Newly inaugurated President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Yakubu Maikyau, SAN, has said Nigerians have been terrorised, traumaties and their psyche pauperised. Speaking during his inaugural address as President of the NBA, Maikyau said legal professionals must speak against terror and hardship in the land. “Let me emphasise this point in this way; Nigeria and Nigerians have been so terrorised, traumatised and their psyche pauperised by our present-day realities,” Maikyau said. “The dignity of the lives of Nigerians have come under severe attack by these and many factors. “What is left of this country, which cannot be emasculated in my humble view, is the voice of the legal profession; a voice that derives its life and strength from the person of justice and which cannot be caged or killed. “This voice must speak against the terror in the land and the hardship that has taken over the lives of our people. This is the charge that my administration undertakes to spearhead.” Read the full speech below: THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF THE 31ST PRESIDENT OF THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION, MR. YAKUBU CHONOKO MAIKYAU, SAN, AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE 2022 – 2024 NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Protocols INTRODUCTION That I, Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, SAN is today, the 26th of August 2022, standing before you as the 31st President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA); the prestigious association of the only noble profession, the largest, most vibrant and most influential Bar on the continent of Africa, is simply a function of the grace of God Almighty. To HIM ALONE be all the glory, the honour and the praise. Family background My late parents, Lt. Maikyau Chonoko and Mrs. Titi Maikyau, had no formal education. Had my father not joined the Army, my late sister, Amina Maikyau, and I may not have gone to school. I can recall my father saying to me as he sent me off to the School of Basic Studies, Zaria in 1984, “any day you go hungry, come home, whatever we have we will share”. My mother, amongst other trades, sold firewood to support my education and as an undergraduate, I helped to split the firewood for sale. My late sister on her part, after her National Certificate of Education (NCE) suspended further education and took up a teaching appointment to support the family and my education. She only went back to school to graduate in 1994 – four (4) years after my call to the Bar in 1990. My father passed on the 28th of January 1989, while I was in my final year in ABU Zaria; my sister passed on the 10th of January 2005 and my mother, on the 1 st of December 2019. It was as though they all came into the world just for me as I do not have a recollection of anything they did for themselves, but from the time I could recognise and recall events, I can only remember all they did to raise and support this boy, Yakubu. They were selfless towards me as they individually and collectively invested in me. My father did not witness my graduation and eventual call to the Bar and my sister did not live to see me become a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Coincidentally, today is the 11th anniversary of my swearing in as Senor Advocate of Nigeria, which only my mum was privileged to witness on the 26th of August 2011. I pay special tribute to all of them for their love, sacrifices, support, prayers and for a godly upbringing. I am sure that, to the glory of God, they look from heaven, proud of their boy and grateful for the privilege of being part of the journey that culminated in this inauguration ceremony. My Education I studied Physics, Chemistry and Biology in my A-level classes at the School of Basic Studies, Zaria. Never in my wildest thoughts or imaginations did I contemplate studying Law. I gained admission to study Veterinary Medicine at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. About three weeks into my resumption in Veterinary Medicine, I was informed by my friend, Hassan Danjuma, that he saw my name on the admissions list for the Faculty of Law. He literally dragged me to the old Senate Building and pointed out my name on the list. I saw it and was completely taken aback and unsuccessfully tried so hard to convince Hassan that this was in fact news to me. I later confirmed that my name was not only on the master list but also in the list at the Faculty of Law. Thereafter, I travelled to Sokoto to consult with my big brother figure, Mr. J. S. Magaji of blessed memory, who said to me, “if you can cope, Law is a more lucrative course than Veterinary Medicine”. Upon return to Zaria, I withdrew from Veterinary Medicine and re-registered as a law student with the encouragement of the then Dean of Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Professor Daniel Saror, who also promised to defer my admission to the following year, so that if I could not cope with Law, I could return to continue with Veterinary Medicine. I owe a debt of gratitude to Professor Daniel Saror, late Mr. J. S. Magaji and late Senator Danladi Bamayi, my first employer and principal in chambers, with whom I worked for almost 13 years. Senator Bamayi’s sense of duty, discipline, honesty, respect for values, ethics, and standards helped in no small measure in moulding me into who I am, as a legal practitioner, a husband and a father. I know Professor Daniel Saror (who would have been here in person – he will be 81 in October), the late Mr. J. S. Magaji and the late Senator Danladi Bamayi, are proud of their advice and mentorship and are equally grateful to God to have had a hand in what turned out to be the nurturing of the seed of greatness God deposited in me. That we are here today, is more