Dear Learned Seniors, Colleagues and Friends, it is with great respect and deep sense of responsibility that I present myself to you and humbly solicit your support as we elect new executives of our Association. It is my intention and desire to serve the Association as Assistant Publicity Secretary.
BACKGROUND
My name is Onyeka Stanley Obiajulu, I was born and raised in Enugu, I attended the College of Immaculate Conception (C.I.C) and Enugu State University (ESUT). I was called to the Nigeria Bar in 2007. I am in active practice having joined the law firm of Emeka Ngige SAN & Co where I rose to be the head of its Abuja office. I am currently the managing partner in the law firm of Stanley & Monica L.P and a post graduate student of Political economy & Development studies at the Nassarawa State University in Keffi.

BAR ACTIVITIES
I have been an active member of the NBA Abuja branch since 2008. I have been called to serve the Bar through my branch in various capacities; I have at different times been a member of different committees, the most recent being the head of Publicity Committee for the Abuja Law week Committee 2018. I have also served the Abuja branch as Assistant Social Secretary and in all these years of service to the Bar, my story has been that of teamwork, commitment, dedication to duty and hard work.

MY DESIRE TO SERVE
It is my desire to serve our Association by contributing my own quota to the quest for a positive perception of the Association and the legal profession in general. It is no longer news that the image of the legal profession and our Association has been on a decline. Some believe that lawyers are part of the problems bedevilling the country while amongst us as lawyers there is the wrong perception that the Association does nothing for its members. Not so! Indeed, the legal profession has continued to work as the major contributor towards deepening democracy, fighting corruption and protecting the interest of its members. Benefits which accrue to members are untapped due to the disconnection between members and the Association.

I believe that a strong, robust and effective publicity of the programs and events of the Association will not only bridge this gap and allow much more members tap into the benefits of being a member of the Association but also correct the wrong perception the society has about lawyers and the legal community in Nigeria.

It was the former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli “without publicity, there can be no public support and without public support every society must decay”. Certainly, the job of the publicity secretariat is a very pivotal one that must be carried out by capable hands. It is on this premise that I have stepped forward to assist the Publicity Secretary in discharging this herculean task.

MY CONTRACT WITH NBA
I believe that in seeking to serve the NBA, a candidate should make a contract with the members of the Association, this should be a summary of the plans and visions of the candidate for the association. That way, the candidate will be bound by his/her promises and thus desist from making empty campaign promises. To this end, I present to you my plans for our association in line with the duties of an Assistant Publicity Secretary as contained in Section 8 (5)(m) of the Constitution of the NBA:
• If elected, I will make use of my proximity to the National secretariat in assisting the Publicity Secretary to promptly publicize the activities of the Association. The need to employ the use of social media cannot be overemphasized. Social media has become the fastest way of disseminating information and research has proven that by the year 2020, 30% of enterprises (including associations & government) employing social media will lead their industries in revenue growth. To this end, I will assist the Publicity Secretary in making sure that we maximise the use of social media in publicizing the activities of the Association, this I believe will draw more members to participate in the activities of the Association and help grow a strong and bigger NBA.
• I will assist in making sure we create an easily downloadable application suitable for all types of mobile device, this app will function in sync with the NBA website and will be made easy to use. The app will serve many purposes including a regular update of the Association’s activities, create a network for lawyers in the country to interact & socialise, serve as a comprehensive directory and allow for ease of locating a lawyer. It will also serve as a tool for reporting human right abuses, monitoring the welfare of lawyers and serve as a platform for learning and development.
• As a team player, dedicated to the growth and development of our association, I shall perform any other duties as may be assigned to me by the President or the National Executive Committee.

The above is by no means exhaustive; however, it represents in a nutshell my plan of action; my contract with NBA and I believe that working together with the Publicity Secretary, they are practical and realizable.

I sincerely look forward to your support by voting me as Assistant Publicity Secretary in the coming election. I remain grateful for all your support and prayers and I believe that together we can rebuild our image, restore our pride & regain our place in the society.

Yours Sincerely,
Onyeka Stanley Obiajulu