I have always believed that we the members of the legal profession hold the key to democratic growth and development. All over the world historical jurisprudence showed the role the members of the legal profession played for growth and development of the most developed nations.
I believe that Nigerian lawyers must go back to the roots of purity of the legal profession and save democracy from collapsing. I speak particularly of those practicing lawyers. We must be ready to assist the court not based selfishly on primordial partisan interest to becloud the real issues in dispute.
We must practice and assist the courts or the Tribunals to dispense justice in its purest form and not to erect road blocks to attaining justice. When we as lawyers argued causes and matters in the chameleon’s manners to impose injustice and pervert the cause of justice and produce unjust decisions, we murdered justice and enthroned evil.
It is these kind of practices that have helped to enthroned democratic dictatorship in our electoral jurisprudence and have emboldened political rascality in our body politics. The judex too must be up and doing to check the chameleons nature of advocacy of some lawyers who consistently arguing points inconsistently in aid of injustice.
His lordship Niki Tobi JSC as he then was spoke confidently as judicial officer when he said: “I hate to say what I want to say to end this judgment. But I must say it. No human being, and I repeat no human being can influence me in the performance of my judicial duties. Only God can. Fortunately, God is holy and can never make us commit sin. Let every human being get that one straight for now and forever”. See Abubakar vs. Yar’Adua (2008) 19 NWLR (Pt.1120) 1 at 177-178, paras. H-G.
How many of our Judex today can boldly and confidently re-echo and make the above notable pronouncement?
Nigerians are worried that lawyers are Nigerians problems. They may not be far from being correct. No one says lawyers should not do their jobs. But in doing so no lawyers should act as a misleading minister in the temple of justice. No lawyer should knowingly mislead the court or Tribunals in the guise of performing professional duties.
The professional Association of lawyers in Nigeria, NBA must wake up and act decisively before Nigerians start stoning all Nigerians lawyers. And in the mob Justice that Nigerian people may serve Nigerian lawyers both the good and the bad lawyers may not be spared. Please note it
I am not an advocate of doom. But we need to watch the way we practice in Nigeria as lawyers. In advanced countries, lawyers are the light that shine in darkness. But here it appears that darkness has overshadowed the purity of legal practice to the prejudice of justice. This is so sad.
When lawyers are ready to play the spoiler role in adversarial system then justice is doomed. Yes these are the roles some accepted to play openly to the irritation and annoyance of justice. Yet these lawyers still call themselves ministers in the temple of justice. Too sad.
Written By Jibrin Samuel Okutepa SAN