By Lukman Olabiyi
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Dr Monday Ubani has strongly criticised the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for what he described as its continued silence on the deteriorating welfare and professional conditions of lawyers across the country.
In a statement titled “Reinventing the Nigerian Bar Association: Urgent imperatives for reformative and caring leadership,” Ubani accused the NBA of abandoning its core responsibility of protecting and advocating for its members.
He warned that unless urgent reforms are undertaken, the legal profession in Nigeria risks further decline in dignity, relevance, and sustainability.
According to Ubani, many legal practitioners, particularly those in public service and private litigation, have become disillusioned due to the NBA’s failure to address the growing challenges they face.
He highlighted the disparity in treatment between lawyers and members of other professions like doctors and engineers, who have secured better conditions through active lobbying by their respective associations.
He also condemned what he called a discriminatory NBA rule that bars public sector lawyers from contesting certain leadership positions within the association. Ubani argued that this restriction contravenes the Trade Union Act, which guarantees equal participation rights for members of professional bodies.
Beyond internal governance issues, Ubani criticised the NBA’s inaction on systemic problems within the Nigerian judiciary. He pointed to issues such as exorbitant court filing fees, extortion at court registries, undue disciplinary measures from court staff, and widespread delays in enforcing post-judgment rulings.
“The Bar’s silence in the face of these indignities is not only disappointing but deeply troubling. A legal profession that cannot defend its own is doomed to irrelevance,” he said.
Ubani further decried the growing inefficiencies in courts, particularly the National Industrial Court, which he said suffers from frequent delays in filing, case assignment, and service of processes. These issues, he warned, are now widespread in many State and Federal High Courts and are pushing litigation lawyers into “professional poverty.”
He also called out the NBA for failing to advocate for the inclusion of the Nigerian Law School in the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), despite similar institutions like the Nigerian Defence Academy receiving funding. He described law school campuses as severely underfunded and burdened by rising tuition costs.
On the issue of security agencies, Ubani condemned the ongoing harassment and intimidation of lawyers during the course of their duties.
He cited the controversial policy that prevents lawyers from entering certain security establishments with their phones, calling it unconstitutional and unacceptable.
He also raised alarm over the extreme delays in appellate courts, where cases can remain unheard for six to ten years. Ubani warned that these delays have dire implications for justice delivery, investor confidence, and the financial well-being of legal practitioners.
“What becomes of litigants who die or lose everything before their appeals are heard?” he asked.
Despite his strong criticism, Ubani acknowledged some positive developments under the current NBA leadership. He commended the association’s recent efforts to establish a harmonised and realistic scale of fees for property transactions and conveyancing—a move he said could significantly boost lawyers’ earnings if effectively enforced.
He also praised NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, for his proactive leadership style and noted several achievements recorded during his tenure so far.
“This critique is not to undermine the good already done,” Ubani clarified. “Rather, it is an appeal to Mazi Osigwe to use the remainder of his tenure to confront these urgent issues head-on.”
Ubani concluded by calling for a fundamental reorientation of the NBA’s leadership, urging the association to prioritise the welfare of its members and the reform of the legal profession.