NEWS
Gavel Int’l Lecture: Fagbemi, Oyebode, Adesina Lead Conversations
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN will lead other prominent Nigerians in the legal profession, media, and academics, on discussion about how to salvage the image of the Nigerian judiciary at the 2024 Gavel International Annual Conference slated for 29 November, 2024.
The event, with the theme: “The Judiciary as the Last Hope of the Common Man: Media and Legal Perspectives” will see Fagbemi deliver the Keynote Address.
The lecture is to be chaired by Mr. Gbenga Oyebode MFR, founder of Aluko & Oyebode Law Firm, one of Nigeria’s top law firms.
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Oyebode also serves as Chairman of Nestle Nigeria Plc and Lafarge Africa. He also sits on the boards of EnterpriseNGR Professional Advocacy Group, Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the Rele Arts Foundation. Highly disciplined, he is passionate about developing education in Nigeria, especially within the Justice system.
In addition, a former General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Dele Adesina SAN will deliver the main lecture.
He is the Founder and Principal Partner, Dele Adesina LP and a Life Bencher. Adesina is an alumnus of University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife where he graduated in 1981. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1982 after graduating from the Nigerian Law School. He obtained his Master of Laws Degree from the University of Lagos. A legal practitioner with over 40 years in practice, he was elevated to the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2007. He was a former member, Board of Regents, the Governing Council of Covenant University Ota and former Pro – Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council, Ekiti State University Ado Ekiti.
Adesina is a prolific writer, author, and commentator who has published two major law-oriented books – The Force of Justice (2010), and New Developments in Law and Practice in Nigeria (2018).
The Publisher of Gavel International, Mustapha Ogunsakin said the 2024 annual lecture is designed to kick off conversations on the restoration of confidence of citizens in the country’s judiciary, which appears to be at an all time low.
“During the #Endsars protests in 2020, a very major court building, the Lagos High Court, Igbosere was razed by a mob. We saw the horrendous pictures of the burnt iconic building, particularly one of the arsonists in a lawyer’s garb of wig and gown, with a machete in his hand. For me, that is very a scary imagery. We must begin to restore the hope of the common man in the judiciary especially. The alternative is anarchy,” he said.
Ogunsakin posited that the legal and media professions — saddled with direct constitutional roles in the judicial system — must take the lead in restoring confidence in the judicial system.
“While the role of the legal profession is statutory, the media has the responsibility to represent the people by covering and reporting court proceedings, except it has to do with national security or cases involving minors. That is why the constitution made provision for a public gallery in every court where journalists occupy to report cases and disseminate to the public.”
He said the faculty constituted for the lecture comprises notable lawyers, journalists, and academics who will give perspectives on the subject.
Notable among the discussants is Prof Hope Eghagha, a professor of Literature and Literary Analysis at the University of Lagos who will speak on how Nigerians currently perceive their judiciary. He will be joined by Mr. Richard Akinnola, a foremost journalist and expert in judicial reporting, Mrs. Joke Layi-Babatunde, a Lagos-based lawyer, Mrs. Tomi Ajayi, jurist and expert in criminal law and proceedings, and Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa SAN, foremost human rights activist.
Gavel International news portal has over the years hosted lectures and conferences in pursuit of its guiding principle — Rule of Law. In 2015, Gavel International presented a book, “For the love of their Nation, Lawyers as Agents of Change in Nigeria’’ authored by the publisher, Mustapha Ogunsakin. The public presentation of this book was done by the then Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo SAN. Others in attendance at the event include Mr. Eyitayo Jegede SAN, then the Attorney General of Ondo State, Chief Anthony George-Ikoli SAN, the first SAN from Bayelsa State and a former Attorney General of the State, Mr. Ade Ipaye and a host of others.
In 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic raged, Gavel International hosted a stellar webinar conference, bringing together some of the most brilliant minds across the country to discuss on the topic: “Media Coverage of Virtual Court Proceedings: Prospects and Challenges. Prof. Osinbajo delivered the keynote address and was joined by others like human rights activist, Femi Falana SAN, Bode Olanipekun SAN, Prof Chidi Odinkalu, and Dr Reuben Abati to discuss the topic.
NEWS
N1.7trn Loan: Atiku Blames NASS For Worsening Nigeria’s Debt Burden
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has criticized the federal government’s plan to secure an additional N1.7 trillion loan through Eurobonds to cover a shortfall in the 2024 budget, describing the borrowing as unsustainable and harmful to Nigeria’s economy.
