The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Bayelsa State Branch, has held a valedictory session in honour of the late Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, paying tribute to his legacy as a senior advocate of the law and public servant.
The session, held on Thursday at the State High Court Complex in Yenagoa, drew a cross-section of political leaders, jurists and members of the legal profession from within and outside the state.
Among those in attendance were Governor Douye Diri; a former governor and senator representing Bayelsa West, Henry Seriake Dickson; the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State, Justice Matilda Abrakasa-Ayemieye; the widow of the deceased, Mrs Ewhrudjakpo, and members of his family.
Speaking during the session, Governor Diri said he was still struggling to come to terms with the death of his deputy, whom he described as a dependable ally and trusted professional.
He recalled Ewhrudjakpo’s role as head of his legal team during the election petitions that followed both his first and second term victories.
The governor commended the Bayelsa judiciary, the Yenagoa and Sagbama branches of the NBA, and members of the legal community nationwide for what he described as a fitting tribute to the late deputy governor.
In her address, Justice Abrakasa-Ayemieye praised Ewhrudjakpo’s intellectual depth and enduring contributions to the growth of legal jurisprudence in Bayelsa State, describing his death as a major loss to both the state and the Nigerian legal profession.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Biriyai Dambo, SAN, said Ewhrudjakpo stood out as one of the finest lawyers and administrators of his generation, saying that his integrity and professional impact would endure beyond his lifetime.
Also speaking, the chairman of the NBA Yenagoa Branch, Clement Kekemeke, said the legal profession had lost a respected ambassador at a time when his experience and counsel were most needed.
Other dignitaries at the event included members of the National Assembly, the Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Abraham Ingobere; the President of the Bayelsa State Customary Court of Appeal, Justice Daniel Ayah; senior government officials and chief judges from other states.
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