By Desmond Ejibas
Port Harcourt – The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has emphasised that legal advocacy on issues affecting the Niger Delta holds the potential to accelerate the region’s development.
Dr Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, made this assertion during the 2025 MOOT and Mock Trial Competition, which featured participation from 20 law faculties across universities in the Niger Delta.
This is contained in a statement issued by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt on Friday.
Ogbuku, who was represented by Mr Boma Iyaye, NDDC’s Executive Director of Finance and Administration, underscored the role of legal advocacy in addressing the complex challenges facing the region.
“We are passionate about education, and as such, we remain committed to supporting the growth of education in the Niger Delta,” he stated.
He noted that the competition focused on key legal areas relevant to the region which included environmental law, oil and gas, and sustainable development.
Ogbuku also highlighted the commission’s investments in tertiary institutions, including the construction of hostels in various universities and polytechnics across the Niger Delta.
In his remark, Prof. Zaccheus Adangor, a former Attorney-General of Rivers, described the legal profession as noble, honourable, and learned.
He urged the student participants to demonstrate honesty, integrity, and good character throughout their career.
“Students must remain open to new ideas, as the legal profession requires deep and varied knowledge.
“Legal practitioners should also invest in continuous learning, acquiring both hard and digital copies of books, in their role as ministers in the temple of justice,” Adangor advised.
Also speaking, Justice Daketima Kio of the Rivers State High Court commended the NDDC for the initiative, expressing confidence that the programme would foster a more united and developed region.
He expressed optimism that the competition would serve as a springboard for aspiring legal professionals in the region to excel in their careers.
On his part, Mr Victor Arenyeka, NDDC’s Acting Director for Legal Services, explained that the competition was designed to prepare students to confront the specific challenges facing the Niger Delta.
He stated that participants were tested on environmental law, oil and gas, and sustainable development.
Arenyeka encouraged the students to seize the opportunity to broaden their legal knowledge and lay a solid foundation for successful careers in the legal profession. (NAN)
