The Future of the Bar is on the Ballot

By Odinichionye Egwuenu, Esq., ACIArb, FISPN, AIMHL

I was called to the Nigerian Bar on 12 December 2017. Since then, I have watched the Nigerian Bar Association pass through the administrations of A.B. Mahmoud, SAN, Paul Usoro, SAN, Olumide Akpata, Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, SAN, Afam Osigwe, SAN, and now we stand on the threshold of electing another President.

In those years, I have had my fair share of experiences with the Bar—some encouraging, many disappointing. They have afforded me the opportunity to observe the Association beyond the glossy newsletters, colourful conferences, and eloquent speeches.

I can reliably say that the NBA often appears to care more on paper than it does in practice. That is a painful statement to make about the foremost professional body for lawyers in Nigeria, but it is a conversation we must have.

As we approach another election, three distinguished Senior Advocates of Nigeria seek the office of President: Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe, SAN, and Oyinkansola Badejo-Okunsanya, SAN.

Like every election, they have presented manifestoes, made promises, and sought our support.

I have no doubt that among those seeking office are individuals who genuinely desire to improve the welfare of lawyers and strengthen the Bar. Equally, it would be naive to assume that ambition, prestige, and personal interests play no role in these contests.

The real question is not whether someone can write a beautiful manifesto.

The question is: Who truly has the capacity, character, courage, and commitment to lead the Bar?

Whenever I see endorsements flying from one corner to another, I cannot help but wonder whether our internal politics is beginning to mirror the political culture we often criticize in the larger Nigerian society. Endorsements are not inherently wrong, but they should never replace the independent judgment of lawyers.

Before following any endorsement, ask yourself a simple question: What has been the condition of the Bar?

If we are satisfied with where we are today, then continuity may be our choice.

If we are not, then sentiment cannot determine our vote.

The challenges facing the NBA are neither imaginary nor isolated. They affect young lawyers struggling to survive, senior lawyers seeking a more respected profession, and even the most accomplished members of the Bar who desire stronger institutions.

My greatest sympathy goes to the young lawyer.

I know what it feels like.

I remember earning as little as ₦500 a day and later ₦15,000 a month as a young lawyer. While my friends who chose different professions were beginning to build stable lives, many of us at the Bar wore our wigs with pride but returned home with empty pockets. Some of those friends jokingly called me "Baricoco." We laughed about it, but beneath the laughter was a painful reality.

That reality still exists for far too many young lawyers today.

Yes, some young lawyers need to improve their skills and become more employable. We must admit that. But we must also admit another truth: every young lawyer deserves encouragement, mentorship, fair remuneration, and dignity.

So before any Senior Advocate, respected silk, or influential leader asks me to support a particular candidate, I have only one question:

What do you pay the lawyers who work with you?

Leadership is not measured by campaign speeches.

Leadership is demonstrated in everyday conduct.

It is easy to speak about the welfare of young lawyers during campaigns. It is much harder to practice it in chambers.

Perhaps one of the saddest reflections is that the politics of inducement we condemn in national elections has gradually found its way into our own profession. In our streets, politicians distribute rice and seasoning cubes to buy votes. Within our profession, different forms of inducement sometimes seek to influence the conscience of lawyers.

How unfortunate.

A profession entrusted with defending justice should never allow its conscience to become a commodity.

We often describe ourselves as the conscience of society. But society is also watching us.

Whether we admit it or not, the confidence the public once reposed in the legal profession has diminished. In many communities, lawyers are no longer regarded with the same admiration they once commanded. That loss of confidence cannot be blamed on outsiders alone. We must honestly examine ourselves.

This election therefore presents an opportunity—not merely to elect officers, but to begin restoring confidence in the profession.

When you eventually vote, do not vote because someone asked you to.

Do not vote because of friendship.

Do not vote because of ethnicity.

Do not vote because of endorsements.

Do not vote because of beautifully designed campaign posters.

Instead, reflect.

Who are these candidates?

What have they done for the profession?

How have they treated lawyers around them?

What values have they consistently demonstrated?

The answers to those questions will rarely be found in campaign brochures. They are found in the sincere testimonies of lawyers who have worked with them, encountered them, and experienced their leadership.

I know good lawyers.

I know bad lawyers.

I know those who have served with integrity.

I know those who merely tell us what we want to hear.

When the campaigns are over and the votes are counted, another President will emerge. But our responsibility as lawyers will not end there. We must continue to hold our leaders accountable and insist that the welfare, dignity, and future of every lawyer remain at the centre of the NBA's agenda.

This election is bigger than personalities.

It is about the future of our profession.

Indeed, the future of the Bar is on the ballot.