Christian Lawyers Mark End of Year/Dinner in Calabar
Gabriel EDET
Members of Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASSFON) , Calabar branch at the weekend FDecember 8, 2023 marked their end of year/ dinner with the theme "Getting the Fundamentals Right:
Building A Workable Nation of our Dream."
In the welcome address, on behalf of National President of CLASFON, Prof. John Akintayo, the State Chairman, Barr. Raymond Manga, said the theme for this year's conference is thought- provoking designed to identify the problems facing Nigeria as a nation which has hindered development and the possibility to recalibrate individual and national attitudes for desired results.
Prof. Akintola noted that the theme also advocates the need to place importance on the right priorities as well as doing the first thing first and putting the horse before the cart adding "buying a new phone when your roof is leaking or buying a fanciful car when your house rent is in arrears are very simple and practical examples of misplacement of priorities and a retrogressive stride".
He described the conference as significant in view of the current situation in the country, the judiciary and the economic which demands serious intervention of God.
" This gathering therefore is to share information and experience relating to the challenges besetting our country as it affects us all and to proffer practical solutions them.
Delivering keynote speech, Justice Joseph Ekanem of the Appeal Court, Enugu Division charged christians and those of other faith not to lose hope in the Nation’s judiciary.
Justice Ekanem whose
topic was "The Nigerian Judiciary: Still Hope for The Common Man?" decried attempt by some members of the political class to circumvent justice.
He said, “ In the past , when you have a case with someone and he attempted to take you to court, you would want to do the right thing. Today, the opposite is the case. It is
a sad development that some government officials break the law and want to
circumvent the judicial process”.
The former Acting Chief Judge of Cross River State, Justice Eyo Ita(Rtd) whose
lecture topic was , Courage and Boldness stressed the need for lawyers to be bold
and courageous to punish offenders. This he said would serve as incentives for citizens to obey the law.
He said, “ Those of us who says we are christians, are we like Christ? It is not by mouth. It is by action. That is what makes somebody a christian. Self declaration does not make you a christian. We should examine ourselves. The nation of our dreams is what we want to last beyond what we see now”.
CLASSFON is founded on the need to entrench christian
ethics in the hearts of lawyers.
CLASSFON vision is anchored on her aims and objectives; Projecting the image of
Christ through the practice of the legal profession in a way that glorifies God.
Others who attended the event were, Prof.Joe Ogar , who represented Chief Kanu Agabi(SAN), the Permanent
Secretary, Ministry of Justice ,Cross River State ,Mr Peter Bassey who declared the
event open, the representative of the Chief Judge of Cross River State, Justice Elias Abua and the convener of Solemn
Assembly in the State Judiciary, Justice Imelda Etape.
The event was held at the Conference Hall of Marian Hotel, Calabar.
