I was on my own, walking the streets of this internet, when I stumbled upon the programme of my professional brothers and sisters.

NBA was having its Annual General Conference.

Nothing unusual.

The Bar gathers every year to examine itself, examine society and, hopefully, leave both a little better than it found them.

And NBA has never confined its microphones to lawyers.

Nor should it.

Thinkers come.

Policymakers come.

Professionals come.

Public figures come.

And, apparently, entertainers come too.

A few years ago, Portable came.

Zazu entered the Bar.

I did not say I approved o.

I merely observed.

That one was gala.

Entertainment.

Whatever jurisprudence produced that decision belongs to another case file.

But this year, as I was still minding everybody’s business, I saw another name.

VeryDarkMan.

Again, I raised no preliminary objection merely because he is VDM.

Then I saw where he was sitting.

MAIN PLENARY.

Ah.

I adjusted my wig.

Then I saw the topic:

“KNOWN GUN MEN.”

And beneath it:

Legal and institutional gaps fuelling insecurity in Nigeria.

Ha!

Learned colleagues, this grey area suddenly became Very Dark.

I looked at the topic.

I looked at VDM.

I looked at the NBA.

Then I looked at the topic again.

NBA, ẹ̀yin people yìí sha!

Has gala entered plenary?

Or has VDM now become an institution under the NBA’s own indigenous institutionalisation by-law?

Because if the conversation is about legal and institutional gaps fuelling insecurity, this bloody Roving Counsel is entitled to ask one small question:

What exactly won Ratel this jersey?

Expertise?

Research?

Institutional experience?

Investigative work?

Lived experience?

Community engagement?

Something else?

I am not saying there is no answer.

Learned colleagues, I am merely asking to see the working.

NBA is not merely an event organiser.

It represents the legal profession in Nigeria.

It should engage society.

It should hear voices beyond lawyers.

But it does not need to chase the crowd.

It already has a crowd.

Lawyers.

So when it puts a microphone in somebody’s hand at a MAIN PLENARY on legal and institutional gaps fuelling insecurity, surely the question is legitimate:

Why this voice, on this subject, at this level?

Visibility is not automatically expertise.

Popularity is not automatically relevance.

And inclusion does not relieve a professional institution of the responsibility to match the voice to the conversation.

Unless, of course, Ratel itself has now become a security institution or institution of security.

In which case, learned colleagues, I withdraw.

No further questions.

Maybe I am simply behind the times.

A few years ago, Zazu.

Today, Ratel.

Tomorrow?

I should probably stop disturbing myself and wait for the next conference programme.

So, is NBA now a Ratel?

Or, more importantly:

NBA, which way?

But what do I know?

I am only a bloody Public Interest Roving Counsel, wandering the streets of this internet, putting my mouth into matters that do not concern me and claiming, rather conveniently, that everybody’s business is my business.

One day, this my soboloyoke sobolation will land me in trouble.

Until then…

Zazu yesterday.

Ratel today.

NBA tomorrow?

I am watching.

From Taiwo AKINLAMI’s
Diary of a Roving Counsel

Follower of Christ. Husband. Father. Egalitarian. Goodwill Investor. Attorney. Author. Thriver. Culture-Edge Family Strengthening and Child Safeguarding Pioneer, Innovator and Practitioner. Value-Based Parenting Ideologue. Change Agent. Rebel with a Cause. Three Decades in the Saddle.