Lawyers Well Placed To Tackle Security Challenges – Ekiti Assembly Speaker

By Ayodele Oni

The Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Adeoye Aribasoye, has said lawyers have a role to play in curbing insecurity in the country, urging them to collaborate with the legislature.

Aribasoye who made the remarks on Monday while declaring open the Annual Law Week of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikere Branch, described lawyers as important partners with the legislature in the quest for safety and security of the citizenry.

The Speaker said the theme of the event, “Security and People’s Welfare in Nigeria’s Democratic Experience: Leveraging the Legal Practice as a Catalyst” was very apt and timely adding that lawyers are well positioned to proffer innovative strategies to address the security challenges already identified.

He also called on the legal practitioners to uphold rule of law and promote the common goals of people as they have unique role to play in advocating  for justice and welfare of society.

“Our state, Ekiti, like many other states in Nigeria, is facing significant challenges in the areas of security and welfare and I am happy to see legal practitioners coming together to explore ways to leverage their expertise towards finding lasting solutions to these challenges.

“The legal profession has always been a key partner in the quest for justice, equity and the rule of law in our society.

“Lawyers have a unique role to play in advocating for the rights and interests of the people, upholding the law and promoting the common goal in the face of current challenges facing our nation.

“It is even more important that we work together to find innovative ways to address these challenges. This is why I am calling on lawyers who have a lot to do particularly with us in the House of Assembly.

“You all know that to re-engineer our society, good laws have to be in place and we need lawyers to collaborate with us to find innovative ways to address the challenges we have all identified.

“How do we confront these challenges? There is need for us to collaborate and I am confident that this Law Week will provide a platform for legal practitioners to share experiences, discuss the best practices and explore innovative solutions to the issues of security and people’s welfare in Nigeria.”

In her keynote Address, the president, Customary Court of Appeal, Ekiti State, Justice Monisola Abodunde, charged legal practitioners to be catalyst by using law as a tool for development in the society.

She solicited the cooperation of the House under the leadership of  Aribasoye in impacting people’s life through effective legislations and initiating the process of reviewing old laws for the benefit of people.

Earlier, the Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Ikere Ekiti Branch, Dr. Michael Afolayan stressed the need for the lawyers to complement Government’s effort by unleashing their skills and potentials in resolving issues of injustice in the society.