The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, on Tuesday received the President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Honourable Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, alongside distinguished Judges of the Court and members of its Registry at the NBA National Secretariat. The high-level engagement focused on strengthening collaboration between the Bar and the regional court, with particular emphasis on improving compliance with the Court’s judgments across Member States.
Central to the discussions was the critical issue of enforcement, described by both leaders as the cornerstone of judicial credibility and institutional legitimacy. The meeting underscored growing concerns over the implementation of the ECOWAS Court’s decisions and highlighted the need for coordinated efforts among the judiciary, the Bar, the executive, and civil society to ensure that regional justice mechanisms remain effective, respected, and impactful.
Read Full Statement Below;
Justice finds its true meaning not in eloquent pronouncements, but in faithful compliance. It was in this spirit that I welcomed the President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Honourable Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, together with distinguished Judges of the Court and members of the Registry, to the NBA National Secretariat.
Our conversation was anchored on a principle that defines the strength of every judicial system: the enforceability of its judgments.
As I stated during our discussions, judicial authority does not rest merely on the power to pronounce decisions, but on the assurance that those decisions will be obeyed. A court whose judgments are not enforced risks being reduced to a symbolic institution. Enforcement is not an administrative afterthought; it is the very soul of justice.
For a supranational court such as the ECOWAS Court, compliance by Member States is essential to sustaining its legitimacy, credibility, and effectiveness in protecting human rights and upholding treaty obligations across the region. Where decisions are treated as advisory rather than binding, public confidence in regional justice mechanisms may gradually erode.
I assured the President of the Court of the Nigerian Bar Association’s commitment to constructive collaboration aimed at strengthening compliance frameworks and advancing practical solutions that ensure timely enforcement of the Court’s judgments. The Bar has a critical role to play in deepening institutional dialogue, fostering accountability, and reinforcing respect for the rule of law at both national and regional levels.
Justice Gonçalves emphasized that enforcement remains a pressing concern for the Judges of the Court, given its far-reaching implications for the Court’s authority and long-term relevance. He called for sustained collaboration among the judiciary, the Bar, the executive, and civil society to address existing challenges and build stronger enforcement pathways.
The NBA will actively participate in ongoing stakeholder engagements designed to advance this important conversation.
Regional justice must not only be declared, it must be delivered. And delivery, in its truest sense, means compliance.
Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN President, Nigerian Bar Association
