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Day 5 was the bomb!
Pre-AGM Session
We began with an interactive session with the national executives of the NBA. This was an avenue to iron out any grievances members may have before the Annual General Meeting (AGM) that would be held on Thursday, 27th August 2015.
#1 The Political Gladiators
There was a gathering of political heavyweights. Ex-governors Donald Duke, Liyel Imoke, Babatunde Fashola, Godswill Akpabio and present governors of Bauchi, Plateau, Sokoto and representatives of Bayelsa and Rivers State governors were also present.
The IGP was present in a dashing suit! The Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives were represented.
#MyAGC15
#1Tight Security
There was presence of security officials but not as much as that of Day 4. Though the Vice President was around, security was relaxed around the venue. Thorough searches were conducted for dangerous weapons and people without tags turned away except they have any evidence to identify themselves as delegates such as tellers or receipts of payments. Handwritten name tags were also used.
My sister-in-law dropped me off at the ICC some minutes to 9 am on the 4th day of the conference. Security was still very tight with a combination of DSS, Mobile Police Officers, Soldiers and officers of the Civil Defence Corp manning the gates.
The security officers were however more friendly as they threw a cheerful hello to anyone who looked in their direction. As usual, bags were searched while delegates passed through metal detectors for bombs and other dangerous weapons.
#MyAGC15
#1 Presidential Movement
Security at the ICC was so tight. A combination of DSS, Police, Army and Civil Defence Officers manned all areas surrounding the vicinity of the ICC. The arrival of State House Security Operatives tightened the security leash. I was denied entry at first. “We cannot afford a security breach” the State House Security Operative told me. The connecting gate from the ICC to NICON was sealed and thus we had to do almost a 60 degrees walk to NICON. However, the security operatives were very civil. Despite that, fear no gree me take pictures of them oh.
A Horrible Start
I had dashed out of my nephew’s after dedication party to the International Conference Centre (ICC) for the day’s business. I got there some few minutes after 1 pm and was denied entry by stern looking security operatives for not having a conference tag.
Yea! You heard right!
“The annual ritual of legal gentlemen and judicial brethren conglomerating for academic, legal and socio-cum political tete- a-tete on the legal, political and social quagmires obfuscating legal practice, asphyxiating legal practitioners and militating against societal equilibrium viz a vis the temporal and permanent change romancing the political system which is audible to the deaf and visible to the blind like the Biblical Mene Mene Tekel Upharsin, has descended on …”
Yea! You heard right! He was right there. The irrepressible, consistent, passionate and trail blazing Chief Abdul-Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi, the Senior Advocate of the Masses and passionate fighter for social justice.
I couldn’t believe it. I remember at his death in September 2009, my best pal and classmate had sent me a text lamenting;