REJOINDER: LEGAL PROFESSION CRUMBLING UNDER WEIGHT OF CORRUPTION, ETHICAL VIOLATIONS —OSIBANJO ("I SEE NO CHANGES, THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS -TUPAC)"- BY DR CLINTON JAJA

In my capacity as the Executive Director of the Nigerian Law Society (NLS), a senior lecturer at the Nigerian Law School, has just asked me a question: "What is the Nigerian Law Society (NLS) doing with regards to the recent statement by the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo,SAN is quoted as saying that the "Legal profession (in Nigeria) is crumbling under the weight of corruption, ethical violations"!!!

In my response to the said senior law lecturer, I told him to face the ethical violations by lawyers of his own Nigerian Bar Association-NBA. Especially, the huge moral burden of whether to refund or not to refund the ₦300,000,000 collected from the Government of Rivers State without rendering the service of holding the NBA Annual general conference.

As regards the professional ethics violations by the lawyers of the Nigerian Law Society (NLS), it is too early to predict!!!

When I joined the Nigerian Law Society (NLS) as Executive Director in July 2024, I had very high hopes.

It seems that it is a character flaw of mine, I have been told that I am too idealistic!!!

So I have to repeatedly remind and caution myself, to prevent any heartbreak, against myself, I need to remind myself not to have too much high expectations of myself, and the officials and the institutions that I am affiliated with such as the Nigerian Law Society (NLS)!!!

Ever since I returned to Nigeria after my PhD study at the University of London, apart from my interactions with the officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Budget Office of the Federation (under the leadership of Ben Akabueze), it has been to find institutions that are run in accordance with the highest professional and ethical standards!!!

Like every other Nigerian institutions, the blueprint and the relevant laws and Regulations are faultless, however, the challenge comes with implementation!!!

So long as the Nigerian Law Society (NLS) would be run by anyone with the DNA and blood of Nigerians (with either both parents or one of the parents as Nigerians), I won't won't to raise my hopes too high!!!

I have learned through several bitter experiences the dangers of having high (or even the most minimum) expectations when it comes to adherence to professional ethics amongst Nigerian lawyers!!!

For example, the senior lawyer who even asked me the said question and I were both on a platform of lawyers. As part of one thread of conversation, we started the topic that there is a trend whereby as some as certain previously human rights lawyers like Festus Keyamo SAN and Dr. Monday O. Ubani, SAN take up appointment as public office holders or lawyers to public office holders they lose their voice as vocal public interest lawyers.

Before you could say jack-robinson, the said senior law lectuer had retracted his statement and went 100% silent,  as soon as Dr. Monday O. Ubani, SAN remonstrated that he has in recent times donated sums of money to the said senior law lecturer!!!

My mindset now is governed by the words of the 1979 song by Donnie Warwick entitled: I'll Never Love This Way Again"!!!

Some of the lyrics are as follows:

"A fool will lose tomorrow reaching back for yesterday

I won't turn my head in sorrow if you should go away

I'll stand here and remember just how good it's been

And I know I'll never love this way again

I know I'll never love this way again

So I keep holdin' on before the good is gone

I know I'll never love this way again".

I look back with nostalgia to my journey before I qualified as a lawyer in the year 2004.

My father was a lawyer and I used to take pride in watching him prepare for court by his spending endless hours reading inside his study/library at home.

There was a large six foot mirror inside the study where he would practice his oral advocacy/oratory skills before heading out to the court room.

He would also ask me to practice oratory and oral advocacy skills in front of the same mirror.

I still remember the utmost pride and dignity in his voice as he introduced me to his principal partner Mr. Adedipe, SAN at the law firm located at Harbour Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State whenever I found time to visit as a law student at the Rivers State University.

Their immaculate white shirts and bibs and well ironed black or grey trousers. It was a spectacle to behold.

My father drove an old model Peugeot 504 salon car and he didn't have much money to throw around but he and other lawyers from our Opobo Kingdom commanded so much respect whenever there was any family meetings.

That was the kind of dignity and respect that lawyers used to command in those days!!!

The recent statement of former Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo SAN is coming on the heels of another recent statement by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) who lamented that there is an increase in violations of professional ethics by increasing number of Nigerian lawyers. She made this statement on 26th March 2025.

Two months later, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN is repeating the same sentiments!!!

Is it a mere coincidence or an affirmation that something is seriously wrong with the legal profession in Nigeria or better to say something is seriously wrong with legal professionals in Nigeria (in terms of compliance with professional ethics)!!!

I would like to conclude as follows: in the year 1992, the late music icon, Tupac Shakur wrote a song entitled: "Changes". It was remixed and released in the year 1998.

Some lyrics of that song aptly convey what former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has recently said about the legal profession in Nigeria.

"I see no changes...That's just the way it is

Things will never be the same

That's just the way it is

Aww, yeah

Some things will never change"

© DR TONYE CLINTON JAJA

- Nigeria