, this thing you are doing is good, and my respect for him that day increased”.
He said that B.M. Wifa is one elder statesman he respects in Rivers State, and said he had to “abandon” his assignment in Abuja to come and attend the book launch in honour of the legal luminary.
Governor Wike went on and congratulated him on behalf of the state government for his contributions to the state, saying that the Rivers State Government honoured him with the Distinguished Service Star of Rivers State (DSSRS) in recognition of his contributions to peace and development of the state, and prayed God to protect him.
In presenting the book to the public, Governor Wike bought 30 copies of the book for the Faculty of Law in the Rivers State University and 20 copies for the Faculty of Law, University of Port-Harcourt, Choba. He also bought 30 copies of the book for the Judiciary and 20 for the Ministry of Justice and bought five copies for himself, his wife and his family.
The reviewer of the book, Prof. Epiphany Azinge, said that the title of the book agreed with B.M Wifa’s contributions to justice in Nigeria, saying that the book, edited by Prof Ibibia Lucky Worika and Sylvester S. Popnen, had 23 chapters and 617 pages.
He said the “executive foreword” to the book by the State Governor, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike was an innovation, adding that the other foreword by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Adolphus Karibi Whyte actually reviewed the book and made his work easier.
He described the book as scholarly, saying that the contributors displayed high knowledge. He also said the book met world-standard publication and commended the editors for also the good use of colour in the book.
Prof. Azinge noted that B.M Wifa deserved the honour done him, adding that his personal knowledge of him paled into insignificance when compared with the comprehensive introduction of him in chapter one of the book.
Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, OCJ Okocha, who earlier delivered a goodwill message, said that members of the Bar in Rivers State will continue to learn from B.M. Wifa, who he described as an icon in the legal profession.
He said that B.M. Wifa who is fondly called “Uncle” in legal circles, had been a good mentor.
“Even today, some of us who claim we know law, when we have difficulties, we go to him, he’s an erudite lawyer, and he manages to show us how to proceed with our cases,” he said.
In his remarks, the editor-in-chief of the book, Prof. Ibibia Lucky Worika said that they worked hard to give the book its excellence, describing their effort as a “wonderful experience”.
He said that the contributions made by the celebrant exemplified the best made to knowledge and to the service of humanity, saying that he needed to be honoured.
A citation on B.M. Wifa was read by the Head of the Civil Service in Rivers State, Rufus Godwins, and the book was dedicated by a renowned clergyman, Dr. Pius Kii, who prayed that the book should bring peace to Nigeria.
In his remarks earlier, B.M. Wifa thanked the Governor of the State, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, for the honour done him and equally thanked everyone who came for the public presentation of the book.
He thanked God for the event and also thanked the editors and those who contributed to the book.
He said with modesty that people should appreciate others while they are alive.
“People should celebrate you when you are alive. My immediate constituency, the law, they have honoured me in this and I appreciate this the most”, he said.
He took the opportunity to also praise Governor Nyesom Wike for the infrastructural development in the state, saying that the governor is hardworking.
He also said members of the legal profession in the state were proud of him.
“Your Excellency, I want to always recognize that we are proud of you to belong to this constituency, the legal profession”, he said.
The co-chairman of the occasion, T.C. Osanakpo, SAN, in the closing remarks said that the book in honour of B.M. Wifa should be a must-read for Nigerians, noting that if justice prevailed in Nigeria, citizens in the country would be better for it.
In his vote of thanks, Chairman of the Book Presentation Committee, Prof. A. Amuda-Kannike, SAN, thanked everyone for coming, adding that B.M. Wifa deserved the hounour.
Attendance at the event cut across political chieftains, members of the academia, religious leaders, traditional rulers, youth activists, members of the Rivers State Cabinet, legal professionals and the media.
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