A former Lagos state governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, has harped on the need for the Body of Benchers (BoB) to continually scrutinise the legal professionals admitted to the Bar, as was the practice in the old.
Fashola, a former Minister of Works and Housing, further called for re-evaluation of legal training for practitioners, saying the move would help separate the education of solicitors from that of barristers or advocates.
He made the appeal in Abuja while delivering a keynote speech cum inaugural lecture, at the body maiden annual lecture, Wednesday.
At the gathering, he recalled with nostalgia how his late father’s friend, Chief Debo Akande, (SAN) during his compulsory law office chambers attachment supervised him for several weeks before he could make a personal reference and recommendation about his suitability for the call to bar, wondering whether Benchers today sponsor candidates for call to the Bar that they have never interacted with.
“And the fundamental question is this: How many benchers today have had the personal experience and observation of the persons they sponsor for a call to the bar,”? He asked.
In another encounter, Fashola recalled how another Bencher and second sponsor, T.A.B Oki, SAN also of blessed memory was reluctant and refused to sign his form despite knowing his father but insisted he come to his office at Victoria Island, which he did.