Falana criticizes NBA's choice of speaker, demands experienced voices

Renowned human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has publicly criticized the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for inviting social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, to speak at its 66th Annual General Conference. Falana expressed his disapproval during an interview with Channels Television, stating that the NBA's conferences should prioritize intellectual engagement and learning from experienced individuals rather than serving as a platform for entertainment.

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In those days, the NBA brought individuals who had paid their dues, who were coming to engage lawyers intellectually. We wanted to learn from them, and so the NBA was not… none of our conferences was a side show in the past.

Falana asserted that speakers invited to address legal professionals should possess demonstrable expertise or experience directly related to the subject matter. He recalled a time when the NBA brought in individuals who had "paid their dues" and could offer intellectual insights, making their conferences valuable forums for learning. He believes that inviting speakers without relevant backgrounds, particularly on specialized topics like national security, undermines the conference's purpose and credibility.

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If you are bringing an expert to discuss the security of the country, either from the private or public sector, such an individual must have contributed to the security architecture of the country.

"If you are bringing an expert to discuss the security of the country, either from the private or public sector, such an individual must have contributed to the security architecture of the country," Falana stated. He drew a parallel with discussions on media freedom, where practitioners from the field would be the appropriate speakers. He cautioned against inviting individuals with no connection to the subject, likening it to bringing someone "from nowhere to come and entertain you."

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But when you bring people who have nothing to do with the security of the country, there are problems. It’s like talking about media freedom, press freedom, you are going to bring practitioners in that field, whether in the academics or in the newsroom. But to just go and bring somebody from nowhere to come and entertain you, there are problems with that.

Falana's comments came in response to arguments, including those from Professor Chidi Odinkalu, who defended VeryDarkMan's invitation as an opportunity for the legal profession to engage with public feedback. While acknowledging the general importance of public engagement, Falana differentiated this from the specific context of specialized discussions. "With profound respect to my very good friend Chidi Odinkalu, he was talking in the general sense. We're talking of this particular case," Falana remarked, emphasizing that discussions on specialized security matters necessitate individuals with direct knowledge and experience.

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With profound respect to my very good friend Chidi Odinkalu, he was talking in the general sense. We're talking of this particular case.