Frank Tietie has been invited to speak as one of the discussants at the 2021 Annual Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL) which is scheduled to hold in Ibadan from 23rd to 26th of May, 2021. The theme of the Conference is: “The Role of Public Interest in Governance” and it will be declared open by the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde.
In a letter addressed to him and signed by the Chairman of the NBA-SPIDEL, Dr Paul Ananaba, SAN and the Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, M.O. Ubani, Esq., Tietie has been invited to speak to the topic: “Paternity Fraud: Examining the Legal and Social Implications” .
Frank Tietie attended University of Benin and Nasarawa State University, Keffi, where he holds degrees in Law and International Humanitarian Law, respectively. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in December, 2005 and has defined his professional path in public interest law as a human rights lawyer with many pro bono cases to his credit.
Tietie’s public interest practice received a big boost in 2013, when he won a landmark judgment delivered by Justice Banjoko of the FCT High Court, in the case between Frank Tietie V. Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police. The judgment established for the first time in Nigeria, that in any matter, whether criminal or civil, involving a child- anybody under the age of 18 years, the Child Rights Act, 2003 must be applied, especially for the protection of Nigerian Girl-Children against sexual exploitation and rape by adult males
Tietie established the Citizens Advocacy for Social & Economic Rights (CASER) in 2012, which he is the Executive Director to date and under his leadership, CASER has made much significant impact in Nigeria’s social space.
In 2016, CASER secured the partial approval of the National Judicial Council (NJC) to allow Live Media Broadcast of Court Proceedings in Nigeria and a Bill was presented in the House of Representatives to that effect. Also, CASER has held the Annual Human Rights Fiesta, every 10th of December, in the last 5 years to mark the United Nations International Human Rights Day
In 2017, Tietie co-created and presented the Omnibus Human Rights Show (in pidgin) on Radio, on Love 104.5 FM, Abuja and subsequently created Legal Matters, Nigeria (In Standard English) – A Public Law Enlightenment Show on Radio & Online
Tietie served on the Inter-Ministerial Committee of the Federal Government of Nigeria on the United Nations Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights in Nigeria, from 2017 to 2021. In the course of that exercise, he attended two United Nations Human Rights Council Sessions in Geneva, Switzerland, along with the Nigerian delegation, in November 2018 and March, 2019.
Tietie’s social and legal essays are often published in the Nigerian press and he remains one of the most interviewed personalities in the Nigeria media with over 1000 Radio & Television appearances as invited guest-commentator on human rights related issues. He combines his social advocacy with his private law practice. He is the owner of Forthright Chambers- A law firm in Abuja, strictly devoted to human rights and public interest law. His present numerous social programmes include:
- Legal Matters Nigeria – Legal Talk Show
- FrankTalk Africa – Talk Show (Jointly Created with Felix ‘Mamode Akugha)
- Food Avail – Where Technology Guarantees Food Security
- Lifetime Music– Love is the Greatest Power
- Consumer Watch Nigeria – A Consumer Protection Initiative
- Historicity – Solving Modern Problems with Analytical History
Taiwo Akerele, former Chief of Staff to the Edo State Government, describes Tietie as a successful Social Entrpreneur, considering the impact of his programmes in shaping public policy and influencing general public opinions.
In a statement on his invitation to speak at the 2021 NBA-SPIDEL, Tietie expresses deep gratitude to the Almighty God that his work in the area of human rights is being given wider recognition. According to him, “I was written off because of my many strange problems as a law undergraduate at the University of Benin. In fact, I wrote myself off and quit the university twice but the love of God refused to let me go. By the grace and mercy of God, I remained at UNIBEN, graduated and was called to the Nigerian Bar. It could have been only by the Love and Power of God Almighty”.
Tietie says further that he is grateful for the support of many of his friends especially Pastor Salem Maigeri who stood by him during his struggles at UNIBEN. He also expresses profound gratitude to his classmates of the 1998 UNIBEN Law Class and the 2005 Nigerian Law School Class, particularly Johnny Agim and Philemon Yakubu, both brilliant and excellent lawyers who have provided him with a lot of professional support in course of his private legal practice and public interest advocacy.
On Paternity Fraud, Tietie’s position as recently published widely on Thisday Newspaper of 16th February, 2021 and in many online media, is that DNA Tests cannot deny paternity to children born within wedlock
