Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Onueze Okocha, has expressed concerns over the proliferation of development agencies in Nigeria, warning that it may lead to politicisation and diversion of attention from specialised agencies like the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
   
Okocha, who was the 19th President of NBA, noted that the NDDC was created to address specific challenges in the oil-producing Niger Delta region. Still, replicating similar agencies in other zones may dilute its focus and impact. 
  
Okocha highlighted two pressing concerns: the decline of standards in the legal profession and the proliferation of development agencies in Nigeria.
    
Okocha attributed the decline in legal standards to Nigeria’s broader societal challenges but assured that the NBA is working to maintain discipline and uphold the rule of law.
  
Okocha spoke as a Special Guest of Honour at the 2024 Moot and Mock Trial Competition for law faculties in the region, held at the Nigerian Law School, Rivers State.  

He noted that he feared that more powerful political representatives in other zones may divert attention and resources away from the NDDC.
  
While acknowledging the need for development across Nigeria, Okocha emphasised the importance of preserving the unique focus and funding of the NDDC, given the region’s exclusive status as an oil mineral-producing area. He urged caution against watering down the commission’s mandate and neglecting the region’s peculiar challenges.
  
In his keynote address, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NDDC, Samuel Ogbuku, urged young lawyers to harness their intellectual prowess to drive sustainable development and shape the future of the Niger Delta region.
   
Ogbuku emphasised the critical role of legal education and profession in nation-building and community service. He charged participants to engage in intellectually stimulating arguments, highlighting the region’s peculiarities and canvassing solutions to guide future lawmaking, while facilitating even and rapid development.
   
“It is our belief in the NDDC that legal advocacy can play a significant role in highlighting the challenges that bedevil the region and proffering solutions to those challenges.
  
“The critically important role of legal education and profession in shaping our nation’s destiny cannot be over-emphasised. Law and the legal profession will continue to play definitive roles in nation-building and community service,” he explained.