Following  the angst expressed by many Nigerian lawyers who were denied visas to attend the International Bar Association Conference in Vancouver Canada, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. J.B. Daudu SAN, led a high powered delegation to meet with Canadian High Commissioner designate last Wednesday in Abuja.

THISDAY LAWYER had exclusively reported in its last edition that many lawyers, including Senior Advocates of Nigeria, were refused visas by the Canadian High Commission to attend the IBA conference which starts on Sunday September 2, on flimsy excuses. 

An official of the High Commission, Mr. Christian Desroches had called THISDAY LAWYER to say that they would respond to the allegations in the story and state the side of the High Commission on the matter.

However, as at press time Mr. Desroches subsequently said that the High Commission had decided not to respond to the story after the meeting of the NBA delegation with the Mr. Chris Cooter, High Commissioner designate.

The NBA delegation met with Cooter and other officers of the commission last Wednesday.

At the meeting which lasted several hours, it was found that approximately 600 applications were received by the High Commission from Nigerian lawyers. 

The High Commission reportedly pointed out that most of the applications turned down was on account on late submission and inadequate documents by applicants.

It maintained that those who applied before June were treated with dispatch and most got their visas without any delays.

The High Commission assured the NBA that many of those yet to get their visas would be given before the end of this week.

It requested the NBA to, in future, give them a list of lawyers going to Canada for any function; that it would help in treating their visas promptly.

Cooter reminded the NBA delegation that the Visa section was not under the High Commissioner but the Foreign Ministry.

The High Commission promised that they would be arranging cooperation between the Bar, Bench and Canada through Federal Judicial Commission of Canada.

An officer in the High Commission observed that they had called THISDAY LAWYER to complain about not reaching them before publishing the story.

NBA team comprised of the President, Mr. J.B. Daudu SAN, National Publicity Secretary Emeka Obegolu, Director of Administration, Osita Okoro and former 1st Vice President, Ikeazor Akaraiwe who arranged the meeting.

Cooter said that since he had not been accredited yet, he was only a High Commissioner designate.

The NBA President used the opportunity to ask Cooter for the Commission’s assistance in capacity building for young lawyers.