Challenges In Legal Profession Self-inflicted – Ag CJN Ariwoola

BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (ACJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, says the challenges facing the legal profession in the country are self-inflicted and the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) must rise to the occasion by ensuring legal practitioners operate within the professional ethics.

According to him; “In Nigeria, the challenges of the legal profession are self-inflicted. In such situations, the Nigerian Bar Association has a burden to ensure that legal practitioners keep to the ethics of the profession.”

Justice Ariwoola, who delivered a keynote address at the NBA Section on Legal Practice (SLP) 2022 Annual Conference in Asaba, Delta State, said the time has come for legal practitioners to brace up “by improving the administration of justice in the country”

Applauding the conference theme; “Legal Practice in Nigeria: Our Reality, Our Future” as timely and appropriate, the Acting CJN the choice was meant to address the challenges facing the profession, insisting that legal practitioners must be up to speed in addressing existing and emerging challenges in the profession.

In his remarks, Delta Governor and Vice Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, said there cannot be an effective rule of law in Nigeria without financial autonomy and independence of the judiciary.

Governor Okowa said the NBA leadership must be commended for being unrelenting in upholding the rule of law and holding the executive arm of government accountable to the principles of fairness, equity, and justice.

Pledging that his administration would continue to support financial autonomy for the judiciary in the state just as the legislative arm, Governor Okowa said; “The courts and the legal profession must continue to adapt to cope with rapid changes like cross-jurisdictional legal issues and resolve disputes over business activities in the virtual world. They will have to address the impact of information technology on their work.

“Of equal importance is the need for the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to continue championing the welfare and well-being of legal practitioners and members of the Judiciary. This is because there can be no rule of law without a guarantee of independence for the judiciary.”

The Governor, who tasked Nigerian lawyers with specializing in established and emerging practice areas, said this has become necessary because businesses need competent lawyers to advise on domestic and international transactions, conflicts of laws, and commercial dispute resolution.

Also speaking at the occasion, the NBA President, Mr Olumide Akpata, said the three sections of the NBA – Section on Business Law, Section on Legal Practice and the Section on Public Interest and Development Law had continued to grow in leaps and bounds.

For him; “The NBA-SLP occupies a very credible place in the Association as members are engaged in dispute resolution practice as litigation practitioners and alternative dispute resolution practitioners.”

In praising the organisers for choosing the “conference theme and timing because of the critical role it will play in the administration of criminal justice in Nigeria”, the NBA President said the judiciary must entrench the principles of accountability, probity, and transparency in the management and allocation of the resources allocated to it.

The Chairman of the NBA-SLP, Chief Ferdinard Orbih (SAN), while welcoming guests to the event, said the objective was to valiantly confront the contemporary challenges facing the legal profession and design a road map for the future.

He said lack of consistency in judicial pronouncements was becoming an albatross for the legal profession, especially as regards electoral jurisprudence, and urged members to find lasting solutions to the challenge.

On her part, Chief Judge of Delta, Justice Theresa Diai, lauded the robust partnership being promoted by the state government, the state judiciary, and the NBA, noting that such should be encouraged to further develop the nation’s justice sector.

Justice Diai lauded the section on Legal Practice for championing the course of improving knowledge of legal practice in the country.