Senior Lawyer Warns NBA Against Eroding Legal Traditions
A senior legal practitioner, Timoti Abiodun Olatokumbo Tubuyele, has expressed strong dissatisfaction over the recognition given to very junior lawyers during the recently concluded Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Enugu.
Speaking in a public statement, Tubuyele, who has practiced law for over 45 years, described the development as a dangerous departure from the long-standing traditions of the legal profession in Nigeria.
According to him, “The legal profession where I have participated in over 45 years is not like that. In this profession, you climb to the top by paying your dues. If you have succeeded outside the legal profession, that does not make you occupy positions seniors occupy in the legal profession.”
He lamented that some lawyers, barely a year post-call, were accorded special recognition at the FURA event of the conference simply because of their fame in politics, entertainment, or other sectors outside the profession.
“I would have felt bad if I was in the hall, sweating at the back, and found an actor, maybe three or four years at the Bar, sitting in front of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Benchers and Life Benchers. The legal profession is not like this,” he said.
Tubuyele stressed that the profession is built on traditions and hierarchical order that must not be eroded, recalling personal experiences as a young lawyer where strict adherence to court etiquette and respect for seniors defined the Bar.
He further cautioned against the new practice of Benchers mingling with freshly called lawyers, describing it as another breach of professional culture.
“When we were called to the Bar, we never saw Benchers. After the call, they filed away into a room and we had no contact with them. These are the traditions we met, and they must be preserved,” he noted.
Tubuyele urged the NBA and the Body of Benchers to ensure that what transpired at the 2025 Enugu Conference “never happens again,” insisting that the dignity of the profession lies in its traditions.
“Guys, we have tradition. Let us uphold the tradition in the legal profession. That is my take,” he concluded.
