ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION AT THE SPECIAL SESSION OF THE SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA HELD ON MONDAY, 27 NOVEMBER 2023, TO MARK THE OPENING OF THE 2023/2024 LEGAL YEAR AND THE CONFERMENT OF THE SAN RANK

ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION AT THE SPECIAL SESSION OF THE SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA HELD ON MONDAY, 27 NOVEMBER 2023, TO MARK THE OPENING OF THE 2023/2024 LEGAL YEAR AND THE CONFERMENT OF THE SAN RANK

Mary Akanbi

29th November, 2023

Distinguished Colleagues,

The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, OON, SAN has reiterated the responsibility of the legal professionals both at the Bar and the Bench to educate the Nigerian public on the state of the law, particularly in the wake of electoral disputes brought before the court. He warned that the resultant effect of the abdication of this sacred duty is chaos and anarchy. Mr. Maikyau made this call while giving his speech at the special session of the Supreme Court of Nigeria held on Monday, 27 November 2023, to mark the opening of the 2023/2024 legal year and the conferment of the rank of the Senior Advocates of Nigeria.

While noting that the “judiciary has been subject of relentless public discussion possibly more than any other time in the history of Nigeria”, Mr, Maikyau decried the fact that “the leading lights of the Bar have largely remained silenced when it comes to the education of the public on matters of law as it affects Nigerians, and this has greatly encouraged unprofessionalism amongst lawyers. This silence has continued to thrive and has allowed all manner of information, misinformation to percolate through the consciousness of Nigerians and have succeeded in molding their psyche along the lines of twisted information resulting in the attacks on the judiciary. Many unsavoury and inflammatory remarks have been made and are still being made by members of the Bar, denigrating and clearly inciting the public against the judiciary. Well laid down principles of law are twisted, tweaked, or taken out of context just to serve personal interests and not the cause of justice. These are made by persons who either deliberately misinform the public or do so out of sheer ignorance, not only of the law but also of the facts on which the courts are called to apply the law- neither of these two scenarios is acceptable. Indeed, this is the point at which legal scholars, experts in the areas concerned are expected to speak up, through articles and journals to state the proper perspectives of the law, set the record straight and provide guidance and direction to the public in line with our responsibility as legal practitioners to provide direction to the people.”

In the same vein, the NBA President acknowledged the fact that there is a fast decline of public confidence in the judiciary, and he urged the ”judiciary to sit back, introspect, recalibrate and relaunch itself in the opinion of Nigerians, with a renewed focus that will change the negative narrative, to elicit and command the confidence of the public. According to Mr. Maikyau, “judicial officers must take their oath and judicial code of conduct seriously; must avoid actions and omissions that will give the appearance of compromise. Like Ceaser’s wife, judicial officers must be above suspicion – above reproach. Proven cases of judicial misconduct must be dealt with decisively.”

Mr. Maikyau, on behalf of the leadership and members of the NBA congratulated the 58 legal practitioners sworn in as Senior Advocates of Nigeria, and he enjoined them to be humble even as they have now become leaders of the profession. His words: “I must very quickly admonish that to succeed in the use of this rank in discharging the call of your office as a legal practitioner, a necessary trait upon which you must anchor all other requirements you had to satisfy to get to this height is, “humility”. It is humility that will continue to make the rank relevant, productive and keep you within professional bounds…You have come at a time when the entire justice system is challenged in several respects, and your responsibilities as ministers of justice are higher on this pedestal. Your duty to protect the integrity and independence of the judiciary, provide direction to the people and advance the cause of this country has been cut out. God is your help.”

The full speech of the NBA President is attached for your reference.

Thank you, and do have a rewarding day.

Akorede Habeeb Lawal

National Publicity Secretary