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WELCOME REMARKS BY MRS OLUFUNMI OLUYEDE, CO-CHAIR IBA AFRICAN REGIONAL FORUM

WELCOME REMARKS BY MRS OLUFUNMI OLUYEDE, CO-CHAIR IBA AFRICAN REGIONAL FORUM AT THE IBA LAGOS CONFERENCE 6-8 TH NOVEMBER 2013 DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN…

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WELCOME REMARKS BY MRS OLUFUNMI OLUYEDE, CO-CHAIR IBA AFRICAN REGIONAL FORUM

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  1. WELCOME REMARKS BY MRS OLUFUNMI OLUYEDE, CO-CHAIR IBA AFRICAN REGIONAL FORUM AT THE IBA LAGOS CONFERENCE 6-8TH NOVEMBER 2013 DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN… It is with great elation that I heartily welcome you all to this most auspicious signature conference of the International Bar Association. The IBA is the global voice of the legal profession and consequently, has, in its 66 years of subsistence, come to be known for its world-class conferences, tailored to meet not only the intellectual needs of its members but the existential needs of the world in which our honourable profession operates.

  2. This conference is only the second of such conferences by the IBA in Nigeria and I feel particularly privileged to be the incumbent Co-Chair of the African Regional Forum of the IBA at the time when this is happening.Indeed, at the conception stages, there was a friendly tussle as to whether it should go to Ghana first or to Nigeria. I am happy –most grateful -that my predecessor in office, the affable Jacob Saah graciously conceded the hosting to me -and thereby to Nigeria. We have in turn agreed that we will all be in Ghana in June 2014 for the IBA Accra Regional Conference -also spearheaded by the IBA African Regional Forum. I urge you all to please encumber the dates fixed for that conference in your diary, as we again look forward to hosting you all in Accra in 2014.

  3. IBA conferences are not jamborees. As is the case with this regional conference, they are meticulously planned and the topics for discussion carefully chosen with the needs of our society in mind. Lawyers are after all, social engineers too and must remain relevant to their environment if they are to remain economically buoyant.Attendance at these conferences is therefore to be taken seriously by serious-minded practitioners and lawyers globally. In this context I wish to state, in all humility that the orchestrated debate on the impropriety of large contingents of Nigerian lawyers at IBA conferences, is with all due respect, a

  4. distractive and unproductive one. The argument that large delegations are inappropriate or wasteful is most tendentious and unprogressive. Nigerian lawyers who spend tens and maybe hundreds of thousands in various foreign currencies to attend these conferences are better placed to determine whether they personally get value for their money or not. No one has the prerogative to determine this for them.The constructive debate should be on how to ensure that more members of these large delegations of Nigerian Lawyers are involved at the very soul of the conferences –positively contributing and impacting their world -within the IBA’s various committees and fora –and not just sharing their experiences but also impacted productively by the experiences of others -especially those from areas where the practice of Law is more advanced than in our polity.

  5. We are however proud of the position taken by the majority on this subject -to the effect that not only should more lawyers attend IBA Conferences, but that many more IBA conferences should be held in Nigeria within easy reach of an even greater number of Nigerian lawyers –and in particular the very IBA Annual convention itself –as affirmed by our amiable Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, BabatundeRajiFashola SAN. This is the constructive, progressive and indeed, widely-acclaimed stance on this matterNigerian –and indeed African lawyers who put much energy and resources into making our countries of much significance within the IBA are further encouraged by such visionary mind-sets to ensure that IBA becomes of even greater relevant to our individual countries and the African continent as a whole.

  6. Ladies and Gentlemen,No serious commercial lawyer in Africa today would look askance at the conference we are declaring open today when you look at the fountain of knowledge it represents in a most significant –most apposite practice area.Africa has become the beautiful bride –being wooed and courted globally in glorious splendour -as corporate finance, merger and acquisition events in Africa continue to make world headlines. For example on October 14th 2013, Ventures Magazine headlined with this item: “Oando receives 815 million US Dollars credit facility offer for buyout of 1.79 Billion US dollars ConocoPhillips onshore assets in Nigeria.” Those funds were offered by panoply of foreign and local Nigerian banks

  7. Again on October 28th 2013 the same magazine announced that: “foreign Exchange investments in Nigeria’s Stock Exchange hits 4.7 Billion US Dollars”.If anyone listening needs a further wake-up call after all these, then do please regard this conference as a loud, bright, invigorating, and inspiring one.On that note, I, with open arms, cordially welcome all and sundry to what undoubtedly promises to be a most refreshing, fruitful, and memorable conference.Welcome to Nigeria, everyone. Welcome to Africa!

  8. Olufunmi Oluyede (Mrs)Co-Chair, IBA African Regional ForumIBA Deputy Secretary-General & Member, IBA Regional Fora Coordination Committee

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