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By Lizzy Chirkpi
A firestorm of criticism has engulfed the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) following allegations of a contentious N300m payment by the Rivers State government for hosting the 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC) of the association.
Public outrage has intensified, with citizens directly targeting lawyer and rights activist, Deji Adeyanju after he attempted to downplay the significance of the payment.
The controversy erupted against the backdrop of the NBA’s controversial decision to move the prestigious AGC from Port Harcourt to Enugu. While Rivers State’s Sole Administrator, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd), suggested that unmet financial commitments played a role in the venue change, Adeyanju, a member of the NBA’s Citizens’ Liberties Committee, vehemently refuted the claims.
However, Adeyanju’s efforts to dismiss the issue have backfired, particularly after he acknowledged that the NBA did receive N300m from the Rivers State Government, then led by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, now suspended.
Sources told our correspondent in confidence that the amount was specifically earmarked to secure hosting rights for the 2025 AGC, directly contradicting Adeyanju’s assertion that “the concept of hosting rights…has no basis in NBA tradition.”
While Adeyanju insists the venue change was solely due to factors like infrastructure, logistics, security, and overall suitability, his admission of the N300m contribution has ignited serious questions about transparency and potential undue influence. His subsequent justification that the NBA would not “lend legitimacy” to the current “unconstitutional” governance in Rivers State by hosting the AGC there has further fueled suspicion that the previously accepted funds became problematic under the new political climate.
Critics are now questioning the ethical implications of initially accepting such a large sum if no binding agreement for hosting rights existed, as Adeyanju claims. The revelation directly contradicts his statement that “There is no bidding or contractual process that grants any state the right to host the AGC.”
The comparison Adeyanju drew with the 2023 AGC in Abuja, stating it received no funding from the Federal Capital Territory, is also facing scrutiny. This has raised concerns about potential double standards and the true nature of financial dealings between the NBA and potential host states.
The unfolding scandal threatens to severely damage the NBA’s reputation as an impartial institution, with accusations of financial impropriety and politically motivated decisions gaining traction.
The legal community and the wider public are demanding a clear explanation regarding the purpose and handling of the N300m, and whether it played any role, directly or indirectly, in the contentious relocation of the 2025 AGC. This messy affair has cast a significant shadow over the NBA’s integrity and its commitment to its stated principles.
Nigerians have taken to social media, particularly under Adeyanju’s Facebook posts, to express their anger and demand answers.
#Sylva Dannana questioned Adeyanju’s authority and the NBA’s transparency, writing: “Oga abeg rest, did NBA collect or dem no collect? The last time I checked, Deji Adeyanju is a baby lawyer who was called to the bar less than two years ago, that does not qualify you to be a stakeholder. Besides, you are not the NBA President, so what are you defending? Let the president come out to defend the NBA.”
#Oguche A Oguche called for accountability, stating: “The money neither belongs to Fubara nor Ibok so, they should endeavour to refund it. If Nigerians believe that judiciary is corrupt, NBA shouldn’t be left out.”
#Idara Aniedi mocked Adeyanju’s perceived influence, commenting: “Someone that’s barely two years as a lawyer is a stakeholder in NBA, chai NBA is finish kpatakpata.”
#Samad Orijeminiyi emphasized the need for the NBA to return the funds if the conference was moved, stating: “I think what’s important is whether Rivers State’s N300m meant to support the NBA for the holding of the Conference in Port Harcourt is still with the NBA or not. If the NBA has changed the venue for any reason whatsoever; it is not justifiable to hold on to the money and not return it, to Rivers. Simple as ABC. NBA cannot spend or hold on to the money under any guise, then pretend to have integrity.”
Deji Adeyanju is a lawyer, social critic, and human rights activist known for his vocal stance on governance issues and advocacy for change.