As the activities of the 63rd Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) wound down, the Association’s Women Forum (NBAWF) held its Annual General Meeting in Abuja to take stock of activities and outcomes of the past year, and to plot a way forward for the Forum.
NEWSWIRE Law & Events Magazine’s correspondent in Abuja reports that the meeting, held on Thursday, August 31, 2023 at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in the federal capital city, was graced by stakeholders and delegates from all over Nigeria – notably members of Executive Council and the Governing Council, Committee Officers, State Leads, Branch Facilitators, Senior Advocates and other distinguished senior lawyers.
Welcoming all stakeholders to the meeting, and presenting the Forum’s Annual Report, the Chairperson of the NBAWF, Mrs. Chinyere Okorocha provided a summary of the Forum’s activities, achievements and challenges, in the preceding year (2022/2023) as well as her plans for the future.
She noted that the past year has been one of growth, resilience, and remarkable achievements, all of which she described as a testament to the dedication and commitment of each and every member of the NBAWF, especially her leadership team.
She also gave an indication of the overall state of the Forum and informed members that with their continued support, the sky was indeed the limit.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR:
There have been a number of significant milestones, successful programmes, major achievements, impactful initiatives and events that the Forum undertook over the past year, the Chairperson said, giving a summary as follows:
• EXCo & Governing Council Inauguration & Handover Ceremony in Lagos (16th January 2023);
• Launch of the Women in Law and Leadership Report , in collaboration with The Institute for African Women in Law (IAWL) in Lagos (18th January 2023);
• 3rd Annual General Conference 2023/International Women’s Day event in Abuja, themed ‘Tech Her In: Innovating for Gender Equity’, (30th & 31st of March 2023);
• Courtesy Visit to the Executive Vice Chairman of SAPETRO, Sen. Daisy Danjuma, who promised to identify with the Forum and is currently sponsoring a mentorship programme.
COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES
- ADVOCACY. Help Desk intervened in a number of cases of discrimination, unfair treatment, abuse or harassment of female lawyers.
- 3rd edition of the ‘Inspire Her‘ Series by organizing a webinar featuring Mrs. Aisha Rimi
- FUNDRAISING: This Committee successfully raised funds for the 3rd Annual General Conference which successfully held on the 30th & 31st of March 2023 in Abuja, to the tune of N42m (forty-two Million naira).
Mrs. Okorocha also noted that the Forum established successful working relationships with various media houses and legal blogs, etc, as well as improved the management of the Forum’s social media platforms, (which now include LinkedIn and Instagram), as well as support the Secretary and IT managers in revamping the Forum’s website, in addition to supervising the transmission of its bulk newsletters to create publicity for all NBAWF events across the country. The Forum also created media campaigns for its activities to ensure pre- and post-event publicity of its activities and events.
Reporting of the Forum’s membership profile, she noted that the NBAWF has run periodic media campaigns designed to boost its membership.
In particular, Mrs. Okorocha went on to say, the Forum held a membership drive at the Nigerian Law School, for new wigs in Abuja in 2023 – to which end it also negotiated discounted registration fees for members, for a training organized by Law Lexus International and the Institute for Communication and Corporate Studies .
There has been much work, in conjunction with the various secretariat to update the membership list and respond to all membership inquiries.
The Forum, the Chairperson said, has welcomed about 1324 new faces from all over the country, stressing that since her assumption of office in 2022, the Forum’s membership has grown to 1924 members as of August 2023. She urged all the assembled delegates to urge other female lawyers who are yet the Forum, to do so without delay.
In the public sector, Okorocha said, the NBAWF has created a robust directory of over 200 Public Sector Committee members. The Forum also organized a successful webinar titled ‘Legal Practice in the Public Sector: Prospects & Challenges. ‘
RESEARCH & DOCUMENTATION: The NBAWF has piloted a research collaboration project with the Institute of African Women in Law (IAWL) and participated in the launch of the official report titled ‘Women in Law & Leadership’.
