The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) annual conference in Enugu took a “bit” turn yesterday when the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and former Minister of Education, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, clashed over the state of the nation.
Protesters also stormed the venue of the conference, alleging the political imprisonment of a member of the Enugu State House of Assembly. Their demonstration added tension to the gathering, which was already heated by a debate on the state of the nation.
During the session, Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo argued that Nigeria’s path to prosperity lies in prioritising research and boosting production instead of excessive consumption. But former Education Minister Obiageli Ezekwesili countered that the federal government’s removal of fuel subsidy had pushed millions into poverty, describing it as a well-meant reform executed in the wrong manner.
‘’China spends so much on research and development, whereas Nigeria spends so much on the provision of infrastructure. Until this is done, economic growth and prosperity would continue to elude the country,’’ Tunji-Ojo said.
However, Ezekwesili reacted by insisting that policies such as the removal of oil subsidy was well intentioned but wrongly implemented, hence the spiral inflation that followed such move.
“It is a tough job to have to defend the APC government. You can do the right policies but if you do it the wrong way, there will be a problem,’’ she said.
Taking the price of petroleum for instance, she lamented that the reform was ill-prepard and ill-conceived.
She added: “That is not how to do reforms. The reform was not prepared for. It was a good reform done the wrong way. It is bad because inflation is punishing the populace. You really have to prepare for reform.”
She criticized President Bola Tinubu’s announcement of “subsidy is gone,” moments after his inauguration, saying the declaration plunged many Nigerians into penury.
“Inflation hits the poor so hard and they have nowhere to run to. It was a good reform done wrongly,” she maintained.
Addressing the lawyers, Ezekwesili urged them not to reward prebendalism or pander to the wish of the political class that cared less about the poor masses.
“133 million Nigerians are in a state of poverty. The lawyers are determining the rule of law in Nigeria. There should be evaluation of the political class. This country lies prostrate for the poor. I am praying for the legal profession. Any profession that is rewarding prebendalism is not a profession, “ she lamented.
She urged lawyers not to allow their profession suffer corrosion by politicians, and cautioned them to “stop trading with your profession.”
Another panelist, George Etomi, lamented that the judiciary was at cross roads in the civilian era, pointing out that the judiciary did better during military interregnum.
“Our judiciary was more independent under the military. I don’t know what the new law is. They are abusing democracy today. We must protect the judiciary,” he posited.
Etomi pointed out that instead of concentrating on governance, government of the day was dissipating energy on the forthcoming 2027 general elections.
Protest Erupts Over Detained Enugu Lawmaker
Protests also broke out at the conference as a large crowd demanded the release of Bright Ngene, a member of the Nigerian Bar Association and serving lawmaker in the Enugu State House of Assembly.
Ngene, who represents Enugu South Urban under the Labour Party, was handed a seven-year jail term by an Enugu Magistrate Court over a revived community dispute, a ruling many observers have dismissed as politically motivated.
The protesters, who were mainly his constituents, said every attempt to appeal the magistrate court’s decision in the state high court had met a brick wall, with no less than two judges recusing themselves from the matter.
The protesters carried placards with such inscriptions as “Release Bar. Bright Ngene now, a political prisoner of conscience,” “Say no to miscarriage of Justice,” “NBA is the voice of the voiceless, speak now,” and “NBA please help Bright Ngene to represent his constituency,” among others.
One of the leaders of the protest, Mr Benedict Kachukwu, revealed: “We are here to register our peaceful protest to tell the world what has been happening in Enugu State for the past one year.
‘’Since July 28, 2024, Bright Emeka Ngene that won the House of Assembly seat in Enugu South Urban has been unjustly incarcerated.
“Charges that were put on him were baseless, the judicial process was not followed, and in less than two weeks, judgment was dispensed. And the man has been in detention since then. Efforts to take the matter to the high court have proved abortive because judges are now recusing themselves from the case.
“The chief judge has refused to assign the case to a new judge. So ever since then, this man, Bright Ngene, has been in detention for no just cause, all because he won an election. Somehow, he has reaffirmed the decision of the mandate of the people on August 16, 2025, where he won overwhelmingly again, even from detention.”
He said they are here to plead with the Nigerian Bar Association to intervene in the matter and ensure that due process is followed. According to him, the protesters are not opposed to going through the courts, as they have repeatedly requested that the case be assigned to a judge, stressing that whatever the outcome may be, they are prepared to accept it.
He lamented, however, that despite these appeals, nothing has been done. The case, he explained, has remained stagnant at the Enugu State High Court, with no progress recorded. Judges have continued to recuse themselves, leaving the matter in what he described as a “comatose state.”
The protesters, who were denied entry into the main hall of the International Conference Centre where the NBA conference was ongoing, staged their demonstration peacefully outside the venue. After airing their grievances and calling for justice, they dispersed without incident.
