Wale Igbintade
Former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, SAN, will deliver the keynote address at the 2026 Annual Law Week of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch, where governance reform, economic policy and institutional accountability will dominate discussions.
The Chairman of the Annual Law Week Planning Committee, Chukwudi Enebeli, disclosed this yesterday during a press conference in Lagos.
Enebeli said Fashola would speak on the theme, ‘Law, Leadership and the Ballot: Governance Beyond Politics’, during the opening plenary of the Law Week themed ‘Altering the Status Quo: Going Against the Norm’.
The event is scheduled to hold from June 19 to June 25 at the Lagos Marriott Hotel, Ikeja.
According to him, Fashola’s keynote address will draw on his experience as a two-term governor of Lagos State and former Minister of Works and Housing, focusing on governance models that emphasise performance, institutional continuity and sustainable development beyond electoral cycles.
“This year’s programme is designed to stimulate critical conversations on Nigeria’s governance challenges and explore practical solutions to institutional inefficiency, public accountability and national development,” Enebeli said.
A major highlight of the Law Week will be the Business Forum, themed ‘Accelerating the Future of the Nigerian Economy’, which is expected to convene policymakers, economists, business leaders and financial experts to examine the country’s economic outlook and growth prospects.
Enebeli revealed that the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, is among the speakers expected at the forum.
Discussions will focus on trade policy, investment opportunities, industrial expansion and strategies for enhancing Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global economy.
The Law Week will also feature a Young Lawyers’ Session titled ‘The Grind Before the Glory’, aimed at mentoring emerging legal practitioners on professional ethics, career development, leadership and the evolving demands of legal practice.
Other key events include the Bar and Bench Session themed ‘What is Expected on the Other Side of the Coin’, as well as the Alao Aka-Bashorun Memorial Lecture titled ‘2027: Building a Nation Where No Man is Oppressed’.
The week-long programme will further feature community-focused activities, including religious services, a health walk and the Chairman’s Dinner.
Speaking at the press conference, the Chairman of the NBA Ikeja Branch, Adeniyi Quadri, described the Annual Law Week as a vital platform for national discourse at a time of increasing calls for stronger institutions, transparency and improved governance.
Quadri said the event would culminate in recommendations aimed at strengthening institutional performance and fostering greater collaboration between the legal profession, government and society.
He added that registration for all lecture sessions is free and open to members of the legal profession and other interested stakeholders.
