Afam Osigwe, SAN, President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has challenged lawyers to reclaim their role as agents of change and rebuild public trust in the legal profession, warning that lawyers are increasingly “feared but not respected” due to perceptions of enabling injustice.
Speaking on Monday during the 2025 Law Week of the NBA Bwari Branch in Abuja, Osigwe decried the declining societal view of lawyers, citing incidents where criminals, including “one-chance” robbers, targeted lawyers as “the problem with Nigeria.”
Osigwe shared anecdotes illustrating the erosion of respect for lawyers, noting that while armed robbers once spared vehicles with NBA stickers, recent encounters show hostility, with robbers harshly treating lawyers upon discovering their profession.
“Society looks up to us, but we are seen as purveyors of injustice or those who enable bad behavior,” he said, urging lawyers to work toward a nation “where justice flows down like a river.” He emphasized the need for lawyers to be seen as impartial and just, delivering judgments that inspire public confidence.
Addressing judicial challenges, Osigwe criticized the failure to enforce court judgments, particularly when lower courts cite Section 84 of the Constitution, which grants the Attorney General administrative power over Supreme Court rulings.
“When courts give judgments but fail to enforce them, they score an own goal, rendering themselves impotent,” he warned, noting that unenforced judgments become “paper victories,” eroding public trust. He called for a legal system where citizens trust lawyers and judges to resolve disputes fairly.
Quoting Jimmy Dean, Osigwe said, “I may not be able to change the direction of the wind, but I should be able to set my sail to reach my destination.” He urged lawyers to strive for a society where court rulings are respected, and the legal profession regains its esteem. “The day people believe courts are useless and lawyers cannot offer solutions, the level of danger becomes manifest,” he cautioned.