SLBA PRO Aspirant Calls for More Open Communication Between Bar Leadership and Members

Ebunoluwa Yengbe Esq., an aspirant for the position of Public Relations Officer of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, has criticised the current leadership for what she described as missed opportunities and a lack of consultation with members.

Speaking on AYV’s Wake Up Sierra Leone, Yengbe said she understands why her colleague struggled to speak about his achievements as PRO over the past two years. She argued that the association has missed multiple opportunities to advance reforms and address grievances raised by members.

“I will completely understand why when my colleague is being asked about his own achievements as PRO over two years, he struggles to speak to those particularly. It’s been two years where we’ve had multiple missed opportunities as an organisation to advance much-needed reforms and to correct some of the grievances that our colleagues rightly have,” she said.

Yengbe also corrected what she described as misstatements made by her colleague regarding the association’s accomplishments. She noted that references to the bar having a secretary were inaccurate, and that a piece of land owned by the association remains subject to controversy.

“It’s rather unfortunate that there’s this tendency to not build on the accomplishments of previous executives of the bar. I am happy to share that the bar association already has a piece of land and any well-meaning leader wants to continue. That’s how governance works,” she stated.

She stressed that governance and leadership must be participatory and consultative, and that ideas cannot simply be imposed on members.

“You cannot dream up ideas and impose them. I can understand if there’s that disconnect between the leadership and the membership, but the responsibility is on the leadership to pursue your membership. I think it’s a bit embarrassing that you would sit on air and say, well, we could not do this because colleagues did not make themselves available. Your mandate is from the people you represent,” she said.

Yengbe outlined three key areas for communication: speaking amongst lawyers, engaging with other stakeholders in the justice sector while maintaining independence, and educating the public on justice issues.

She also raised concerns about the bar’s engagement with new laws, questioning where the association has been when new acts are passed.

“Where is the bar when we’re passing new acts? Is the bar engaging with partners to educate the public?” she asked.

Yengbe said she has benefited from good relationships with colleagues, including mentorship and support with legal resources, and hopes to bring the bar to a position where every lawyer feels the tangible impact of membership.

Her remarks come as the SLBA prepares for its leadership elections, with issues such as transparency, accessibility, and member engagement expected to remain central themes in discussions about the future of the association.