Chief Folake Solanke, Nigeria’s first female Senior Advocate, has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria to stabilize the naira’s value in order to prevent it from becoming completely useless.
According to the legal icon, the steady decline in the value of the naira has caused commodity prices to soar beyond the reach of many Nigerians.
She spoke on Tuesday in Ibadan at a lecture hosted by the Nigerian Bar Association’s Ibadan branch to commemorate her 90th birthday.
She urged Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to implement policies that would cause the country’s currency to appreciate against other currencies.
“The naira is gradually descending into nothingness,” Solanke said, citing foreign exchange rates of nearly N600 for one US dollar and nearly N800 for one pound sterling.
Petrol, diesel, food, and all other basic consumer goods have skyrocketed and become unaffordable. Let us request that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Chief Godwin Emefiele, assist us in stabilizing the naira so that it does not become completely worthless.
“As for the endemic corruption that is wreaking havoc on all aspects of life, all I can say is that if each of us is corrupt-free, corruption will be eradicated from the polity.” With all due humility, I declare that I am free of corruption. We must maintain our optimism. Nigeria will persevere.”
Me Lateef Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria who delivered the lecture, called for stricter sanctions against members of the legal profession who engage in misconduct.
“One is pained that, despite the efforts of people like Mama to maintain the highest ethical standards in the profession, the current realities are nothing to write home about,” Fagbemi said.
“It is disheartening to note that the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee is currently hearing numerous cases of erring legal practitioners.” There is no denying that this is not only overwhelming but also burdensome for the committee, especially given that the members of the LPDC do not serve on the committee full-time.
“Professional ethics courses for legal practitioners should be introduced in our law faculties across the country.” If our future lawyers are exposed to what is expected of them early on, it will not come as a culture shock during their practice years because it will have become a part of their lives.”
The chairman of the event, Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, described Solanke as a “Iroko” in the legal profession with a star-filled life of legacies; a matriarch of the Ibadan Bar.”
Source: The Punch
