DEAR COLLEAGUES,

It is a standard practice of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) that the rights and privileges of members of the association are predicated on the fulfillment of certain primary conditions (that is, the payment of Bar Practicing Fee and Branch Dues, including other fees necessary, advisable and incidental thereto). See Section 4 (1) (b) & (c) of the Nigerian Bar Association Constitution, 2015 (as amended) and Section 3 (2) & (3) of the 3rd Schedule to the Nigerian Bar Association, Uniform Bye-Laws for Branches respectively.

Practically, for members to be eligible to have audience in court and receive stamp and seal, they must be financial members of the association and must provide evidence of their eligibility when required.

That been said, the attention of the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association, Bori Branch has been drawn to the several complaints and agitations by members of the branch who have refused to pay branch dues, yet consistently demand for stamp and seal.

For the purpose of setting records straight and stating facts unequivocally, Bori Branch has the corporate mandate of the National body of the Nigerian Bar Association to enforce the payment of branch dues. Hence, members are mandated to pay their branch dues to be entitled to collect their stamp and seal.

For the avoidance of doubt, the National body of the Nigerian Bar Association is in court in SUIT NO. – PHC/2632/CS/2022, before HON. JUSTICE BOMA DIEPIRI of the HIGH COURT OF RIVERS STATE and the issue of whether the Incorporated Trustees of Nigerian Bar Association should release the stamp and seal of persons who failed to pay bar dues to the designated account domiciled with Union Bank Plc. is currently subjudice.

You are thus notified that failure of any member to pay his/her branch dues to the “NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION, BORI BRANCH” designated account with ACCOUNT NUMBER – 0191742621 domiciled with UNION BANK PLC. is a misconduct and it affects the right of such members to the receipt of stamp and seal and also audience in court.

Without prejudice, members are advised to either await the resolution of the matter in court or regularize their membership by payment of their branch dues into the designated branch account stated above.

Members are further advised to desist from harassing executive members of the association/branch on the issue of stamp and seal in a manner offensive to the matter in court. Also, any executive member who has been harassed or further harassed by dissident members is at liberty to explore all legal machineries to take actions against such harassment.

God bless us all.

BENJAMIN TAMBARI NWI-UE, ESQ.
PUBLICITY SECRETARY, NBA, BORI BRANCH.

27/09/2023