Branch Activities, LagosOctober 11, 20240 comments

2024 FIDA NIGERIA, LAGOS BRANCH LAW WEEK: Women Lawyers Reiterate Commitment to the Group’s Ideals & Mandate

The Four Points by Sheraton on Victoria Island, Lagos was the venue for the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Annual Law Week of the Lagos Branch of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA Nigeria), which ran from Tuesday, October 8, to Friday, October 11, 2024.

The 4-day event, which brought together female wigs from various branches, practice areas and years of post-Call to Bar experience, was convened to discuss the theme, ‘ADVANCING GENDER EQUALITY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGH POLICY REFORMS’.
The opening ceremony started with the National Anthem, and the FIDA song.

In her address of welcome, the Chairperson of FIDA Nigeria, Lagos Branch, Mrs. Chinwe Efobi, reminded the assembled attendees that this year’s Law Week coincided with the 80th anniversary of the global community of FIDA and the 60th anniversary of FIDA in Nigeria- the body having been founded back in 1944 in Mexico and 1964 in Nigeria. FIDA (which is the Spanish acronym for the International Federation of Women Lawyers) is a non-governmental and not-for-profit global organization that advocates for women’s rights and gender equality around the world. It was established in 1944 and has chapters in various countries, and branches in all the states in Nigeria, all of which, Mrs. Efobi said, are working to promote justice, equality, and human rights for women. She went on to list FIDA’s objectives to include the following:
– Promoting women’s rights and gender equality;
– Supporting women’s access to justice and legal protection;
– Encouraging women’s participation in the legal profession and decision-making processes;
– Addressing gender-based violence and discrimination;
– Collaborating with other organizations to advance human rights and gender equality.
The Chairperson of the 2024 FIDA Lagos Law week, Mrs Blessing Omono Omaghomi also gave her welcome address. The Chairman of the opening ceremony, Mr.Theodore Jnr. Ezeobi, SAN also gave his opening remarks.

Apart from the opening ceremonies, the Law Week programme also consisted of two panel sessions, the first of which was coordinated by Anita Tuesday and moderated by Edirin Essiet , with Ejiro Gray, the Executive Director of the Sahara Group as the Keynote Speaker. Other members of the panel were Mrs. Abimbola Akeredolu, SAN, (a Partner at the law firm of Banwo & Ighodalo) and Fayo Williams (Managing Consultant at Simply Exponential Consults Ltd).

All the panelists spoke extensively on the need for the implementation of policies that would favour the womenfolk in Nigeria in line with the overall goals of FIDA.

The second panel session, which discussed the topic, ‘GENDER INCLUSIVE LABOUR MARKET REFORMS: CATALYSTS FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH ‘, was coordinated by Ngozi Arinze and moderated by Uju Othniel. Uju was joined by a distinguished panel consisting of the Hon.Justice O. A. Ipaye of the Lagos State High Court; former NBA Lagos Branch Chairman Chukwuka Ikwuazom, SAN, Elizabeth Idigbe, and a representative of Jean Chiazor Anishere , SAN, who was unable to attend.
At the end of each panel session, awards were presented to each of the panelists.

The second event in the 2024 FIDA Nigeria Lagos Branch Law Week programme was a hybrid event aimed at ensuring the maximum participation of members who could not be physically present at the event. The in-person aspect of the event was held on Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at the FIDA Lagos Branch Secretariat in Yaba, Lagos.

As on the first day, the second day’s programme which started with an opening remarks by the FIDA Lagos Branch Chairperson, Mrs Chinwe Efobi also featured a panel session with the theme ‘ACHIEVING LEADERSHIP IN LEGAL PRACTICE: LEVERAGING A GROWTH MINDSET FOR WOMEN’S SUCCESS. The session, whose panel included Chinasa Unaegbunam SAN, Oyinkan Badejo-Okusanya, Adejoke Layi-Babatunde, and Chinenye Oragwu, was moderated by Tochi Eze . Each of the panelists shared her unique insight on the true meaning of ‘GROWTH‘, and the need and benefits of cultivating a growth mindset. The session also featured a lovely question and answer segment, after which awards were presented to each speaker.

Day 3 of the FIDA Nigeria Lagos Branch Law Week 2024 featured a visit to the Modupe Cole Memorial Child Care and Treatment Home. Welcoming the FIDA delegation to the institution, the Principal, Mrs. Abosede Oyeniran gave them a brief introduction of the institution. The visitors were conducted around the institution, during which they interacted with a number of the students. At the end of the visit, the FIDA delegation made donations of food items to the institution, and photographs were taken.

The FIDA team also took a road walk from Modupe Cole to the Bariga Market , where they carried out a sensitization programme on the dangers of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), sexual abuse, domestic violence and other related sexual and gender based violence with other ills affecting women and girl-children in our society and the role of FIDA in trying to end the scourge. The Iya l’Oja of the Market, Princess Aderolakemi Awelew received the team on behalf of her members. During the sensitization session, flyers were distributed to the market women to drive home FIDA’s argument. The session ended with group photographs.

On Day 4 of the Law Week, FIDA Lagos Branch marked the International Day of the Girl Child, which was slated for October 11, 2024 with the theme ‘GIRLS VISION FOR THE FUTURE’. The commemoration featured advocacy visits to two Ikoyi-based schools, namely, The Holy Child College , and the Aunty Ayo International School.

The visit to the Holy Child College was graced by a large turnout of FIDA members – amongst them the visiting Mrs. Mojirayo Ogunlana-Nkanga (currently the Secretary of FIDA Nigeria (Abuja Branch). The programme was coordinated by Mrs. Nnenna Nwaokobia , while the Keynote Speakers were Dr. Kemi Ogunoiki and Mrs. Ohunene Scott-Ananaba.

In her welcome address, the FIDA Lagos Branch Chairperson, Mrs. Efobi reiterated the purpose of the visit, which was to educate the girls on their rights, and to keep them informed about ways to achieve success, both in their careers and their personal lives. FIDA’s visit, she added, was aimed at creating awareness and to enlighten the students on the role of FIDA.

In her keynote, Dr. Kemi Ogunoiki also spoke on the rights of the girl-child, citing the various extant laws protecting these rights.

Also speaking, Mrs. Ohunene Scott-Ananaba explored the topic “DARE TO BE DIFFERENT”. She encouraged the girls to be ambitious and resilient in their work.

The two keynote speeches were greeted with another lively Q&A session, after which the Affirmation was taken. The vote of thanks was given by a representative of the school as the event came to a close with the taking of group photographs.

The FIDANS proceeded afterwards to the Aunty Ayo International School.
There, the Keynote speakers were Mrs. Tochi Eze and Mrs. Clementina Ramsey-Osere . Both speakers reiterated the themes so well enunciated at the previous visit concerning the rights of the girl-child and the laws safeguarding them, as well as the need for every girl-child to recognize and take advantage of opportunities early in life, in order to achieve personal and professional success.

There was also a Q&A session led by Chinenye Oragwu, after which the Girls Affirmation was uttered. Flyers, FIDA Helplines and refreshments were distributed among the students, awards were presented to the Keynote Speakers, and photos were taken, as the event drew to a close.

The 2024 FIDA Nigeria Lagos Branch Law Week was concluded with a grand Dinner at the prestigious Radisson Blu Hotel on Victoria Island, Lagos, which also featured the presentation of awards against the backdrop of soulful music and a prevailing atmosphere of camaraderie among the attendees.
The Chairman of the Dinner night and awards was Andrew Malgwi, SAN.
It was the culmination of a fun-filled, exciting, successful and impactful Week.