Chika Ndu is the director of Lexpert Attorneys. She is a corporate commercial lawyer, chartered secretary and governance/compliance expert. In this interview with ROTIMI IGE, he talks about the complexities of having his own law firm in Lagos, his business journey and how the Nigerian judicial system is innovating, while addressing quackery within its system.
What childhood memories would you say prepared you for the entrepreneurial path you chose and excelled in today?
The memories that impacted and prepared me from childhood for my current career were the fact that I started out as a purely science student, but when I reached senior secondary class, I struggled with mathematics. My father called me into his study one morning and asked me to sit down and talk. He analyzed my results from the first and second semester in mathematics and advised me on the need to change courses; My preferred career choice at the time was medicine or nursing. I saw reason with him and we agreed that I should switch to arts class.
The next big question was what major I would study in college. My father was of the opinion that after my switch to the arts, we would evaluate my performance and that would guide me on what to do next. When I joined the arts class, after one term, I became very good at English literature and one of the teacher’s favorite students. I was also a member of the press club and was elected news anchor. We read the news on Monday mornings during school assembly.
With this, I never had any qualms about speaking in public. When I finished high school, I knew I wanted to study law and I was sure I would do well. Of course, before that time, I loved the way lawyers wore their wigs and gowns. I will definitely say that the lawyers’ attire was also an attraction.
The education sector is riddled with challenges, especially core sectors like medicine, engineering, law, etc. The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) once condemned the large number of law graduates waiting to be sent to law school and NYSC. What was your experience and how would you rate the quality of law graduates in Nigeria? What unique challenges does the legal or judicial system in Nigeria face?
I would say that each industry has its unique challenges, but in my case, I was admitted to law school immediately after graduating from college. I did not have to wait as I got the form from the law school in a timely manner. Coincidentally, when I was at the 300 level, the Legal Education Council and NUC canceled studying law as a part-time programme, so the students who were on part-time studies had to merge with us regular students and we finished the degree together.
So, you can imagine the competition and fight for law school forms. I thank God that I was one of the first to receive the form at my college. As for the huge number of graduates waiting to be admitted to law school, I think it can be curbed if universities stay within the quota assigned to them by the law school. I think that schools that do not respect the quota should also be sanctioned because they are actually the cause of the delay.
Regarding the quality of law graduates in Nigeria today, I would say that it is neither here nor there because it is a personal decision for a lawyer to be good and keep improving. The NBA, in a bid to ensure that lawyers are strong in the profession, has also introduced mandatory annual training for lawyers through its continuing legal education institute, which has become a prerequisite for obtaining the bar seal and seal. I think this is quite innovative as it helps improve our knowledge as lawyers. Some of these trainings can be accessed for free, so there is no reason why a lawyer should not strive to continue learning.
What personal challenges have you faced as a legal business owner?
The biggest challenge I faced in my professional career was the need to balance family and career. You might be interested to know that I had to take a career break for a few years to give my children a “good start in life.” At that time, I was a secretary of an insurance company in Marina, Lagos, while my husband was a bank manager. There were cases where we came home from work around 8:30 pm, and we both left the house at 6 am. We had to have an argument because we knew this was not good for the children, so I had to take a break from my career and stay home with them. Although I was not totally inactive since I decided to take law courses to improve myself. I took a course at Fordham University, New York and I also took a course at Salzburg Law School. It was around the same time that I founded my own firm, Lexpert Attorneys.
Would you say that being a woman helped your business?
I would say that everything that has an advantage also has a disadvantage. But if you ask me if I have advantages or disadvantages as a woman, I would say no, because there are no women in the bar. There are no undue advantages for being a woman or not. We all face challenges.
What advice would you give to people like you to be successful?
I would advise people to keep striving to be the best at everything they do. Life is not a bed of roses and for women like me who want to start their own businesses but are held back by fear of the unknown, keep in mind that if you can think about it, you can do it. This is one of my mantras in life.
The overall ease of doing business in Nigeria remains a huge burden for investors. As a corporate lawyer, how have you helped your clients overcome challenges?
As much as the ease of doing business in Nigeria is not as ideal as we would have liked, I can say that the government has really tried to make improvements in this regard. For example, the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) now has a constitution on the same day, when you apply for a name, it is approved. You can register a company on the same day and get your certificate and status report immediately. Additionally, the amendments made to CAMA 2020 where we now have sole proprietorships, e-filings, electronic/virtual meetings, small business exemptions, among others, are aimed at making it easier to do business. Other sectors have also undergone reforms that encourage new investors.
How can Nigerians regain trust in the legal system, especially with the number of charlatans who have found a way into the system?
I want to encourage Nigerians not to abandon the legal system because there is always room for improvement. The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee/NJC does not take lightly any petition it receives against lawyers and judges respectively. I would also recommend to clients that when dealing with legal professionals, clients should do their due diligence and ensure that they are dealing with a lawyer who is fully qualified and has integrity; A simple online search will reveal the attorney’s name and registration number. This will help them avoid having to deal with charlatans and falling into the wrong hands. Additionally, the NBA should be commended for its efforts to curb quackery.
For example, recently, some charlatans operating in Ogun State were arrested and prosecuted after an undercover investigation promoted by the Ogun State NBA Chairman caught them with lawyers’ stamps and copies of various agreements allegedly drafted by a lawyer. I can also assure you that the lawyer who released his seal to these charlatans will surely be prosecuted. Therefore, I believe that the efforts being made will reduce and eventually eliminate quackery in the profession.
What’s next for you in your professional career?
I will continue to improve, learn and get better at what I do. I’m also thinking about applying for a PhD in the near future.
10. I relax by listening to music and exercising. I love to exercise.
Tell us a little about yourself and your early life.
I was born in Kaduna State in 1981. I am the third child in a family of five. I have three sisters and one brother. My father was a lecturer at the College of Education in Kaduna at the time and my mother was a primary school teacher, but they both later progressed to become university lecturers and are now lecturers. I got my primary education at Clara Nursery and Primary School, Kaduna. For my secondary education, at that time, Unity schools were the favorite of all the children, but unfortunately, when I applied, I did not get admission into the Federal Government College, Kaduna (FGCK). To bridge the gap, I began my secondary education at Labayi International School, Kaduna, hoping to transfer to a unity school after my JSS 1.
I had to perform excellently in my JSS 1 for my chances of getting the school I wanted to materialise. To the glory of God I gained admission to FGCK where I studied from JSS2 until finishing my secondary education. I went on to study Law at the University of Abuja, attended the Nigerian Law School, Lagos Campus, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in November 2006. My one-year mandatory national youth service was at a law firm in Abuja. I wasn’t satisfied with just being a first degree holder, especially given the fact that my parents are both teachers. I then enrolled for a Master of Laws (LLM) at the University of Lagos, which I obtained in 2014.
In 2024, I was admitted as an Associate into the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN). I am proud to say that I won the award for the best graduate in Governance, public, private and non-profit at the Diet in June 2023. I am married and have three lovely children: a girl and two boys.