WELFARE. The NBAWF, Mrs. Okorocha stated, has compiled a directory containing the birthdays of all its members and organized regular monthly shout-outs to them on its WhatsApp and social media platforms, as well as paid condolence visits to bereaved members. Okorocha informed the house that throughout the past year, the Forum experienced the somber loss of some of its cherished members. In response, the Forum has rallied to extend heartfelt condolences through visits and other gestures. Recalling the fond memories of those who passed on recently, the NBAWF Chairperson said, “In these moments of grief, we stand united as a community, offering solace, support, and shared remembrance.”
Okorocha also disclosed that YOUNG FEMALE LAWYERS of the Forum have created an Instagram live program, tagged ‘Career Boost Series’, a bi-weekly event where topical issues of concern to Young Female Lawyers are discussed, adding that the first edition was held successfully in August 2023 under the theme, ‘The Journey So Far: Courtroom vs. In-House Counsel. ‘
On the work of state and branch chapters, the NBAWF Chairperson stated that throughout the year in review, various state and branch-level programmes were held with a view to empower the Nigerian female lawyer for success – namely, educational seminars/webinars, skill-building workshops, mentorship and personal development projects, a courtesy visit to state Attorneys-Generals, as well as radio and TV broadcasts. In particular, she singled out for praise the Taraba, Abia, Lagos, Oyo (especially Ibadan branch), Kano, Bayelsa, Imo, Rivers, Ondo, Delta, Ogun, Akwa Ibom and FCT chapters of the Forum for their dedication to the goals of the NBAWF.
Presenting the Financial Review, the Chairperson noted that as a not-for-profit organization, the NBAWF depends heavily on the support of sponsors and well-meaning Nigerians who align themselves with its vision, namely, to empower the Nigerian female lawyer for success. In this regard, she stated that her main sponsorship drive was geared towards raising money for the aforementioned Annual General Conference in March, where the sum of over N42m (forty-two million naira only) was raised. She stated that this sum not only delivered the AGC, but also and left the Forum’s coffers with a healthy surplus balance. She expressed satisfaction that the Forum has since maintained a strong and stable financial position during her tenure, noting that its funds have grown from about N4m (four million naira) on her assumption of office to a current balance of just less than N20m (twenty million naira).
CHALLENGES. The NBAWF head said in the midst of the significant progress made since the last AGM, the Forum also encountered numerous challenges that have slowed its growth. They incude, among others, resource constraints and funding; effective time management and workload; membership; engagement, and participation enhancement; the task of achieving nationwide coverage, recognition and reach; and elevating female leadership at the Bar.
UPCOMING PLANS: Looking ahead, the NBAWF Chairperson promised to continue focusing on personal and professional development, advocacy, and creating opportunities for networking and collaboration. Calling for valuable feedback and suggestions to guide the Forum as it helps shape the direction of the NBA ’s future endeavours, Okorocha pointed to some specific initiatives to look out for, as follows:
- Enhancing personal and professional growth, advocacy, and fostering networking opportunities. Mrs. Okorocha disclosed that these upcoming initiatives would be aimed at fortifying the institution with transparency, structure and leadership.
She also informed the gathering that the NBAWF has enlisted a skilled consultant to create detailed guidelines and bylaws to enhance the organizational foundation of the Forum and ensure resilient frameworks, accountability, and leadership training as well as stakeholder engagement, ongoing evaluation, and robust communications.
Okorocha also intimated the gathering about the progress being made in Global Partnerships & Exchanges initiative between the NBAWF and sister-organizations around the globe, (such as America’s New York State Bar Women in Law Section), saying the Forum is primed to maximize its potential and to broaden its reach to include enhanced training and immersive exchanges.
Additionally, she stated her intention to establish new partnerships to facilitate cross-border knowledge sharing, dynamic seminars and collaborative ventures aimed at empowering members of the Forum. Also, the Forum would, she said, do more to empower mentorship and networking as well. In other words, the Forum intends to encourage the rise of mentors to guide young female lawyers, via structured mentorship programmes, through pivotal career moments. She affirmed her belief that an accomplished female lawyer would connect with emerging talents and in so doing, foster an exchange of insights that would lead to career growth.
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