Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, says legal advocacy on issues affecting the region is key to unlocking the full potential of the Niger Delta.
Speaking at the opening of the 2025 NDDC Moot and Mock Trial Competition in Port Harcourt, Ogbuku emphasized that empowering the region’s youth through education and legal engagement is central to sustainable development.
“The NDDC will continue to support education and nurture young talents who will shape the region’s future. Legal advocacy remains an essential tool for driving development in the Niger Delta,” Ogbuku stated in a message delivered by the Commission’s Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye.
The annual competition, which drew participants from about 20 law faculties across universities in the region, focused on key legal themes around environmental law, oil and gas, and sustainable development, issues that have long defined the Niger Delta’s struggle.
In his keynote address, former Attorney-General of Rivers State, Professor Zacchaeus Adangor SAN, charged the students to uphold the nobility and integrity of the legal profession.
“People come to court in search of justice. The legal profession demands lawyers of good character, honesty, and unwavering integrity. You must invest in knowledge and evolve with the trends shaping the legal landscape.”
He lauded the NDDC for providing a unique platform that encourages excellence in legal practice and urged participants to remain open to learning and sound ideas.
Chairman of the occasion and Judge of the Rivers State High Court, Justice Daketima Gabriel Kio, praised the initiative as a significant step toward building a stronger and more integrated region.
“This competition is a springboard for law students in the Niger Delta to rise to the top of their profession. The Ogbuku-led NDDC has shown real commitment to nurturing the next generation of leaders,” Justice Kio stated.
Earlier, NDDC Acting Director of Legal Services, Sir Victor Arenyeka, highlighted the relevance of the competition, which he said was designed to build legal capacity on region-specific issues such as oil pollution, land rights, and governance.
Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), Port Harcourt Branch, Mr. Emeka Onyeka, described the Commission’s sponsorship as “one of the best educational investments in the region.”
Each participating university received the latest edition of the Nigerian Weekly Law Reports, further enriching their legal research capacity.
As the region grapples with environmental and economic challenges, the NDDC believes that equipping young lawyers with the tools of advocacy will play a transformative role in advancing justice and development in the Niger Delta.
