Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, has challenged any local government area in the state yet to have an indigene rise to the position of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in the legal profession to do so.
The governor stated this as he, alongside National Assembly members from the state and other top government officials, on Monday, celebrated the historic conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) on two legal practitioners, Fedude Zimughan and Preye Agedah.
Both legal luminaries were among the 57 new SANs who were administered the oath of office by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, at the Supreme Court in Abuja on Monday.
It was the first time since Bayelsa’s creation 29 years ago that two of its sons were at the same time elevated to the prestigious legal rank.
Gov. Diri said at their reception ceremony that the conferment brought the number of SANs from the state to 11.
He expressed delight that the state was making good progress on all sides and that local government areas yet to produce any SAN would need to brace up.
He said: “This is another historic day in the life of our state. Since its creation, this is the first time we are producing two senior advocates at the same time. God perfects everything in His own time.
“We are very proud of the two gentlemen, Fedude Zimughan and Preye Agedah. One is from my mother’s local government area, while the other is from my father’s.
“From nothing after the creation of our state, Bayelsa has today produced 11 SANs. Zimughan’s local government, Ekeremor, had produced four.
“I had known him from way back, and though some thought he was long overdue, I believe this is the God-ordained time for him.
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“For Agedah, we were secondary school classmates. He set the pace when he came into politics in the old Rivers State and became the first chairman of the old Yenagoa local government area.
“Today, he made history again as the first SAN from my local government, Kolokuma/Opokuma.
“I challenge my brothers and sisters from other local government areas. You discover that the smallest senatorial district has more SANs than us that are from our very large Bayelsa Central Senatorial District.
“In my senatorial district, there is no SAN from the whole of Yenagoa Local Government. Even in Southern Ijaw, which we are proud of as one of the largest local governments in Nigeria, there is none.
“Well, some would say (Michael) Numa is from there, but he tilts more towards Ekeremor. This means I’m challenging myself also, as this is my senatorial district.
“In the East, we have more from Nembe. In Ogbia, we had one, who is now late, while Brass has one.
“So this is the challenge to us in the state. This year, we produced two. Next year, we can have three.
“It is not rocket science. We have people with the brains and the wherewithal to attain such heights. Let us as a people be seen to be helping one another to climb and not to oppress ourselves.”
The governor congratulated the new SANs on behalf of the state and urged them to continue to be good ambassadors of the state.
Present at the ceremony were the state Chief Judge, Justice Matilda Ayemieye, Senator Konbowei Benson (Bayelsa Central), and House of Representatives members, Fred Agbedi (Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency), Oforji Oboku (Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma), Marie Ebikake (Nembe/Brass), and Rodney Ambaiowei (Southern Ijaw).
