New legal year mass holds in Ibadan, October 8 -By Adewale Kupoluyi

This year’s new legal year thanksgiving of the National Association of Catholic Lawyers (NACL), Archdiocese of Ibadan, takes place on Sunday, October 8, 2023, at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Oke-Padre, Ibadan, Oyo State, beginning at 9am. The new year legal mass is organised to officially mark the commencement of activities in the courts, reawaken the commitment of legal practitioners, judges, and those saddled with the task of administration of justice.

NACL is dedicated to promoting justice and upholding the rule of law in Nigeria by bringing together Catholic lawyers from across the country to work towards a just and equitable society while the programme aims to inspire these individuals to discharge their duties effectively without bias. According to the President of NACL, Archdiocese of Ibadan, Michael Agbolade and the Chairman, Planning Committee, Dr. Adewale Kupoluyi, the chief celebrant at the mass is His Grace, Most Rev. (Dr.) Gabriel ‘Leke Abegunrin, Catholic Archbishop of Ibadan while the chairman of the occasion is Mr. Ayo Akinyemi, a consummate media practitioner, biographer, and public affairs analyst.

The organisers informed that the thanksgiving mass would be followed by public lecture, to be delivered by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chimezie Victor C. Ihekweazu, an alumnus of the University of Calabar, Rivers State University, Nigerian Law School, and University of Lagos. The title of the public lecture is, ‘Effective Justice Delivery: Pathway to Economic Development in Nigeria’. To further strengthen the NACL in the realisation of its mandate, the planning committee revealed that retired judge of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Peter Ige (JCA), would be invested as the first patron of the association by Archbishop Abegunrin. Justice Ige is a versatile and talented jurist with impeccable and stellar track records.

Meanwhile, the NACL National President, Edward Ogar, in his goodwill message had affirmed that “NACL Ibadan is very dear to us and we are proud of your services”. Ogar stated further that “even in the midst of the prevalent corruption and other socio-economic challenges of life, and the ‘tsunamic’ erosion of morality and ethical values within the legal sector of our beloved country, Nigeria. Some of you have been exemplary in this regard”. The National President, therefore, urged Catholic lawyers to continue to use their “good offices to work for the enthronement of justice and the rule of law, not only in the hallowed chamber of the Temple of Justice, but beyond this, in every facet of our national, socio-economic and political life”.

Dignitaries expected at the event include the Catholic Bishop of Oyo Diocese, Most. Rev. (Dr.) Emmanuel Badejo; Maronite Eparchy of the Annunciation, West and Central Africa, Ibadan, Most Rev. (Dr.) Simon T. Faddoul; NACL Ibadan Archdiocesan Chaplain, Very Rev. (Fr.) Joachim Akee; Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ibadan Branch, Mrs. Folasade Aladeniyi; Oyo State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Iyabo Yerima; Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin; and Oyo State Commissioner of Police, CP Adebola Hamzat, amongst others.