Biriyai Dambo: When The Portfolio Fits The Man -By Reginald Inala Tobin

I had met the new Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Bayelsa State, Mr. Biriyai Dambo, SAN, sometime in 2014, during the funeral of my grandmother, in Bassambiri, Nembe local government area of Bayelsa State.

My mother who drew the attention of me and my siblings to Mr. Dambo, addressed him as her brother as she introduced us to him. She also made us know about his rank in the legal profession, saying that he is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). Wow! I exclaimed within myself as I looked at him because I had never met a SAN one on one in entire life, even though I knew how highly placed they are in the legal profession, I was also very proud of him. However, I quickly told Mr. Dambo about my aspirations of becoming a lawyer, eloquently and with a calm voice, Mr. Dambo encouraged me to continue, I could also remember him telling us how he strived so hard to attain the rank of a Senior Advocate, as they were just few SAN’s from Bayelsa as at then.

Since then, I never forgot about Mr. Dambo, even if sometimes I forgot his name, I will ask my mother about him saying “What about your brother who’s a senior advocate of Nigeria” and then she will remind me of his name, she will usually call his first name in full “Inabiriyai”. After a while, I grew up and stopped forgetting his name until today. Sometimes, I will go online to search for him and then I will see some pictures of him dressed like a SAN in the silk wig.

 I also got to know a few things about Mr. Dambo due to continuous findings. I learned he attended the prestigious University of Lagos (UNILAG) where he obtained a Bachelor of Laws LL.B among other things I found out about Mr Dambo, as I had liked him. Let me fast forward a bit. in 2019, Mr Dambo concluded plans to contest for the Bayelsa East senatorial seat, under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Seeing a brilliant and worthy ambassador of Bayelsa State coming forth to contest for such a sensitive office, I was again very happy as I believed that with Mr. Dambo in the Senate, Bayelsa East which happens to be my senatorial district will enjoy quality representation and one which will come from a learned man of his kind as I believed he will be very outspoken and articulate. Unfortunately, Mr Dambo did not clinch the ticket of the PDP to surface in the general election. Upon this, I still held him in high esteem knowing that one day he will be rewarded accordingly. Well, on August 12, 2020, the Bayelsa State government released the names of 24 commissioner nominees for the state executive council, going through the list I came across the name of this very reputable lawyer and senior advocate of Nigeria, I came across the name of Mr. Biriyai Dambo SAN. Seeing his name on the list, I was glad to see that another platform has been given for the great man to serve the people of Bayelsa State.

On August 18, 2020, Mr. Biriyai Dambo SAN, was screened and confirmed by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and was sworn in as Attorney General and Honourable Commissioner for Justice, Bayelsa State on August 25, 2020.

Here are things you should know about the legal luminary and new Attorney General of Bayelsa State as culled from the Bayelsa State government new media;

Biriyai Dambo who was born on 8th July 1961 in Lagos State hails from Nembe-Bassambiri.

He is an experienced and versatile legal practitioner who was conferred with the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, in 2013.

After his primary education, he gained admission into the prestigious and highly competitive Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Borikiri, Port Harcourt, in 1974 and drew great inspiration from its motto, “Semper Paratus” a Latin phrase meaning “Be Prepared”.

The top rate, first-class quality education he received here proved to be the sure foundation he needed to succeed in his later academic pursuits both at the Federal Government College, Port Harcourt in 1978 to 1981 for his Higher School Certificate, and of course during his three years stay at the University of Lagos from 1983 to 1986 where he bagged the mandatory Bachelors of Law (LLB Hons) degree required for his admittance into the Nigerian Law School.

In 1986, he enrolled into the Nigeria Law School, Victoria Island, and as expected, passed the Bachelors of Law, BL examination in flying colours in March 1988.

He later returned to the University of Lagos, Akoka, between 2001 and 2003 for advanced legal studies, earning his Masters’s degree in Law, LLM.

Since being called to the Nigerian Bar, Biriyal Dambo (SAN) has continued to deploy and leveraged on his impressive legal skills of over 30 years practice,  talents and competence to tap into other sectors of the economy such as Finance, Oil and Gas and Maritime to mention a few.

He has a rich and profound wealth of experience and influence in the financial sector. His first foray in the labour market was the banking industry where he did his compulsory National Youth Service as Personnel Legal duties at Nigerian American Merchant Bank in Lagos from 1987 to 1988.

Thereafter he proceeded to Financial Merchant Bank Limited, Lagos, as Assistant Company Secretary from 1988 to 1991. And in 1991, he left for Corporate Trust Mortgage Company Limited, Lagos, where he served as Company Secretary and Legal Adviser.

In October 1994, buoyed by his abiding commitment to lay a solid foundation for his legal practice, and thus fulfill his dream of becoming a social crusader and advocate of the masses, he established his law firm as Principal Partner alongside Mrs. Bamidele Dambo as Senior Partner and six other Counsel in the Chambers including secretarial staff.

The firm has over the years carved a niche for itself and built up a brand as well as a very formidable clientele base made up of blue chips companies, corporate organizations, multinationals, government and credible individuals with proven integrity, not leaving out the Bayelsa State Government where there are ongoing and concluded cases successfully prosecuted on behalf of the State Government. It also has a commendable presence in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital and with an appreciable work in progress to establish its Head office in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

Biriyai Dambo’s scope of legal practice ranges from handling of litigation and arbitration, civil and criminal law, involving individuals, government and its parastatals as well as oil multinationals, financial institutions, and community disputes, to handling of Corporate/Commercial briefs as it relates to legal documentation in all ramifications, intellectual property matters, patents and trademarks, legal review and research into recondite areas of the law, to the handling of community-related matters and review of various legislations with a special bias for the maritime and the oil and gas sectors.

Dambo also did cut his legal teeth in the highly respected Chambers of Serena Dokubo and Co where he did vacation jobs from July 1984 to October 1984, and from July 1985 to November 1985, and then from July 1986 to October 1986

Also, he played a key advisory and representative roles such as Member, Bayelsa State Advisory Committee to the National Conference in 2014, Bayelsa State Delegate to the Southern Leaders Summit held on Monday 24th February, 2014 at Tinapa Resort, Calabar, on issues pertaining to the National Conference. He was also appointed Alternate Chairman Nigerian Bar Association Disciplinary Committee Panel “C” Lagos, a position he currently occupies.

This is not to mention his appointment as Co-opted member of National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) from 2018 to 2020.

As a legal luminary with rich credentials and pedigree, Biriyal Dambo has benefitted immensely from enriching catalog of legal refresher courses.

Like every other member of the revered legal profession, Dambo is a staunch believer in the concept of rule of law, due process, and corporate governance both within the public and private sectors.

He was sworn in as a Notary Public on the 19th of May, 2010 by the Honourable Justice Kate Abiri CON, Chief Judge of Bayelsa State, and was also elevated to the exalted position of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) on Monday 23rd September, 2013.

Biriyal Dambo is an erudite and ebullient scholar, with many publications to his credit in first rate national and international journals.

He was a former PDP Senatorial Aspirant.

You can reach Reginald Tobin via Reginaldtobin2@gmail.com