Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the governor of Ondo State, has highlighted that the true strength of a nation is found not in material gains but rather in the robustness of its institutions.
He warned that unless there is an independent and bold legal framework, democratic rule could lose its way in terms of morality and institutions.
These were his words when he was addressing the gathering at the unveiling and commissioning ceremony of the recently built NBA Bar Centre in the Ondo branch in Ondo city.
He noted that the entire project had been developed by the well-known lawyer, Tayo Oyetibo.
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Aiyedatiwa pointed out that the new Bar Centre goes beyond being a building since it represents scholarship, unity, and sacrifice among the legal fraternity.
He thanked Oyetibo for his “professional patriotism.”
READ MORE: Aiyedatiwa urges youths to shun protest
“Today’s ceremony goes beyond brick and mortar; it is fundamentally a celebration of values,” the governor said.
“By personally building and donating this Bar Centre to the NBA Ondo Branch, he has created not just a structure, but a lasting monument to scholarship, professional solidarity and the advancement of justice.”
Further, he called the NBA “the conscience of the nation” because it played a very important part in championing and protecting constitutional governance.
In line with this, Aiyedatiwa emphasised his administration’s dedication to improving the justice system to ensure that citizens’ rights remain intact while the integrity of the legal system is maintained.
From the speech given by Oyetibo, it can be argued that the development of the legal profession would contribute greatly to societal growth because of the importance of lawyers in defending constitutionalism and justice.
This new Tayo Oyetibo Bar Centre has been established to encourage mentoring and capacity building.
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The building has a main hall, reception area, document handling areas, library, conference rooms, lawyers’ lounge, cafeteria, and an office for the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).
The launch ceremony brought together top professionals in the legal field and some traditional rulers.
Chairmanship of the ceremony was undertaken by Wole Olanipekun, who urged young lawyers to maintain the high standards and ideals set by their seniors at the Bar.
Moronkeji Ogunwumiju, a justice in the Supreme Court and whose name adorns the library of the centre, was grateful for the gesture and made an individual donation of the entire volume of the Nigerian Weekly Law Reports from 2005 to 2026.
READ MORE: Gov Aiyedatiwa promises inclusive governance
Speaking in a keynote address, former Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University, Olanrewaju Fagbohun, encouraged legal professionals to be innovative and use technology, but also to be strong defenders of democracy to keep the practice relevant.
