By Amin Kef (Ranger)
The Sierra Leone Bar Association (SLBA) held its Elective Congress 2024 from Friday, May 17 to Saturday May 18, 2024 in Kenema with the election of a new Executive climaxing the august gathering. After the elections were conducted and the results announced by the Chief Electoral Commissioner cum Returning Officer, Francis Ben Kaifala, who doubles as the Commissioner of the Anti Corruption Commission, (ACC) it was revealed that Tuma Adama Gento Jabbi won by a landslide victory as she was declared as the duly elected President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association (SLBA).
In the contest, she defeated the other contenders for the position by securing 560 votes while the other two contenders, Wara Serry Kamal pulled 23 votes and Augustine S. Marah got only 15 votes. There were 28 void votes out of total number of 1,200 registered voters.
Prior to the Elective Congress Tuma Adama Gento Jabbi vigorously and passionately campaigned under the theme: “Raise The Bar”. In her manifesto, she outlined her vision for the SLBA presidency, focusing on the pillars of Standards, Empowerment and Welfare.
The result oriented personality promised to elevate the standards within the legal profession, empower legal practitioners and address welfare concerns for members of the Bar.
Tuma Adama Jabbi further emphasized her deep-rooted commitment to the legal profession, drawing inspiration from her father’s legacy and her own fourteen years of experience as a legal practitioner. She highlighted her contributions to legal education, including the introduction of the Tax/Revenue Law module at Fourah Bay College in 2014, which has impacted hundreds of students.
Central to her vision is the concept of “Standards, Empowerment and Welfare” (#SEW), which she believes are interconnected and essential for the advancement of the legal profession in Sierra Leone. Tuma Adama Jabbi debunked the myth that pursuing high ethical standards and advancing human rights are mutually exclusive, asserting that the SLBA can simultaneously elevate standards while defending constitutionalism and human rights.
She also highlighted concrete plans to raise standards within the legal profession, including the introduction of clerkships as part of pupilage to provide support for Judges and Senior Magistrates. Also, she proposed the operationalization of the Legal Practitioner’s Privileges Committee to recognize deserving senior advocates, thereby fostering respect for the legal profession.
Furthermore, the newly elected Bar Association President stressed the importance of empowerment, advocating for continuous legal education (CLE) and scholarship opportunities to capacitate legal practitioners in various areas of law. She expressed her commitment to exploring internship opportunities with international bodies to broaden the exposure of SLBA members to international legal practice.
Addressing welfare concerns, Tuma Adama Jabbi acknowledged the need for a permanent Bar Secretariat and pledged to secure suitable land for its construction. She also proposed the establishment of a private pension scheme in collaboration with NASSIT to support retired members of the Bar, emphasizing the importance of collective action and solidarity within the legal fraternity.
In her victory remarks, Tuma Adama Jabbi, promised to build upon the progress made under the outgoing President’s leadership and lead the Association towards a future where it will serve as a beacon of hope, positive change and justice for all.
