Gov. Godswill
Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State has urged members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to respect and uphold the ethics of the profession.
Akpabio spoke at the inauguration of newly elected executives of the Uyo branch of the association, Wednesday.
According to him, respecting and upholding the ethics of their profession is the only way they will command the respect of the public.
“If you respect the ethics of the law profession, other professionals and members of the public will also respect you and the law profession,’’ he said.
Represented by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ekpenyong Ntekim, Gov. Akpabio said there was no short cut to the legal practice.
Akpabio who is also a lawyer, said: “any short cut in the practice of the profession always ended disastrously’’, and urged the executives to hold the lawyers code of conduct very highly.
“As a financial member of the Uyo branch, I will continue to partner with this branch and other branches of the bar in the state in all spheres of their endeavour,” said.
The new NBA Chairman, Mr Mfon Uyoh, in his inaugural address, promised to intensify the fight against corruption in the association.
Uyoh said indiscipline, “which is the bane of our society has eaten deep into the NBA, contrary to the aims and objectives of the association as provided in Section 4 (f) of the NBA Constitution’’.
He decried the unethical conduct of some lawyers, adding that his administration would set machinery in motion “to nib in the bud these vices” in the interest of the profession.
The chairman urged senior lawyers to employ and mentor the junior lawyers on the ethics of the profession.
He said the call became necessary to reduce the number of unemployed lawyers, especially those who would remain in practice.
