Former education minister, Oby Ezekwesili, has urged Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), whose annaul conference is scheduled to hold in Sokoto, to use the moment to reflect on “how relevant its actions are in a troubled democracy.”
The annual NBA conference is scheduled to hold from Sunday, May 22 to Thursday, May 26, 2022.
Following Thursday’s killing of a student, Deborah Samuel, in Sokoto for alleged blasphemy, the former education withdrew from participating at the NBA’s conference.
Mrs Ezekwesili, who was billed to speak during a session on ‘democratic evolution and nation-building, noted that she would be boycotting the event in protest against the killing of the student.
The former World Bank executive added, “I shall no longer participate. NBA owes citizens like #DeborahSamuel #EuniceOlawale #BridgetAgbaheme the judicial activism to enforce Justice.”
“I have decided to withdraw my Speaking commitment to @NigBarAssoc for its event holding in Sokoto. I was billed to speak from abroad via Zoom but even now will no longer do so,” she noted.
Those scheduled to speak in the session alongside Ezekwesili are INEC chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu, Rivers State Governor and presidential aspirant Nyesom Wike among others.
Earlier, rights lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa called on the NBA to cancel the conference over the killing of Samuel.