NBA President, Akeredolu. Photo:Femi Adebesin-Kuti

Apology did not come from us, says Bar Association

By Ruona Agbroko

Rotimi Akeredolu, the president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has backed the body’s official statement refuting “a purported apology” issued by some of its officials regarding appointments as Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), even though it seems to contradict his earlier stance on the matter.

The controversy

The statement was issued at the weekend and signed by Muritala Abdul-Rasheed, spokesperson of the association. Speaking on the telephone yesterday, Mr. Akeredolu said “he (Abdul-Rasheed) has the right to issue it (statements) on behalf of the NBA. I stand by what they wrote.”

Declining to comment further, Mr. Akeredolu said “I have no personal opinions.”

The statement revealed that Barth Okoye-Aniche, Ibrahim Mark, Ganny Adiche and Onyechi Onoye made the public apology in response to a letter written by Mr. Akeredolu to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Idris Kutigi. Mr. Akeredolu had drawn attention to agitations within the Bar at its Annual General Meeting last August, towards abolishing the rank of SAN.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the apology issued by officers out of the 14 national officers of the NBA cannot and does not represent the views of the majority of the national officers, the rest of who stand resolutely by the president’s letter,” the NBA’s official statement read.

A house divided

On July 29, during a launch of a compendium of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Mr. Akeredolu said it would be appropriate for members of the profession to nominate candidates for the coveted legal title rather than the decision being made through appointment.

“Because of the present arrangement we now have members of the association at logger heads with each other because SAN has now turned political instead of being a thing of merit though given by privilege,” he said. “There is now a serious issue of discrimination between the inner Bar and outer Bar as seen in courts today, which makes junior colleagues to become desperate for the award of SAN, neglecting some of the ethical issues of the profession.”

About three weeks later, the debate over selection processes for the position of SAN mounted significantly when an 82-year-old legal practitioner, Tunji Gomez, on August 20, raised a motion for the abolition of the title at the annual general meeting of the NBA.

“If you don’t crawl or beg and if you are a human/civil right lawyer, you will not get the title,” Mr. Gomez had argued.

But Sunday’s statement by the NBA, said “SAN-abolitionists” were “riding the wave of popular opinion at the meeting,” and described the apology as “the view of favour seekers and turn-coats within its ranks.”

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Reader Comments (7)

Posted by TATA on Nov 09 2009

the african, nay nigerians cannot create, build and sustain institutions....

Posted by AOP on Nov 09 2009

The usual high standard in the mode of conferment of SAN ship has definitely been compromised, this generation of Senior Advocates do not add value to the profession bcos the process of selection considers anyhing but meritocracy

Posted by Joe on Nov 09 2009

The SAN title is not helping Nigerian legal practice. Look at the U.S that does not have such and see where they are. There should be more focus on professionalism, diversification of practice areas and a revamp of the archaic laws borrowed from England (which they do not even use anymore)

Posted by Sumayya on Nov 09 2009

I agree with u joe, as a young Lawyer one of my aspiration was to become a SAN, and i work very hard. However with over 15 years post call I will not want to be on that roll where Aandoka et.al hold fort. Definitely the title which was honorable has since been tainted and lord have mercy on the profession itself...

Posted by Alawiye Tomi on Nov 09 2009

The tittle Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN)is of no good use to Nigerians as many of the awardees have turned it to Senior Advocate of Nihilists (SAN).It is their likes who freed Iyiola Omisore of Bola Ige's murder,a park of SANs also appealed Bode George's prison judgement.If they can let the murder of the Chief Justice Ige go unaccounted for, and have let off the hook many who should have been rotting in jail,it only shows that there is nothing they cannot do for money.Many of them are in the same categories with all our bad politicians.Scrape it off since the award is not always based on merit,but whom you know.

Posted by K. S. AFOLAYAN on Nov 09 2009

The privileges Commitee members have not being doing the job right in the appontment of SAN. The government itself is not helping matters in their unwritten code of using only SAN's in the legal team of INEC. Most judges are timid when they see SAN in their courts. The title of SAN shoul be abolish forthwith.

Posted by Enyinnaya on Nov 10 2009

This issue is not being properly handled. The motion to abolish the rank of SAN was moved at the Annual Bar conference and it received overwhelming support of the majority of lawyer in attendance, this is to say the least a strong support to scrap the rank if they go on to appoint people with total disregard to these strong voices, in the face of the fact the NBA president inform the whole body of lawyers in Nigeria that the matter will be tabled at the NEC meeting. We await the resolution of the NEC. The big question is whose interest do they serve in appointing SAN, their interest, the interest of the appointed, or the legal profession? I was taught as a child not to call people names, but i know for sure that if all the lawyers who gave the motion support are turn coats, then let the few who are made SAN be rest assured that we will help then advertise their new title so that they can even wear it on the streets and not in the courts where actually the are to be accorded seniority. This foretold doom for the profession.