A total of 58 legal practitioners were elevated to the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN); among them were three Nigerlites.
They were sworn in by Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Olukayode Arowola at a ceremony that took place at the Supreme Court Complex on Monday, with a call to them to see their present position as another burden added to their professional callings.
Administering the oath of the legal profession and oath of office to them, the CJN reminded the newly elevated Senior Advocates of Nigeria to exhibit a high level of professional conduct and see their new position as a serious one in the discharge of their responsibilities as ministers in the temple of justice.
According to the CJN, a total of 175 legal practitioners applied for the position, out of which a total of 121 were screened, and 58 of them were considered for elevation, ensuring that the body of benchers will consider them in the next arrangement.
He told the senior lawyers to guide against professional misconduct in the discharge of their duties, noting that the legal practice and the judiciary were under trial and that they should exhibit a high sense of ethical norms in advising their clients in their respective litigations.
The CJN further reminded the senior advocates of Nigeria to consider their elevation as additional responsibilities added to their professional duty as legal practitioners, stressing the need for them to always put the interest and integrity of the noble profession above any other interest.
While congratulating the newly elevated senior advocates of Nigeria, SAN Justice Olukayode Arowola urged them to make use of their elevation to mentor younger generations of lawyers so they could become successful in the profession.
Speaking during the grand reception held for the newly appointed Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the Chief Judge of Niger State Justice, Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, congratulated them on their elevation to the position in their chosen careers.
Represented by Minna High Court number Four Justice Mohammed Adishetu Mohammed, she told them to see their elevation as an opportunity to spur them to leave above board in pursuing the course of justice.
She appealed to them to guide against any act of unethical conduct in the discharge of their duty as senior members of the bar, adding that their conduct in the bar and outside the bar would be monitored by the society they represent in any of the litigations.
The three elevated senior advocates of Nigeria of Niger State origin included Jonathan Gunu Taidi, SAN, Angulu Ibrahim, SAN, and Aliyu Ibrahim Lemu, SAN.
Niger State Commissioner of Tertiary Healthcare, Dr. Bello Tukur, has described malaria and typhoid fever, as the two major causes of high maternal and child mortality rates as well as of deaths in the nation's population, particularly in rural areas.
Dr. Bello Tukur stated this when he received the state delegation team of "Zero Malaria Starts With Me," which paid him an advocacy visit in his office at the ministry recently.
He stated that the ministry will do what is necessary to support the team and will start by ensuring that all the team’s expenditures are adequately captured in the budgets of the ministry.
While pointing out that doing so will enable both the team and state government to achieve the desired goals of eliminating the scourge in the state, he noted that the present administration was determined to fulfill most of its campaign promises in the area of health services to the populace.
The commissioner therefore observed the need for the extension of the team's presence in the local government areas and the satellite communities in order for the team to achieve its objectives.
Speaking on the death toll on maternal and child mortality rates, the commissioner appealed to the state malaria team, especially the state media, which were fully involved in sensitising pregnant women on the importance of going for antenatal care through their respective mediums, and called on the general public not to misunderstand the existence of the two ministries because separation was targeted at providing health services to the citizenry.
Earlier in his address, the District Head of Maikunkele and Chairman Zero Malaria Starts With Me, Alhaji Suleiman Abdullahi Dada, informed the commissioner that the advocacy visit was not only aimed to familiarise themselves with the ministry but to also notify the ministry of the team's existence and directions for the challenging tasks ahead.
The team's chairman therefore appealed to the commissioners of the two ministries about the need for them not to just financially support the team's assignment but also to take ownership of the enormous responsibility attached to the team.
Also in his contribution, the head of ACOMIN, Mr. Kalyanje Olasulanmi, noted that the scourge of malaria was enormous and therefore the state government had to accord the team the needed attention.
He further requested the establishment of a task force team that will take charge of the misuse of the treated mosquito nets across the state.
Highlights of the advocacy visit included a group photograph and the exchange of contacts.
