Regional sentiments split Meme lawyers

The Meme Lawyers Association, MELA, seems to have been flung into a chamber of discord as the association’s President, Barrister Philip Awutah Atubah, laments.

According to Barrister Awutah Atubah, the major setback affecting the cohesion of lawyers in Meme lies in the thinking that a Northwester cannot lead lawyers in the Southwest.

Awutah made the declaration to reporters at the close of a fund raising exercise organised recently at the Kumba City Council hall.

A handful of lawyers in Meme boycotted the event that culminated in celebrations to mark the end of year festivities.

The hall recorded mostly the participation of advocates in training.

Bemoaning the situation, Barrister Awutah decried that among the lawyers in Kumba, some think that a ‘Northwesterner’ should not be the President of MELA.

According to the MELA President, the argument goes contrary to what obtains in other areas, citing the Fako Lawyers Association, FAKLA.

Awutah said people from different Regions other than the Southwest have headed the association in the past, recording outstanding results.

He told journalists that he grew up, schooled, built and is currently practising law in Kumba.

To him, there is no reason why he should not be given the opportunity to contribute to the development of Kumba and MELA in particular.

He assured that efforts will be made to regroup any dissenting voices within MELA.

With only FCFA 1.5million raised for a secretariat project estimated to gulp some FCFA 75 million, Awutah noted that if the over 150 lawyers in Meme decided to pool their resources, the project would take off.

The MELA boss explained that with the rapid growth of Kumba and the need to keep lawyers abreast, the MELA secretariat will serve people from all walks of life.

Meanwhile, the President of the General Assembly of the Bar Association, Barrister Nico Halle, urged the MELA President to put his house in order.

Halle said that if he had knowledge of the crisis splitting the Meme lawyers, he would have personally paid a visit to Kumba for peace to prevail.

Nico Halle explained that such open discord should not be seen among lawyers given their role in society.

He said more efforts will be geared towards supporting the MELA secretariat project. He urged other Regions to copy the example.

Barrister Bobga Hamoni, President of the Northwest Lawyers Association, saluted the efforts of MELA and appealed to all and sundry to make earnest contributions towards the realization of the secretariat project.

Hamoni said in the near future, his association will also be making efforts towards putting in place a concrete structure like MELA is dreaming of doing.