Former Liberian President George Manneh Weah has charged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to remain a fearless guardian of democracy, warning that democratic governance cannot survive on elections alone but depends on strong institutions, an independent judiciary and a principled legal profession. Weah made the call while delivering the keynote address at the 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on August 23, 2026, where he spoke on the conference theme, “Beyond Limits.”
Weah cautioned that threats to democracy extend beyond military coups or politicians refusing to accept electoral defeat. According to him, an elected leader can gradually become authoritarian by exerting pressure on the judiciary and legislature, weakening the institutions designed to restrain executive power. He stressed that democracy is tested every day after elections by the manner in which political leaders respect courts, parliament and the rule of law, declaring that “a tyrant with a certificate of return is still a tyrant.”
The former Liberian president particularly challenged the NBA to see itself as more than a professional association concerned with members’ welfare, describing it as a “standing sentinel” of Nigeria’s democracy. He warned that judicial independence can be undermined through executive control of judicial budgets, questionable appointments, pressure on judges and the creation of courts for political purposes. He maintained that when the Bar remains silent, courts become more vulnerable to capture, while a united and courageous legal profession can deter interference with the judiciary and protect citizens’ rights.
Beyond the defence of democracy, Weah called for Africa to harness its enormous human capital and transform the continent’s challenges into opportunities. He urged African countries to rethink the idea of “brain drain” by promoting “brain circulation” creating deliberate pathways for Africans with international expertise to contribute to legal reform, judicial modernisation and national development. He also highlighted his decision to concede Liberia’s 2023 presidential election before the final results were formally announced, saying he placed the will of the people and the peace of his country above personal political ambition.
Weah concluded by urging lawyers, judges and leaders to go beyond the limitations imposed by fear, corruption, weak institutions and low expectations, identifying discipline, hard work, respect, perseverance and spiritual strength as essential values for breaking such barriers. He called on the Nigerian legal profession to defend due process, impartiality, equality, accountability, free and fair elections, peace and democracy, stressing that the law must never become an instrument of chaos or political warfare but remain an instrument of remedy, peace, unity, accountability, humanity, transparency and truth.