By Ebi Kesiena
The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku, has said that legal advocacy on issues affecting the region is essential for driving its development.
Ogbuku made this known while opening this year’s NDDC Moot and Mock Trial Competition for universities in the Niger Delta region, held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
In a statement by NDDC Director of Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, Ogbuku reminded participants that the Commission is committed to the growth and development of the region’s youth.
Represented by the Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye, Ogbuku stated that the Commission would continue to support the advancement of education in the region.
He noted that the Commission had repeatedly intervened in the education sector, including the construction of hostels in various universities and polytechnics across the Niger Delta.
In a keynote address, the former Attorney-General of Rivers State, Professor Zacchaeus Adangor SAN, described the legal profession as noble, honourable, and learned. He challenged students to maintain integrity throughout their legal journey.
The legal luminary advised participants to remember that people approach the courts in search of justice, and thus lawyers must be individuals of strong character and trustworthiness.
While expressing gratitude to the NDDC for sponsoring the competition, he urged students to remain open to learning and new ideas, noting that the legal profession demands broad and sound knowledge.
He emphasised that honesty, integrity, and good character are essential virtues for every legal practitioner.
Professor Adangor further urged lawyers to invest in knowledge as ministers in the temple of justice, encouraging them to purchase both soft and hard copies of legal texts. He underscored the importance of staying abreast of emerging trends and developments within the profession.
The Chairman of the occasion, Justice Daketima Gabriel Kio of the Rivers State High Court, commended the Ogbuku-led NDDC for its significant and positive contributions to the region’s development.
According to him, the Moot and Mock Trial Competition, supported by the NDDC, provides a valuable platform for regional integration and prepares law students for successful legal careers.
Earlier in his welcome address, the NDDC Acting Director of Legal Services, Sir Victor Arenyeka, expressed satisfaction that last year’s competition had been impactful and was rated among the best in the country by stakeholders.
He noted that the NDDC designed the competition to prepare students from the region on issues affecting the Niger Delta, such as environmental law, oil and gas, and sustainable development.
The Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), Port Harcourt branch, Mr Emeka Onyeka, described the NDDC’s sponsorship of the competition as one of the Commission’s most valuable investments.
Around 20 law faculties from universities in the Niger Delta region participated in the competition. Each was gifted the latest edition of the Nigerian Weekly Law Reports by the NDDC.
