NBA Conference: Lawyer Blasts Port Harcourt Gathering as ‘Lacklustre, Uninspiring’

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Monday Onyekachi Ubani, has criticised the ongoing 2026 Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, describing the event so far as “lacklustre, uninspiring and deeply disappointing.”

Ubani, who issued an interim assessment of the conference, said the event had fallen significantly below the standard set by last year’s NBA conference in Enugu.

He recalled that the Enugu conference was widely praised for its organisation, movement around the host city, traffic management, environmental friendliness and hospitality.

According to him, the positive reviews from last year’s event contributed to the increased attendance at the 2026 conference, particularly among younger lawyers who came to Port Harcourt expecting a similar experience.

However, he said his assessment of the Port Harcourt gathering had so far been disappointing.

“My verdict at the time was unequivocal: the Enugu Conference would remain one of the most memorable NBA Annual General Conferences in recent history,” Ubani said.

“Sadly, my interim report so far is one of profound disappointment.”

Conference Materials, Guest Selection Criticised

Ubani said his concerns began with the quality of conference materials, particularly the conference bag, which he described as falling short of the dignity and professional character expected of the largest gathering of lawyers in Africa.

He also criticised the choice of some guests invited to address or participate in the conference.

He argued that popularity, celebrity status or social media following should not be the primary considerations for selecting speakers for the NBA’s flagship professional gathering.

According to him, the conference should maintain a strong intellectual and professional character by inviting individuals with recognised scholarship, experience and professional pedigree.

“The NBA Annual General Conference should be a place where lawyers encounter the best minds, challenge established ideas, interrogate contemporary problems and leave with a richer understanding of the law, society and the future of our profession,” he said.

Ubani acknowledged that entertainment had a place at the conference but warned that it should not displace intellectual substance.

He also described the presidential debate as a good concept but said its execution was, in his view, below expectations.

Welfare, Logistics Raise Concerns

The senior lawyer further criticised aspects of the conference’s logistics, including the arrangements for tea breaks and lunch.

He said there were no properly organised and easily accessible tea-break venues, while lunch arrangements were not sufficiently centralised and conspicuous, leaving participants to deal with unnecessary stress.

Ubani also complained about the conditions in some of the halls used during the first two days, describing them as hot, uncomfortable and unsuitable for serious intellectual engagement.

He argued that such issues should not be dismissed as minor because the comfort and welfare of participants directly affect their ability to participate meaningfully in conference activities.

Ubani Calls for 25,000-Capacity Convention Centres

Beyond the immediate challenges at the Port Harcourt conference, Ubani identified the shortage of suitable convention facilities as a major structural problem facing the NBA’s annual gatherings.

He said conferences attracting tens of thousands of lawyers could not continue relying on facilities that were not designed for gatherings of such magnitude.

He called on the Federal and state governments to invest in purpose-built convention centres capable of hosting major national and international events.

According to him, such facilities should have the capacity to accommodate at least 25,000 people and provide adequate halls, air-conditioning, parking, security, sanitation, exhibition spaces, restaurants, reliable power and transportation.

“We have the resources to actualise this dream. What appears to be lacking is the necessary vision, planning and commitment,” he said.

‘NBA Must Raise Its Standards’

As the association prepares to usher in a new president, Ubani urged the NBA to improve the planning and execution of future annual conferences.

He called for better organisation, more careful selection of guests, stronger emphasis on intellectual content and facilities that reflect the status of the Nigerian legal profession.

Ubani, however, stressed that his assessment was an interim report, leaving room for improvement during the remaining days of the conference.

“Tomorrow and Friday may yet present a different experience and perhaps provide some redemption. I sincerely hope they do,” he said.

But based on his experience at the time of writing, he maintained that the 2026 Port Harcourt conference had been “lacklustre, uninspiring and, in several respects, deeply disappointing.”

He said the younger lawyers who attended in large numbers after hearing positive accounts of previous conferences deserved a better experience.

“The Nigerian Bar Association can do better. The Nigerian Bar Association must do better,” Ubani said.

He concluded by insisting that the NBA Annual General Conference must retain its status as Africa’s largest gathering of lawyers and should consistently reflect the intellectual depth, professionalism and dignity of the Nigerian legal profession.