Akwa Ibom State Government honours NBA General-Secretary with Dakkada Ambassador:
The Akwa Ibom State Government on Tuesday organised a reception in honour of the General-Secretary, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Barr (Mrs) Joyce Oduah, as the proud daughter of the state and Dakkada Ambassador.
The event which took place at the Government House, Uyo was well attended by members of the State Executive Council, including the deputy governor, Obong Moses Ekpo; the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem; the State Attorney-General/Commissioner for Justice and Life Member, Body of Benchers, Barr Uwemedimo Nwoko; Executive Council of the Nigerian Barr Association, Uyo branch led by its Chairman, Barr Aniema Etuk and President, NBA, Oron Branch, Barr Tokunbo Otoyo, among others.
Mrs Joyce Oduah is the second female Nigerian lawyer to be elected the General-Secretary of NBA, 38 years after the first woman who occupied the office left in 1982.She is from Akwa Ibom State by birth and from Anambra State by marriage.
Receiving Barr Oduah on behalf of Governor Udom Emmanuel, the Deputy Governor, Mr Moses Ekpo congratulated Oduah on her resounding and well deserved victory at the just concluded election of the Nigerian Barr Association (NBA) and lauded her for flying the flag of Akwa Ibom State and Eastern Nigeria, describing her as an amazon.
Mr Ekpo thanked Barr Oduah for making Governor Emmanuel and the people of the state proud in her chosen profession and wished her success in her new position.
According to him, the profile of the Legal Practitioner is intimidating, full of service to the law profession, the church and humanity and congratulated the news General-Secretary for making the state proud in her chosen profession.
“I congratulate you on behalf of the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Deacon Udom Emmanuel and the entire people of the state for your victory. The people of Akwa Ibom State are proud to have you occupying this very edifying office of the Secretary-General of lawyers.
“I watch your election and it was credible. I thank God that the Dakkada spirit was spurring you on and the can do spirit which is the spirit of an Akwa Ibomites was spurring you on to achieve what you have achieved.
“His Excellency, the Governor is prouder than everybody because the Dakkada philosophy is what is driving his administration and when we find our people living up to this philosophy-the can do spirit, we’re always happy. We thank you for being our Dakkada Ambassador,” the Deputy Governor stated.
Earlier, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, while receiving Mrs Oduah in his office before proceeding to the conference room of the Deputy Governor for the reception, lauded her for challenging the status quo in the NBA, describing it as the spirit of Dakkada philosophy of Udom Emmanuel-led administration.
Responding, the General-Secretary of NBA, Barr (Mrs) Joyce Oduah thanked the Government of Akwa Ibom State for the reception, assuring that she would used her new office to work for the betterment of the state and the country.
She said, “I’m short of words by this reception.It is awesome.I’m really glad to be here.I’m a proud daughter of Akwa Ibom State.”
The Legal Practitioner lauded Governor Emmanuel for the cordial working relationship with lawyers in the state as exemplified in the appointments of many lawyers into various government positions as commissioners, permanent secretaries, chairmen and members of boards and commissions in the state as well as the employment of a visually impaired lawyer, Barr Victor Fabian Udom into the State Civil Service.
Highlight of the reception was the presentation of a memento to Oduah by the Deputy Governor.
