Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, President of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, has called for greater gender equity within the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) leadership.
Speaking at the 2024 Annual General Conference of the NBA on Sunday at Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos, she emphasized the need for a female president.
“It is quite sad that we have not had a female president of the Bar for over three decades,” Justice Dongban-Mensem declared before a distinguished audience of legal professionals and dignitaries.
The conference, themed ‘Pressing Forward; A National Posture to Rebuilding Nigeria,’ featured notable figures including World Trade Organisation (WTO) chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former Ghanaian President John Mahama, and Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Tinubu.
Justice Dongban-Mensem highlighted the lack of female representation at the highest level of the Bar, noting, “Equity and vibrant justice, especially gender-wise, should be fortified and demonstrated in the Nigerian Bar Association.”
She pointed out that since the NBA’s inception, only Dame Priscilla Kuye has served as president from 1991 to 1992, a fact she described as disheartening.
“It is not encouraging that since the inception of the association, only one female, in the person of Dame Priscilla Kuye, ascended to the seat of the President,” she added.
“We cannot demand equity in a progressive society and be regressive, among our ranks. Therefore, more has to be done.”
The event was attended by high-profile guests, including Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
The gathering underscored the pressing need for gender balance in Nigerian legal leadership.