In a statement shared on Thursday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of burdening Nigerians with debt while failing to provide clear answers about the country’s fiscal challenges.
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He also faulted the National Assembly for enabling what he called a “voracious appetite” for loans.
The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate expressed alarm over a recent World Bank report ranking Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), calling the development troubling.
“The recent report released by the World Bank, showing Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), is very concerning,” Atiku stated.
He raised further concerns about the government’s decision to benchmark the proposed loan at an exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official rate being over N1,600.
“What makes this particular loan proposal even more concerning is that it is benchmarked at the exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, whereas the current exchange rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria stands at over N1,600 to 1 USD,” he said.
Atiku questioned the need for additional borrowing, given the government’s earlier claims of record-high revenue collection.
“In July this year, Tinubu boasted that the FIRS and Customs under his watch had collected all-time high revenues to finance the budget. Why are they still borrowing?” he said
He accused the government of a lack of transparency, describing the borrowing spree as detrimental to Nigerians already struggling under economic hardship.
“There is something that they are not telling Nigerians, even as they are being crushed by a combination of their failed trial-and-error policies and loan rackets.”
Atiku also referenced a report by BudgIT, a budget monitoring group, which criticized the 2024 budget for its inefficiencies.
He alleged that corruption, rather than infrastructure or development needs, was driving the government’s borrowing decisions.
“These loans are powered by corruption and not for infrastructure and development needs. This voracious appetite for humongous loans is deeply concerning,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s financial history, Atiku lamented the return to significant foreign indebtedness just years after former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration cleared the country’s debt.
“It is agonizing to see that just a few years after the Obasanjo administration took us out of foreign indebtedness, we are today back at the top spot in the same conundrum,” he stated.
He called for a more cautious approach to borrowing, urging the government to prioritize fiscal responsibility and transparency to avoid worsening Nigeria’s economic challenges.
International News
ICC Issues Arrest Warrants For Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Others
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a historic step, issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The charges include crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during Israel’s recent assault on Gaza.
In a detailed statement, the ICC accused the Israeli leaders of “intentionally and knowingly depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”
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The ICC’s move marks a significant escalation in international scrutiny of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu and Gallant are alleged to have orchestrated policies that caused severe harm to the civilian population in Gaza, leading to widespread condemnation from human rights organizations.
Alongside the charges against Israeli officials, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. Deif has long been a central figure in Hamas’s military operations. Israel’s military claims to have killed him in a July airstrike, although this has not been independently verified.
The warrants highlight growing calls for accountability amid the ongoing conflict in the region. The ICC’s actions are likely to provoke heated debate and may complicate diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis.
With the warrants issued, global attention now turns to how the international community will respond and whether any practical steps will be taken to enforce them.
NEWS
Edo State Governor Sets Up Committee To Recover Missing Gov’t Vehicles
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has inaugurated a 12-member committee tasked with recovering government vehicles reportedly in private hands.
The committee, led by Kelly Okungbowa, has been given a two-week mandate to retrieve the vehicles and ensure their return to the state government.
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Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Benin City, Governor Okpebholo emphasized the importance of accountability in the management of public resources.
He urged the committee to carry out its assignment thoroughly and within the bounds of the law.
In his response, Okungbowa expressed gratitude to the governor for entrusting the team with the assignment, vowing to deliver results within the stipulated timeframe.
“A lot of vehicles used by the past administration are missing, as those in custody of the vehicles have refused to return them,” Okungbowa said.
“The governor deemed it fit to inaugurate us today with a mandate to recover all government vehicles in private hands.”
The committee, which includes representatives from Edo’s three senatorial districts, is set to investigate and recover the vehicles based on credible intelligence already at their disposal.
“We already have vital information regarding some persons still holding government vehicles,” Okungbowa stated. “We will do the job according to the law, and both the government and the people will be satisfied with the outcome.”
He also called on members of the public to assist the committee by providing information about any government vehicles that may still be in private possession.
“We want to appeal to members of the public who might be aware of anyone still keeping government vehicles in their houses to please inform us to enable the committee to recover such for the Edo State Government,” Okungbowa said.
The committee’s vice chairman, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror, a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, will work alongside other members to ensure the success of the initiative. The public can reach the committee at 08110165121.