Afam Osigwe, SAN, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has called on lawyers to reclaim their role as agents of justice, lamenting that the legal profession is increasingly viewed with suspicion rather than respect.
Speaking on Monday during the 2025 Law Week organized by the NBA Bwari Branch in Abuja, Osigwe expressed concern over the declining public perception of lawyers, sharing troubling anecdotes — including one where armed robbers no longer spare vehicles with NBA stickers and instead target lawyers, blaming them for Nigeria’s problems.
“Society once looked up to us, but now we are feared, not respected,” Osigwe said, urging legal professionals to restore public confidence by standing for fairness and integrity. He warned that lawyers are increasingly seen as enablers of injustice rather than defenders of the rule of law.
Osigwe criticized the judiciary’s failure to enforce its own rulings, particularly when lower courts hide behind constitutional loopholes like Section 84 to avoid compliance with Supreme Court judgments. “When judgments aren’t enforced, they become worthless — mere paper victories,” he stated, emphasizing that this undermines public trust in the legal system.
Quoting singer Jimmy Dean, he added, “I may not be able to change the direction of the wind, but I should be able to set my sail to reach my destination.” Osigwe challenged lawyers to work toward a society where justice prevails, and courts are respected. “The real danger begins when people see courts as useless and lawyers as powerless,” he warned.
