It was a harvest of ideas and proffering of solutions to the challenges facing the rule of Law in Nigeria’s Democratic journey at the opening ceremony of the third biennial Bar Week of the Nigerian Bar Association, Anaocha Branch.
The event  held at Neni, the Council headquarters of Anaocha Local Government Area has its theme as ” the Rule of Law and the Future of Democracy in Nigeria”  attracted  top echelons of the Bar and Bench in the State and beyond.
David Okpokwasili attended the Opening ceremony and in this report captures the mood of the session.
The year 2019 has been full of activities for Lawyers in their bid to navigate the different constitutional crises challenging the country in the last four years. 
Thus, it was not unusual that in a forum like this, that the mood of participants will be mixed as different schools of thought sought to find answers to the actions the Bar, known for its conservativeness must take in situations that are in no form, conservative or usual.
As they deliberated on the issues of the sansctity of the rule of Law and separation of power, respect for Court orders and ultimately democracy, it became clear to them that in maintaining the sacredness of their profession, they, quickly need revolutionary reforms that will keep them standing as the voice of the voiceless.

Declaring the event open, the acting Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice Onochie Anyachebelu while describing the theme of the event as apt at this time, promised that under his leadership in the Anambra Judiciary, more attention will paid to the imminient challenges facing the practice of Law   in the State.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Chairman, Council of Legal Education, Chief Emeka Ngige, who served as the Chairman on the Occasion but  represented by Mr Obi Anizoba and the Chairman of Anaocha Branch of the NBA, Chief Jideofor Okongwu while reeling out some questions that Lawyers must answer if the challenges facing the rule of Law could be addressed, asked them to sit up to their responsibility of standing as the middlemen between the Law and the ordinary man.
The Forum also provided the platform for legal practitioners to consider their contributions towards ensuring that Justice is not just done but is perceived to have been done in all situations as other speakers at the event, including  Professor Ken Nworgu of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka lectured on the Professional Ethics of Legal Practitioners and Professor Epiphanus Oguno of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University who  examined how the current political and administrative structures of the Nigerian Federation puts the masses at a distance from social and governance justice.
Meanwhile, Mr Andrew Kumapayi who is the Anambra State Sector  Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps,  on his part harped on the roles that Lawyers could play in increasing the awareness of Road traffic laws on the populace.
For the Chairman of the Organizing Committee of NBA Anaocha Branch Bar Week and Emeritus Chief Registrar of the High Court of Anambra State, Doris Ezeani, if the conclusions and recommendations made at the Conference are implemented, they will go along way in safeguarding the human rights of the people and totally secure good governance.

This Biennial week which is meant for Legal Practitioners in Anaocha Judicial Division which comprise Anaocha, Njikoka and Dunukofia Local Government Areas of Anambra saw the participants  leaving the venue of the Conference well equipped , if not for any other reason, to rescue as from death, the clutches of overbearing partners in an ill-defined marriage roles,  in the arrangement called governance. .

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