15 quick facts about new NBA President Afam Osigwe

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mazi Afam Osigwe emerged the new president-elect of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA on Sunday after he ganered 20,435 votes to beat his closest contender, the Chairman of the NBA-Institute of Continuing Legal Education Governing Council, Tobenna Erojikwe, who scored 10,998 votes.

Anambra- born Afam Osigwe is set to succeed the outgoing President, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) at the NBA annual conference in Lagos in August, 2024.

Reacting to the his election, Anambra Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, in a statement he personally signed said Osigwe’s tenure would bring a fresh perspective to the legal profession.

The Anambra governor added that Osigwe’s election was a testament to his exceptional qualities and dedication to the legal profession.

He also expressed confidence that Osigwe’s leadership would positively disrupt legal practice in the country and herald a new era of excellence.

Here are some quick facts about the new NBA President

1. Afam Osigwe was born on the 25th of October 1972.
2. The new NBA President attended Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha for his secondary education before proceeding to the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, to study law and was called to the Bar in 1999.
3. He became Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN in 2020.
4. The new NBA President-elect, Osigwe was born on October 25, 1972.
5. He started legal practice with Chike Chigbue and Co, Abuja Office in 1999.
6. He left the firm in 2002 to found his firm, the LAW FORTE (Legal Practitioners, Corporate Consultants and Notary Public).
7. In 2006 he became a Notary Public of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
8. In 2010, he concluded a face-to-face tutorial at Keble College, Oxford, and obtained a Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration.
9. Osigwe became a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) in 2011.
10. He obtained a Master’s of Laws Degree (LL.M) from the University of Jos.He also holds another LL.M in (Transnational Commercial Practice) from the Centre for International Legal Studies, Austria (in collaboration with the Lazarsky University, Poland).
11. Osigwe has appeared as a counsel in many arbitral proceedings as well as sat as a sole arbitrator or member of arbitral tribunals in commercial disputes.
12. He was the last person to hold office as the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Abuja Branch (Unity Bar) for the entire Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
13. Bwari and Gwagwalada Branches of NBA were created during his tenure as Chairman of the Unity Bar.
14. By consent of the chairmen of Bwari and Gwagwalada Branches of the NBA, he became the first Chairman of Chairmen of NBA Branches in the FCT, in 2012.
15. He became the General Secretary of the NBA in August 2014 and held that position till the expiration of his tenure on August 26, 2016.