Former minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili , Monday in the Opening Plenary Session of the 43rd Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) holding in Enugu , challenged lawyers to be more professional in discharging their duties and stop trading the law profession to politicians who are poised to destroy the country’s future.
Ezekwesili, who spoke at the International Conference Centre,ICC Enugu, venue of the event, said the idea that politics is the pathway to becoming wealthy is an anomaly.
“Any profession that is rewarding this kind of pre-examined behaviour cannot be a profession that cares about tomorrow, “she said.
The former minister of mineral resources urged lawyers to take responsibility for providing necessary guardrails for the behaviour of the political class.
“You represent the heartbeat of professionalism in our country, in any society. “I think it is important that you are the best of minds… Stop trading this profession. Stop giving this profession to a bunch of lousy politicians that are poised to destroy generations here and unborn, “Ezekwesili said.
Speaking on governance, she said the government should prioritise the welfare of its citizens, noting that there’s an accountability that is necessary on the part of the government.”
Pix’ Oby Ezekwesili
On the topic of the plenary, , it’s the economy stupid” Ezekwesili , condemned the processes some economic reforms were carried out in the country , saying that good reforms were poorly done due to the government’s arrogance and refusal to listen to advice.
Citing the removal of fuel subsidy as an example , Ezekwesili who was a Director in World Bank, said it was a good reform done in the wrong way, leading to inflation and suffering for the poor.
*What normally happens is that you would make sure that you have prepared for that reform. That reform was not prepared for. It was a “good reform done in the wrong way, ” she said.
Ezekwesili said the removal of fuel subsidy led to inflation and the poor people in the society were suffering it.
“For the poor, the worst thing you can do to them is inflation. They have no buffer, the poor don’t have a buffer, but lawyers do,” she said.
The former minister also highlighted the importance of proper planning and preparation for economic reforms, noting that the government should have taken steps to mitigate the impact of the fuel subsidy removal on the poor.
According to her, over 133 million Nigerians are living in poverty due to the government’s failure to reward hard work and its poor handling of economic reforms.
“The truth is, the people of this country, the larger population of this country, are almost trapped in intractable poverty. Some 133 million are permissively in that state of poverty,” she said.
Ezekwesili urged Nigerian lawyers to re-evaluate their role in shaping the country’s future and to demand better governance and accountability from their leaders.
“Don’t invite me again to your conference and even if you invite me, I will not come,” she said.
She examined the Nigeria’s fiscal and structural weaknesses, urging urgent action to reposition Nigeria’s economy for sustainable growth.
Author: Maureen Ikpeama