Amid the ongoing legal battle over the Blue Silks rank introduced by the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners, ALDRAP, as an alternative to the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, title, indications have emerged that a new set of organizations have taken over the conferment of the controversial rank.
A statement released on Thursday announced that the Body of Senior Counsel of Nigeria, BOSCON, and the Nigerian Legal Society, NLS, would henceforth confer the Blue Silks rank on interested and deserving lawyers.
Following a suit filed by ALDRAP and its Executive Director, Dr Tonye Clinton Jaja, to stop the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, from interfering in the conferment of the Blue Silks rank, an Abuja Federal High Court presided by Justice James Omotosho granted an order of perpetual injunction restraining ALDRAP from conferring the title.
ALDRAP has filed a notice of appeal and stay of execution against the judgment, arguing that Justice Omotosho lacked the jurisdiction to adjudicate on the matter because he had already been confirmed for elevation to the Court of Appeal at the time he handled the suit.
ALDRAP also argued that the judge should not have granted the restraining order since no prayer for such was before the court.
However, the legal battle has taken a new twist with the announcement that the Body of Senior Counsel of Nigeria, BOSCON, and the Nigerian Legal Society, NLS, would now take up the conferment of the Blue Silks rank.
A statement signed by Amb. Dahiru Aliyu, SCN, President, Body of Senior Counsel of Nigeria, BOSCON, explained that the development followed the notice of appeal filed against the Federal High Court judgment.
The statement titled, ‘Body of Senior Counsel of Nigeria (BOSCON) and NLS now to confer Blue Silks rank of Senior Counsel of Nigeria (SCN)’ said the decision was taken at an emergency meeting convened over the legal issues surrounding the conferment of the title.
“Following the filing of Notice of Appeal against the recent judgment of 13th May 2026 which specifically restrained both the Incorporated Trustees of ALDRAP and Dr. Jaja from conferring the Blue Silks award.
“The Governing Council of the Body of Senior Counsel of Nigeria has after its emergency meeting of 21st May 2026 resolved to undertake future awards of the Blue Silks rank of Senior Counsel of Nigeria, SCN, upon deserving law graduates and non-litigation Nigerian lawyers.
“The Body of Senior Counsel of Nigeria, BOSCON, received its certificate of registration dated 30th December 2025 and is responsible for screening candidates for the said Blue Silks.
“The Blue Silks rank of Senior Counsel of Nigeria, SCN, is an award of recognition of legal excellence for non-litigation Nigerian lawyers who meet the criteria of 35 verifiable non-litigation transactions or publications,” the statement said.
The statement further explained that there are three categories of Blue Silks – namely, Senior Legislative Counsel of Nigeria, SELCON, Senior Legal Academic, SLA, and Senior Corporate Counsel, SCC.
The statement noted that BOSCON is a fully registered organization with certification from relevant Federal Government institutions.
The NLS is a parallel association of Nigerian lawyers that is seeking recognition as an alternative to the NBA.
Just like in the case of the Blue Silks rank, the ‘establishment’ in the Nigerian legal sector, including the NBA, are opposed to the emergence of the NLS.
The latest development indicates that ALDRAP has backed off from its vow to continue conferring the Blue Silks rank in defiance of the Abuja Federal High Court order which restrained it from further engagement in the activity.
“Hon. Justice Omotosho’s judgment on the Blue Silks is a nullity, it cannot nullify the previous and subsisting judgments of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Therefore ALDRAP would continue to confer the Blue Silks rank until the Supreme Court of Nigeria reverses all its subsisting judgments on jurisdiction and Section 238 of the Nigerian Constitution,” the association has vowed in a statement signed by Executive Secretary, Jaja.
However, the announcement that the Body of Senior Counsel of Nigeria and the Nigerian Legal Society are to take up the conferment of the rank is an indication that Nigerian non-litigation lawyers are determined to establish the Blue Silks rank as an alternative to the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, title, which traditionally favours lawyers engaged in litigation.
